First the Koran Burnings, Now This; I Think We're Donesies in the 'Stan

[rory_20_uk]

Frankly, I'm amazed that more don't crack. Driving around every day, trying to help people. Getting shot at and and mates blown to pieces as a "thank you". Years pass and nothing lastingly good has been achieved, merely a load of corrupt politicians line their own pockets and promote their family. I get pissed off enough at people throwing litter into my garden.

End of the day, he's guilty of multiple murder. It looks premeditated. Is that life in prison or executed?

[Lemur]

End of the day, he's guilty of multiple murder. It looks premeditated. Is that life in prison or executed?

Under the UCMJ, that's most likely a death sentence. There are also provisions for manslaughter and negligent homicide, but very little about extenuating circumstances, of which this man appears to have few.

[Tellos Athenaios]

Don't think the USA will be out of Afghanistan quite so easily, or so quickly. Think Yemen, or Pakistan.

Either way he probably is very much done in Afghanistan, as his mere presence now puts the people around him in danger.

[Papewaio]

Can't he just quit the army to avoid a court marshal?

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Can't he just quit the army to avoid a court marshal?

Then he should be handed over to the Afgans, and probably hanged. Actually, they should do that anyway - but they won't.

[rvg]

Then he should be handed over to the Afgans, and probably hanged. Actually, they should do that anyway - but they won't.

Of course not. Trying one of our guys in an Afghani kangaroo court? No, thanks.

[Noncommunist]

I've read that it might not be as bad as the Koran burnings. After all, we've been making mistakes like this for years. And I think the Afghans perceive the Taliban as being about as bad as us despite the fact that we've killed far less of them than the Taliban.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Of course not. Trying one of our guys in an Afghani kangaroo court? No, thanks.

And there it is... reason one why it isn't working over there.

All they'll do is hang him, so why not hand him over?

Nice to know you value his life over the people he killed.

[rory_20_uk]

This sick, disturbed, evil individual deserves the firing squad and I hope he gets it.

If I understand this correctly, it wasn't a mission gone wrong but rather a pre-meditated act by one guy.

I would agree with the terms sick and disturbed but based on what little I know so far I think that it is a bit of a leap to call him "evil". First off, he gave himself up for punishment opposed to nicking someone else's rifle and doing it. Secondly he "only" killed everyone in two houses. I imagine he could have killed a far greater number if he'd wanted to.

Although it is possible that he joined the army, worked his way up from the ranks in some 10 year strategy to kill two families, but it seems much more likely that he is sick and disturbed by what he's been through.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Secondly he "only" killed everyone in two houses. I imagine he could have killed a far greater number if he'd wanted to.

[Sarmatian]

Although it is possible that he joined the army, worked his way up from the ranks in some 10 year strategy to kill two families, but it seems much more likely that he is sick and disturbed by what he's been through.

Very much possible but it's still possible that it is premeditated, like a revenge for his buddies or something like that.

[Visor]

You can kill our people, but you can't kill our book!

Terrible thing though, regardless of the Afghani priorities. Didn't know they executed soldiers anymore, I thought they just got jailed for some ungodly amount of time instead.

[rory_20_uk]

As a Soldier he would have had constant re-enforcement on what the right thing to do was. He would be asked regularly about his mental state, he would attend constant sensitivity classes, and every single mission briefing would contain something like "please don't hurt the civilians." There is no excuse for not being able to discern right and wrong in this case. Not even a PTSD flashback is excuse enough for this, as he would have had ample opportunities to describe his feelings to someone who could help. The Army doesn't hold your career back for that sort of thing any more, the stigma is not what it used to be.

He's asked about his mental state. If that is as reliable as the health screening I do, then people... lie - "no sir, not a drop" then presented with end stage liver failure and was dead in 2 weeks.
Awww, sensitivity classes. That makes everything OK... You might as well say that classes to detect Non Accidental Injury in children stops all child abuse.
Please don't hurt the civilians. That stops people who suddenly snap...

Some people talk. Some don't. There are ample ways for people to seek help if they are depressed. That doesn't mean some don't commit suicide. The system might be stopping 99 out of 100 persons who might have done this, but this is that one person who the system didn't catch. It happens. No system is perfect.

I'm not defending him. He did it. Perhaps a very good lawyer will argue temporary insanity and when he realised what he'd done he immediately gave himself up. He not only killed a load of locals, but far more importantly our troops might get injured or killed as a result of this.

[rory_20_uk]

Ridiculous. You're basically saying that because he didn't take the options he had seriously that his choice is valid? What?

No... I was stating that those things that are put in place might help. To think that a few classes are going to manage to offset the hell of that country is is, well, ridiculous.

That I can understand what he did does not mean I condone what he did. The validity of what he did surely depends on one's personal stand. I don't think it's valid but then I don't think that the whole enterprise is either.

[johnhughthom]

Ridiculous. You're basically saying that because he didn't take the options he had seriously that his choice is valid? What?

It may not have been as simple as not taking the options available to him, mental illness is not always something easy to talk about. It may well be he didn't even realise himself, and he suddenly snapped. He could have found it difficult to talk about, or perhaps was afraid of what was happening. Calling it a choice may well be invalid. Then again, he may have planned it in a rational and calculated manner. We don't know.

As has been said before, I am surprised this doesn't happen more often, the unique nature of this case should be a mark of the professionalism of the forces in Afghanistan.

[a completely inoffensive name]

All this means is that we need to stay another year to regain the trust of the locals.

[rvg]

Frankly, I'm amazed that more don't crack. Driving around every day, trying to help people. Getting shot at and and mates blown to pieces as a "thank you". Years pass and nothing lastingly good has been achieved, merely a load of corrupt politicians line their own pockets and promote their family. I get pissed off enough at people throwing litter into my garden...

Very much so. I am very curious as to what his motivation was, but it wouldn't surprise me if he just went berserk from stress or lost a buddy of his to a "friendly" afghan "ally". We'll just have to wait and see what the investigation unearths.

[Husar]

Very much so. I am very curious as to what his motivation was, but it wouldn't surprise me if he just went berserk from stress or lost a buddy of his to a "friendly" afghan "ally". We'll just have to wait and see what the investigation unearths.

Maybe the family members of the people he killed may also "just" go berserk in response and kill 14 american women and children each and so on.
That would really help the situation.