Haditha, Your thoughts Options

[Hartmann]

Just wondering what everyone thinks about this Haditha fiasco...

I agree those who are responsible should be punished but I also agree with a quote I heard today:

"Those trained to kill should not be entrusted to keep the peace"

[pebkac]

1. this is still an investigation...therefore the 'innocent until proven guilty' thing still applies. some of you (psyko) and the liberal media have already condemned them. if you care for liberties so much, at least grant them their day in court. otherwise, you're a fucking hypocrite.

Ok, I'll grant you that. However this:

4. "innocent" is a relative term in iraq (or somalia, or vietnam, or...). if a civilian knows of a trap/IED/ambush, are they still innocent? most people in that town knew where the IEDs were...yet said nothing to the patrolling marines. you tend think about that when you're buddies' flesh is on your skin.

5. it's easy for me to say that I would never do something like this sitting here in the capacity that I am...but put me on the streets, patrolling for a few months, exhausted, hot, sad, scared, parched/hungry, homesick, angry....and I'd like to "think" I would take the non-reactionary, moral high ground...but I can't truly say. it's easy to pass judgement from here.

6. what bothers me about this...especially if they are found guilty in a mil court, is that every grunt is going to be hesitant about reacting to a threat. and we had a saying...the moment of hesitation is the moment of death.

is all contradicted by this:

3. there is absolutely no excuse for executing any noncombatant...especially women and children, if that's really what happened...there's no fucking excuse. taking the gloves off and stretching the boundaries of ROE is one thing; but killing children in cold blood will not "win" this war.