[wingsof daun]

Originally Posted by Micky Dolenz

No alcohol allowed on bases in war time.

Aren't US soldiers given drugs to keep them sane over there? Maybe he put his pills down the toilet... the job in Afghanistan can be very demoralising and demanding which is an understatement. They are often left which flashbacks of the horrors they saw, for the rest of their days.

[Zebra3]

Originally Posted by Killer Wench

Oh really now.

Look at the massive number of civilians murdered by American forces over the year.

Few tears shed by them.

And that's without even touching on the torture.

[Killer Wench]

Originally Posted by Zebra3

Look at the massive number of civilians murdered by American forces over the year.

Few tears shed by them.

And that's without even touching on the torture.

I know many veterans who have returned home and many of them are dealing with the casualties experienced within their ranks and the civilians they came in contact with. I've known of soldiers who made personal connections with teenagers and young men and those young men are later killed by their own community because of their association with the military. It appears to me that you are speaking as someone who has read a few articles and have extrapolated the values and opinions of diverse group of personnel. You don't know what they have dealt with on a personal level so it is quite dangerous to accuse them of taking any kind of pleasure in the death of civilians.

[Kirby]

Originally Posted by minidazzler

There are no bars in Afghanistan for soldiers AFAIK. I've heard they get like 2 beers each at Christmas, but that's it.

Originally Posted by Micky Dolenz

No alcohol allowed on bases in war time.

Drink has very little to do with a case like this, however most soldiers have access to alcohol due to trading and a "black market" if you will. They don't need bars or pubs to get pissed.

[Zebra3]

Originally Posted by Killer Wench

I know many veterans who have returned home and many of them are dealing with the casualties experienced within their ranks and the civilians they came in contact with. I've known of soldiers who made personal connections with teenagers and young men and those young men are later killed by their own community because of their association with the military. It appears to me that you are speaking as someone who has read a few articles and have extrapolated the values and opinions of diverse group of personnel. You don't know what they have dealt with on a personal level so it is quite dangerous to accuse them of taking any kind of pleasure in the death of civilians.

Oh, so they murdered civilians and were then a bit sad afterwards.

And we all lived happily ever after.

[Manic Moran]

Originally Posted by wingsof daun

Aren't US soldiers given drugs to keep them sane over there?

Erm...

No.

[Darksaga87]

Originally Posted by wingsof daun

Aren't US soldiers given drugs to keep them sane over there?

Gooooooooooooood morning Vietnam!!!

[RichieC]

Originally Posted by Manic Moran

Erm...

No.

I read the anti malaria pills they take can cause some to go a bit barmy.

[policarp]

An Irish soldier lost the plot a few years ago.
That was on a peacekeeping mission.
Mr. Nally shoots first and asks questions after. . .
Moral is :-
No one should have weapons.

[Adamisconfused]

Soldiers are people too. One lad flipped out and killed innocent civilians. They have a tough job to do and don't go thinking the world is some naive little place where we can get along with each other if it wasn't for those pesky trained killers. They do the tasks the rest of us don't have to even think about.

[Manic Moran]

Originally Posted by RichieC

I read the anti malaria pills they take can cause some to go a bit barmy.

US hasn't used Lariam in a few years, now. The rate of side-effect was reasonably low, so much so that it was the defacto world-wide anti-malarial until very recently.

NTM

[wilkie2006]

Originally Posted by karma_

Not the death penalty no. However, this was a clear case of premeditated murder, proved by the courts martial, a fair sentence would have been life without the possibility of parole.

Originally Posted by Latchy

Burning of the Koran ,urinating on dead bodies and now a slaughter of Afghans by this individual .If the Americans were looking for ways to make their job much much harder and dangerous ,not to mention that of thier allies then these actions have only have help achieved that with more deaths of soldiers and civillians to come .Revenge will be on the minds of many Afghans and Taliban alike .

Aside from the tragedy of 16 murders, the political fallout of this soldier's killing spree could be enormous. How many people from both sides will die as a result of retaliatory and counter-retaliatory attacks? As contentious as it sounds, I think that the army should hand the soldier over to the people in the village and let them do as they please. If this would appease the indigenous population's desire for justice then it's worth it. Why should the soldier - who murdered 16 innocent people - be afforded the compassion he withheld from his victims?

[davetherave]

How do we really know that the houses he targeted were random and had "innocent" civvies inside? For all we know, he could have been out on patrol earlier that day and been hit up from those houses?

Where was that outrage bus when six British Soldiers were killed after their APC hit a IED last week? The turret flew 30 metres in the air, the vehicle flip over and was left burning. The QRF couldn't get to the scene for 24 hours, that's how heavy the fighting was. How much of a body do you think is left after been left on fire and smoldering for that long????

What is Karzai going to do about the cnuts that laid that one? Condemn the attacks? Fcuk that, it's his country, let him sort it out.

Just pull everything out and let them do whatever they want to each other....

[wilkie2006]

Originally Posted by davetherave

How do we really know that the houses he targeted were random and had "innocent" civvies inside? For all we know, he could have been out on patrol earlier that day and been hit up from those houses?

Because immediately after the massacre he went back to base and handed himself in.

Originally Posted by davetherave

Where was that outrage bus when six British Soldiers were killed after their APC hit a IED last week?

Well, they're hardly the same thing, are they? As sad as the incident you mention might be, that's one of the things that happens in conflict. The murder of three families in their sleep - along with their children - is not (or at least shouldn't be).

[karma_]

Originally Posted by davetherave

How do we really know that the houses he targeted were random and had "innocent" civvies inside? For all we know, he could have been out on patrol earlier that day and been hit up from those houses?

Where was that outrage bus when six British Soldiers were killed after their APC hit a IED last week? The turret flew 30 metres in the air, the vehicle flip over and was left burning. The QRF couldn't get to the scene for 24 hours, that's how heavy the fighting was. How much of a body do you think is left after been left on fire and smoldering for that long????

What is Karzai going to do about the cnuts that laid that one? Condemn the attacks? Fcuk that, it's his country, let him sort it out.

Just pull everything out and let them do whatever they want to each other....

It might be a good idea to read at the very least a couple of the articles that have been written about this incident, before you spout your ignorance over the internet.

Here's a couple of facts for your consideration -

The Taliban had not been spotted in that area for over 6 months.

He killed NINE fcuking children.

Maybe you can stop excusing a child murderer by hi-lighting incidents that have literally nothing to do with this one?