Soldiers on trial!

[jasy]

What an outrage that there are soldiers on trial for acts commited in wartime. The fog of war is a reality ( i know) and what people fail to remember is that these guys are under massive pressure and the people they had just arrested had probably been trying to kill them moments earlier. There are too many doo gooders out there who have never been in that situation are want to give it the good old 'labour' and europe b*llocks. So much for the government who sent you to war but will not back you afterwards. Shove that one up you labour voters!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[david and julie]

Are you really suprised jasy with our current Gov and namby pamby civil servants. I have never been in the armed services, but if I was and politics aside, I would rather have Michael Heseltine (or possibly Maggie) backing me. They shouldn't ask any serviceman (or woman) to put their lives on the line and not back them up. Why don't they just turn a blind eye(within reason) and have done? Really shows up the two faced politicians this, cause the trouble then disassociate yourselves from it. Shower of c**** the lot of them.

 

[securespark]

(within reason)

First of all, I guess you're talking about "Prisoner abuses".

That's the trouble, David. Where do you draw the line of reason?

The problem is that there are internationally agreed laws on the treatment of POW's and we should be seen to be sticking to that law. We would be outraged if our POW's were badly treated, no?

If this POV makes me a "do-gooder", then so be it!

 

[Rider]

Can anyone suggest a reason why the soldiers allowed their actions to be photographed? If they knew this was not how they are supposed to treat prisoners, then I can't understand why they'd want photographic evidence of it hanging around.

 

[kevplumb]

scuse me we are talking about a squaddie kicking some arab
who went on a website and beheaded a prisoner
pppplllleeeeeeee se people

 

[ninebob]

You have to remember that these prisoners of war hadn't neccessarily done anything wrong out of choice. They were living under a regime in which they were almost certainly told they were fighting for a good cause. All armies must beleive that they are on the "right side".

I don't beleive for a second that we should turn a "blind eye" to the abuse. It shows the appaling type of thugs we have in our military and it make me for one very ashamed. So yes, they should be tried and held to account for their unneccasary actions.

 

[david and julie]

Sticking to international law is all well and good but these people are hardly wearing uniforms are they? You are talking about terrorists in many cases. Is it being suggested soldiers should salute someone who shot his mate in the back or chopped off his head?

When I say turn a blind I don't mean in extreme cases and if they need to court martial anybody it should be behind closed doors. The services are trying to foster goodwill among the local people, their efforts are wasted by the ensuing media sensationalism. All these trails do is sell news and provide jobs for overpaid lawyers.

I would imagine from a military and political point of view they are completely counter productive. These set backs probably lengthen these campaigns, that s why I say turn a blind eye, it makes more sense. We shouldn't even be there anyway should we?

 

[jasy]

You have to remember that these prisoners of war hadn't neccessarily done anything wrong out of choice. They were living under a regime in which they were almost certainly told they were fighting for a good cause. All armies must beleive that they are on the "right side".

I don't beleive for a second that we should turn a "blind eye" to the abuse. It shows the appaling type of thugs we have in our military and it make me for one very ashamed. So yes, they should be tried and held to account for their unneccasary actions.

If you think these guys are thugs then just look in your town centre on an evening at the wasters cutting around smashing the place up. You do not know the circumstances, everyone is presuming

 

[Rider]

Bear in mind that it's only a few individuals that are charged with prisoner abuse, not the entire Army. If the Army and all of its soldiers thought poor prisoner treatment was OK, there'd be many more cases of it than there is.

 

[masona]

You have to remember that these prisoners of war hadn't neccessarily done anything wrong out of choice. They were living under a regime in which they were almost certainly told they were fighting for a good cause.

And not only that, Saddam bully them into his army otherwise their family will be shot. Any prisoners of war should not be bully as some of them was force into it, a real shame as they can't win.

 

[Richardp]

 

[kendor]

You do not know the circumstances, everyone is presuming

Exactly! so why the comment in the first place, the courts will decide on the evidence given.

 

[kevplumb]

ok put it this way
you shoot my mate
i blow your head off
and have no qualms about doing it

 

[securespark]

We shouldn't even be there anyway should we?

No. Most definately not. I've done the M/cr marches...

Bush and Poodle Bliar have connived between them to con our countries into believing war is a necessary evil, not that most of us fell for it.

It is an illegal war, there was no evidence of WMD's, and the UN did not give backing for it, not that the US waited. I can't begin to tell you how angry (that's an understatement, but I can't find any words strong enough to describe my feelings) I am at this situation.

At the last US election, I was urging Kerry in, not because I was a Kerry fan, but because he was an alternative to Bush.

Having said all of that, if we are in Iraq, we need to follow international lw and convention laid down for situations of conflict.

 

[jasy]

You do not know the circumstances, everyone is presuming

Exactly! so why the comment in the first place, the courts will decide on the evidence given.

Your missing the point, (AGAIN), they should not have to be put in the position in the first place. British soldier murdered in Iraq gets 3 lines on page 9. British soldier in Iraq Supposedly treats suspect badly and gets paraded in front of the worlds media as thug and the dregs of society. These soldiers have been dealing with the dregs of the Iraqi society. People who just hours earlier were probably shooting at them, looting genuine, law abiding citizens property and businesses and being a severe threat to security. I'm sorry Kendor, you would know all about that wouldn't you sat in your ivory palace surveying all those bad people around you and passing comment....muppet.