U.S. Marines may face murder charges over killings in Iraq

[Wudang]

Perhaps it would end it. But what would that end do to America's opinion of itself? Your troops are going in there because they believe they can do good, they deserve to be allowed to leave with honour and without (too much) innocent blood on them.

 

[a_unique_person]

The purpose of the US military in Iraq is to give Iraq to the Iraqis -- they vote, they choose, they control. The purpose of the terrorists or insurgents is to take over for themselves without having the people choose. I believe it a very safe bet to put money on the US military as being preferred over a bunch or terrorists; and to think that the US military is now behaving like Saddam's troops did in Kuwait in 1990 is simply absurd.

What if one of their choices is that they want the American troops out?

 

[Elind]

I saw an interview of one of the children that survived the massacre, she apparently knew the roadside bomb was there, as she was hiding in her room awaiting the explosion.

I haven't seen that. Where did you?

 

[Elind]

What if one of their choices is that they want the American troops out?

Another bland ass question. Are you really going to pretend that you don't know the quickest solution to that goal?

 

[Polaris]

Apples & oranges. They were not released from an invasion -- the people would clearly prefer the US military over an invasion of Saddam's troops. And that's my point; please stay on topic -- thank you.

And to thank us, the Saudi people sent planes into buildings. Saddam invaded the wrong country.

 

[Polaris]

I haven't seen that. Where did you?

Not to mention that even if she was, how did the Marines know that? Sounds like a coincidence to me.

 

[Elind]

And to thank us, the Saudi people sent planes into buildings. Saddam invaded the wrong country.

Stupid comment.

 

[Elind]

Not to mention that even if she was, how did the Marines know that? Sounds like a coincidence to me.

Huhh?

 

[Just thinking]

And to thank us, the Saudi people sent planes into buildings. Saddam invaded the wrong country.

They were of al-Qaeda ... not Saudi Arabia. To put the blame on Saudi Arabia for their actions is like blaming the US for Timothy McVeigh. But I agree it would have been great if Saddam attacked the forces of al-Qaeda, but that did not happen.

Plus, I believe Saudi Arabia was all too happy to let the coalition forces (mainly US) to use their country as a launching platform against Saddam.

 

[Polaris]

Huhh?

Even if the civilians had known about the IED beforehand, it doesn't seem that the Marines stopped to find out before firing on the civilians.

 

[Polaris]

They were of al-Qaeda ... not Saudi Arabia. To put the blame on Saudi Arabia for their actions is like blaming the US for Timothy McVeigh. But I agree it would have been great if Saddam attacked the forces of al-Qaeda, but that did not happen.

Plus, I believe Saudi Arabia was all too happy to let the coalition forces (mainly US) to use their country as a launching platform against Saddam.

Al-Qaida which is of the same ideology that is propogated and funded around the world BY Saudi Arabia in the hope that as long as they fill the Wahhabist jihad coffers, the terrorists will attack everybody BUT the Saudis themselves. I personally have the lowest regard for anything Saudi - I don't consider them allies, or even civilized people. I'm saying Saudi Arabia is full of Wahhabist scum who think that bin Laden is a hero, and that Saudi Arabia deserved the brutality that Kuwait got. McVeigh isn't lionized in America. He's not known as a "glorious martyr" as the 19 hijackers are. Bad comparison.

 

[Art Vandelay]

It's not a Disney movie with plucky kids foiling the bad guys plot. She'd quite possibly have been taking her and her families lives in her hands if she's warned the US troops. People who plant roadside bombs tend not to play nice.
If the marines lost it and killed unarmed civilians then that is murder.

And if Rommel had defected, his family would have been killed. Doesn't make him a civilian. If they're participating in military attacks, they are valid targets.

 

[a_unique_person]

They were of al-Qaeda ... not Saudi Arabia. To put the blame on Saudi Arabia for their actions is like blaming the US for Timothy McVeigh. But I agree it would have been great if Saddam attacked the forces of al-Qaeda, but that did not happen.

Plus, I believe Saudi Arabia was all too happy to let the coalition forces (mainly US) to use their country as a launching platform against Saddam.

The fundy wahabists are encouraged by the house of Saud.

 

[Just thinking]

Al-Qaida which is of the same ideology that is propogated and funded around the world BY Saudi Arabia in the hope that as long as they fill the Wahhabist jihad coffers, the terrorists will attack everybody BUT the Saudis themselves. I personally have the lowest regard for anything Saudi - I don't consider them allies, or even civilized people. I'm saying Saudi Arabia is full of Wahhabist scum who think that bin Laden is a hero, and that Saudi Arabia deserved the brutality that Kuwait got. McVeigh isn't lionized in America. He's not known as a "glorious martyr" as the 19 hijackers are. Bad comparison.

So, are you saying that back in 1990/1991 the people of Saudi Arabia would have preferred an invasion of Saddam over having the military set up bases to stop him? I too have no great like for Saudi anything -- but letting Saddam have control over all that region was not an option at the time.

 

[Wudang]

And if Rommel had defected, his family would have been killed. Doesn't make him a civilian. If they're participating in military attacks, they are valid targets.

No they were not participating. They were hiding. I believe there is an enormous difference between failing to act to prevent something and actively helping it. A better analogy is perhaps German civilians who knew of the Holocaust.

 

[Polaris]

So, are you saying that back in 1990/1991 the people of Saudi Arabia would have preferred an invasion of Saddam over having the military set up bases to stop him? I too have no great like for Saudi anything -- but letting Saddam have control over all that region was not an option at the time.

No, I'm saying they're perfectly ungrateful for their protection - since they're supporting terrorists who got honked off at America for providing that very protection.

 

[Art Vandelay]

No they were not participating. They were hiding. I believe there is an enormous difference between failing to act to prevent something and actively helping it. A better analogy is perhaps German civilians who knew of the Holocaust.

I was addressing the implied claim that a person who is coerced is not a valid target, not advancing the claim that they were participating.

 

[Elind]

No they were not participating. They were hiding. I believe there is an enormous difference between failing to act to prevent something and actively helping it.

Under law the former would likely get you a life sentence and latter death, if allowed. You can call that an enormous difference if you wish, I tend to think it sounds like a cheap excuse.

A better analogy is perhaps German civilians who knew of the Holocaust.

Lousy analogy.

 

[Wudang]

I was addressing the implied claim that a person who is coerced is not a valid target, not advancing the claim that they were participating.

A person who is coerced into participating is a different case from one who is coerced into standing by. And a person who has been coerced is not an immediate threat whereas a person who is being coerced may be.

 

[Wudang]

Under law the former would likely get you a life sentence and latter death, if allowed. You can call that an enormous difference if you wish, I tend to think it sounds like a cheap excuse.

So the kid should have got a life sentence for hiding in her room? Are you serious?