Free the 5 marines

[ukminch]

I'm not going to comment on whether I think it's right or wrong, but I do feel that we definitely do not know all the facts. If the insurgent had been arrested, locked in a cell then shot in the cell, would this be murder? If he's just not had injuries treated this is entirely different. I feel it's important to remember we do not know the facts. Our military does a fantastic job and has some fantastic people in it, unfortunately it also has some bad eggs as in every walk of life.

 

Lets hope for a speedy fair outcome for the people involved.

 

R

[ukminch]

But we don't know (correct me if im wrong) if this was the case. If it was a combat situation then they should be backed 100 percent, as you said. If they have shot someone in a cell then this is probably wrong, but again it may not have been, we weren't there and we don't know the facts (well I don't)

 

T

[Dog Tag]

"I appreciate your view that they signed up to this - but no one knows exactly how they will react to these situations until they are in the thick of it themselves.

 

Please dont judge - and if you do try and put yourself in the position of a Soldier/Marine in Helmand Province."

 

Spot on.

[Gus McWilliam]

The court will sort it out. We cant assume either way atm, but some members of the public seem to be blindly defending them with no idea what went on and the whole process would probably go a lot smoother if we just left the court to it. Just my opinion

[easy-lift guy]

At least over here until an after action report has been composed and filed forward up the chain of command for review it takes time for these matters to work there way through the system.

easy-lift guy

[skyhuck]

If anyone thinks for one minute a soldier who has lost comrades [in some of the worse possible ways] is going to administer first aid to the enemy willingly, they must be on another planet! the spineless morons in Whitehall could do with a tour imo. When you train a man to kill don't be surprised when he does it.

 

 

If it was a case of inaction they could only be charged with manslaughter, the fact that they have been charged with murder means they must have acted in a way that lead to someones death and that they intended for the person to die.

 

Of cause they could well be innocent, but the evidence thats been found must point towards some action, not inaction, or they would have been charged differently.

[Billy]

have you ever been in the heat of battle Billy?[just curious]

 

No, but its irrelevant. that's their job I do mine if they wanna go and kill people they should climb the ladder and get attached to specialised units who have more brutal rules if engagement. However as one was arrested at home and had his computer seized, which is how the whole lot came to light this goes a long way towards showing the type of character that one is.

[Andy Collins]

I think we should all remember that we have always had courts martial for transgressions during times of conflict, as well as peace time. In Napoleonic times, you could be flogged or shot for looting, or stealing chickens. In WW1 for desertion, even if it was shell shock. We need a disciplined force, one that plays by the rules, and this needs enforcement in law, we do not need a rabble that becomes uncontrollable. We are meant to be a professional force, working as professionals, even in the heat of battle. I hope that these guys are found innocent (if they are) so our good name isn't sullied around the world, if they are not then the full weight of the law should fall upon them, as they are a disgrace to the country, the uniform and themselves.

I think that asking highly trained military personnel who are trained in the arts of warfare to be village bobbies on the streets of Afghanistan and not expect a few problems is a little naive at best. But hey ho.

[arbogrunt]

some good points on here...nobodys wrong..but its so easy for us to judge sitting here back in blighty in front of a PC with a nice cuppa. There will be protest marches by ex-servicemen..not just about this, but about disbanding more Infantry Battalions and the way the UK is going in general. The majority of people in the country are not happy about what has happened to it over the last 15 years and want things to change...

 

https://www.facebook.com/events/267327056721466/

 

London_Demo

 

heres two for starters..expect more court martials when serving soldiers are involved in any of this!

[finky]

the terrorist they killied was out to kill them so lets not forget that....if one to the head was what he needed to put him out of his misery and send him to his virgins(give me one with experience any day:biggrin:) then thats their call IMO