Regarding the punishment of those soldiers? Is the president right?

Question

Some say we shouldn't punish soldiers who have committed crimes in Iraq, that it would hurt morale.
The President says the opposite. Your thoughts?

Bush vows Haditha punishment Wednesday May 31, 08:41 PM
President George W Bush has vowed to punish any US marine guilty of shooting Iraqi civilians at Haditha.

"There is a thorough investigation going on. If ... laws have been broken there will be punishment" Mr Bush said in Washington.

Marine Commandant Says Marines in Iraq Know Right from Wrong.
General Michael Hagee said if an individual is found to have broken rules or regulations or regulations, " he will be held accountable regardless of grade or position. It's an important part of who we are, and all Marines expect it."

Answer 1

SHUT UP YOU LIBERAL COMMIE.

Answer 2

If the soldiers violated the law and committed a crime, then they should face the consequences. However, they should be treated as innocent until proven guilty. The President and the Marine Corps have to demonstrate that the rule of law will be followed, in order to prevent ordinary Iraqi citizens from thinking that US forces are free to act in any manner they see fit. As many respondents have already indicated, the US military is held to a higher standard of conduct because they are the representatives of the American people to the citizens of Iraq.

If the US military is not held to a higher standard, the Iraqis will feel they are trapped between insurgents and "crusaders" and will be forced to choose whom to help. Their decisions to provide support will then be based on survival instincts rather than a belief in what they view to be best for their nation.

I truly hope that the marines are found innocent of the charges in Haditha, but the truth of what happened is more important than hoping that they go free. Even more important is the need for transparency and fairness in the process of determining the truth of what happened. An open process of determining what happened will go further towards developing good will with the citizens of Iraq, than simply saying "they did it" or "they didn't do it."

Answer 3

The President is right in saying that any marine who willfully killed a civilian should be held accountable.
However, if the shootings are found to have been in anyway caused by battle induced stress; meaning the heat of the battle in which so much is going on that rules of engagement are lost to the survival instinct of the individual, then No soldier should be punished for doing what he was trained and required to do.

Answer 4

Yes, they should be punished.

I think most ppl try to understand that war is hell and sometimes this type of thing happens BUT understanding does not make it acceptable.

As a society, we can't say it is not ok for the insurgents to commit atrocities then turn around and say it is ok for our troops to commit murder. We have to try to keep the higher moral ground.

What I don't like to see is when the lower ranks are the only ones punished like that incident with the torture pictures. Anyone with half a brain knows that those ppl were told to commit those acts by commanding officers. Especially when the same exact things were occurring in multiple prisons.

Answer 5

"If laws have been broken... " It's appropriate. President Bush won't be the judge. It will be handled through military court as usual. Who is saying soldiers shouldn't be punished?
Letting them go would hurt morale more than punishing them. Who said that? It doesn't even make sense.

Answer 6

Our Military is held to a higher standard then most of us. We expect them to represent our nation with dignity, and respect for mankind. We also expect them to show the world what we as Americans stand for. If one American in the military is murdering people then they make us all appear to be the exact thing we are trying to destroy, and it overshadows the honor and courage that most people used in this countries. If a member of the US military is guilty of comitting a crime, they shoudl be punished, it shows the world that we practice what we preach. We went into Iraq to take down a tiranical murdering thug, If we say it is ok for our people to murder how can we save face with the people we are trying to protect.

Answer 7

If the investigation shows that the soldiers did not follow orders and participated in some sort of thrill killing, then they should be punished. However, if it was a simple mistake in the heat of battle, they should go free. Caution should err on the side of honest mistake.

Answer 8

There are rules of combat and they must be obeyed. These soldiers obviously broke the rules, so they should be duly punished. However, Bush should also be punished for starting this damned war to begin with!

Answer 9

Bush is just playing politics. If a civilian comes at you and does not do as he/she is told, you kill them on the spot. You don't know if they are carrying explosives on them or not. I don't care if its a child, if it doesn't do as it is told, its dead. If the soldiers were wrong in their decision to shoot then too bad, so sad. They were covering their own asses and trying to stay alive.

Answer 10

Why do people who support the war , disagree with their Commander in Chief and the generals in charge. Seems like hypocrisy.

Answer 11

they have to be punished if found guilty.
sad to say things like that happen in war but there rules which we have play by.
i would at least be sympathetic if it had more obvious that they could have been terrorists and at most give them the benefit of any doubt.