[smoothsailing]

Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales initially asserted that he had shot several Afghan men outside a U.S. combat outpost in southern Afghanistan on March 11...

“He indicated to his buddies that he had taken out some military-aged males,” the senior official said. Soldiers normally use that term to denote insurgents.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/03/afghanistan-massacre-robert-bales-statements.html

.....................................................

First I’ve heard of this. To speculate(given the way the enemy operates), he could have killed a couple of hajis, returned to base and all the other killings were done by someone else after he left the scene. He’s being set up for something he didn’t do. No wonder he can’t remember it.

[jazusamo]

Yes, first I've heard of this also and it's fair to say he is being set up for something. The below is the last sentence of the short article.

The officials asked not to be identified discussing an ongoing criminal investigation.

I didn't count the number of times "official or officials" was used in the article but it was plenty.

Bunch of stand up guys or gals aren't they? They're feeding unofficial official info to the press.

[BunnySlippers]

More about the murky events of that night and whether Bales remembered anything or has little recollection:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-rt-us-usa-afghanistan-soldier-032012,0,6406568.story

[Girlene]

From that article, The officials asked not to be identified discussing an ongoing criminal investigation.

Maddening. No problem blabbing their mouth off, but they don't want to be quoted.

I had not realized Panetta had spouted off as much as he had, in discussing this incident, or that he was the one that said Bales had possibly confessed.

Wow, now "officials" are saying SSGt Bales admitted to taking out MAM's? The second village had only 4 killed - there are reports it was 4 MAM. There was also a report it was 2 men and their wives.

A lot of unknowns out there.

[Girlene]

Smooth, not much here is making sense. Who would set him up other than the Taliban? How would they know to set him up on this one night? IF (and that’s a big if) you can believe the reporting that said he admitted to killing some MAM’s, how did the “massacre” in the one village elder’s house occur at the same time. IOW, someone would have to know he was going out to get some MAM’s, then plan their own “massacre” at the same time.

I don’t know how much investigation has been done as to the number/gender/age etc. of Afghanis that were claimed murdered in these two areas. I would assume there is some validity to the numbers, but don’t know for sure.

Not questioning your idea, smooth, just trying to figure out how it would be possible.

CBS News reported tonight that his lawyer seemed to think he would be charged on Thursday.