Charges Against Snipers Stir Debate on 'Baiting'

The Washington Post ^ | 26 Sep 07 | Josh White and Ann Scott Tyson

[RedRover]

Night, fred. One heck of an evening.

[lilycicero]

I gotta go ck my Ebay items. Good night.

[jazusamo]

Yikes! I peeked. :-)

[lilycicero]

Whew...you are ok. I didn’t have to call Johnny and Roy to whip out the paddles and say “CLEAR”.

[jazusamo]

Nobody has to say “clear” to me, I know how the patients jump when they’re zapped, it’s scary. lol

Yeah, Red turns in too early but then he’s still a working stiff so I guess we can’t blame him.

[WLR]

If you are a non-combatant in a Combat Zone...

You become a combatant when you pick up or are in possession of a weapon.. Det Cord, a Clacker a box of ammunition.

(There would be some limited exceptions to this for example moving a suspected bomb away from a market or something to that effect.. Others ...Say goodnight Gracie...

How would you determine who the the enemy or their supporters are?

In Iraq every home may have 1 AK47 or equivalent for self defense..

You cannot get more reasonable than that.

W

[xzins]

Every cdr I’ve talked to on Iraq and every commander I ever had emphasized repeatedly that battlefield contraband (enemy weapon) is a chargeable offense. They were insistent on enforcing it.

WHERE is the most likely place these snipers got a forbidden AK47?

I thoroughly agree with you that the climate that makes these troops think they have to cover themselves is the problem of our military investigative & legal system. I would also bet that they learn of some of these things from the “debriefings” they give troops that are supposedly “confidential.” Run, don’t walk, when you’re told something is confidential in the military.

Finally, the ROEs MUST be different for snipers. They’ve just got to be. If they can’t shoot suspects who are not directly threatening them, then what exactly is the point of a sniper?

[Eagles6]

I was driving home from work and heard on Fox radio news 104.7 that Spec. Sandoval was acquitted or found not guilty of murder but guilty of the minor charge. No BS.

[xzins]

He was found not guilty of murder but guilty of planting wire.

He was worried about the lawyers ...

[Eagles6]

Where is this legalistic crap coming from? Where does it stop in the chain of command? Who made the decision that a crime had been committed and that this Soldier had to be charged?

[xzins]

Apparently, 2 soldiers they were going to punish for sleeping on duty made the accusations. Reports are that these 2 weren’t even witnesses.

[Eagles6]

Who makes the decision to prosecute these men? It appears that these cases are coming from the bottom up, this one, Ilario Pantano, Haditha. But someone makes the decision as to whether a crime has been committed. Is it the Secretary of Army/Navy or the SECDEF?

[xzins]

My guess is division level.

[Eagles6]

Lawyers, no doubt. My respect for the legal profession erodes like a swift river washes away a sand bank. Of course there are honorable solicitors, those defending our Fighters from false charges, those who seek to protect the unborn and those who defend our God given, Constitutional rights. Other than that...

[El Gato]

What kind of farmer carries around a sickle on April 27?

Long growing season? Getting in the winter wheat? Actually that might not be so far fetched. I haven't a clue when they harvest in the Tigres-Euphrates region. Certainly they aren't likley to be growning much at the height of summer. Besides, sickles are also used to cut weeds and other undesirable plants.

[bigheadfred]

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee19/bigheadfred_111/000_0015.jpg

[bigheadfred]

[IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee19/bigheadfred_111/a.jpg[/IMG]

[bigheadfred]

[bigheadfred]

WTF