What should be done about the 4 Marines facing charges for murder?

Question

Here's a link on the story in case you've been under a rock, lol.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/16295119.htm

Also, do you believe that these men truly acted out of concern for themselves? I can't see justifying murdering a 3 year old execution style. Do you think these men are a threat, or, as their lawyer says, is it ok that they are not being held while they face charges.

Marine08, I understand what you are saying. But can you truly argue that while searching these homes it was necessary to kill children? They were threatening? Perhaps if it was maybe one or two kids, they heard a noise, turned to fire, it was a mistake, that might be a bit more forgiveable. But this was also an execution style killing, a bit of a difference.

I think I would be less upset by this if people hadn't tried to cover it up, too. You don't cover up something that you had a genuine reason for doing.

James M, my brother in law is a Marine who has been in Iraq on three different occasions. I get that it's not a fun place to be. This happens to be one of the few times that I think someone crossed the line.

Answer 1

They should be tried in an American Court but punished under Iraqi law. Guilty?? Death.
Don't get me wrong, I fully support the military and they have an insurmountable work load, but in this case they killed INNOCENT WOMEN AND CHILDREN. It wouldn't be such a problem if the Insurgent Iraqi men weren't such little bi*ches...but they are.
I feel bad for them, but they made their decisions and now theyh have to pay.

Answer 2

It is easy to assume you know how you would react in a certain situation.

What would it take to make you take someones life? To save your own? A family members? A friends? Retaliation for killing a parent, spouse, friend?

Now what if, day in and day out you were in a situation where people were trying to literally kill you and your "family", You have been sleep deprived for weeks, you jump at every loud noise, you have loaded body bags with your friends inside on choppers to be taken to the battalion morgue.

Then you are on patrol and another bomb goes off injuring and killing more of your friends. Do you think you may snap at that point?

Remember this is real, this is life as you have been living it for the past several months. This is not a game on X-Box or PlayStation where you can hit reset if you are killed. You are dead.

I am glad to see there are many people on line, that don't have a clue, can judge weather these men/boys should live or die.

Answer 3

How can you judge something if you were not in the shoes of the Marines involved. You don't know what they were thinking, feeling, seeing, etc. at the time this all happened. From personal experience, crazy stuff happens when there are bullets flying at you and your adrenaline is pumping. Sometimes things happen purely out of instinct and training with not much thought put into it. They will be tried by a military court martial, but I disagreee with the way it has been publicized. It only hurts the morale of us over here making the same life or death decisions day in and day out. Its situations like this that may cause Marines to hesitate instead of shoot, for fear of being judged and prosecuted for their actions, and ultimately could cause more American deaths because of it. People should quit trying to judge and talk about things they have no idea about. Also, if there were civilians present in/near the area that an IED detonated, they weren't completely innocent. They had a part in it in some way, shape, or form.

Answer 4

They are being court-martialled. They're not convicted. It's quite possible that they followed the ROE. If you take fire from a room, return fire to that room, and children are killed in the process, that's tragic, but it's expected collateral damage. That seems to be one of the stories floating about. And I understand there was a lot of intel, including UAV still photos so "coverup" sounds a bit shrill. Why doesn't everybody get off their high horses, let the court find the facts, and discuss it when there's something to discuss?

Answer 5

The same thing that should happen to a civilian accused of murder: the accused are innocent until proven guilty. If acquitted, then that's it -- they're free to go. If convicted, then the sentence will be handed down at a later date. All of this is covered, in great detail, under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

I'm always bemused at the folks who seem to think that the laws don't apply to servicepeople who commit crimes, and wail and gnash their teeth when we find someone who has possibly committed a crime, but say nothing about the horrible things our enemies do.

Answer 6

Nothing, they should go back to their units so they can continue their mission.
Why do you people forget what happens to soldiers who are killed in iraq, ripped to pieces and dragged through the streets all the while, the iraqis are cheering and singing?
Dont forget what its like over there. Oh yeah, most of you havent been there like me and my fellow soldiers, airmen, marines and sailors.
Shouldnt those who kill our military men and women be held to the same laws? If not, why should we fight in such a way that we can not accomplish our mission.

Answer 7

I won't be making an opinion on what I think should happen to them.

However, I will say that this should not be a public matter. As a military charge it should be kept to military court and the public shouldn't be commenting on it. Especially during a time of war. The only reason the media wants their hands on this is because they want another reason to drag this war through the mud.

Answer 8

If they are found guilty, they need to be punished. The US military can't afford to have its honor tarnished by being associated with people who would murder unarmed civilians.

Answer 9

Unlike some countries, here in the states , you are not instantly guilty.
They'll receive a fair trial, in a military court .

Answer 10

We are a nation of laws