My dad and two grandpas who have military experience (one grandpa actually was a draft dodger during the Vietnam War but my other grandpa served honorably in combat in Vietnam and was drafted and my dad served served honorably in the Marine Corp (never in combat). All three say that my husband should retain the final say in what orders he obeys and those he does not choose to obey. My "military advisors lol lol" say that precedents such as the trial of Nazi War Criminals after WW2 and during Vietnam, a massacre of a Vietnamese village by US soldiers set the precedent that an individual service man retains the authority to obey orders given to him. Should the military given immunity from prosecution to all service members as it did to Blackwater employees so that they would have to obey all orders given to them by their higher ups? My husband will be an Infantry soldier after he finishes his training.
2007-10-30 06:38:32 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
You do not understand what they mean by immunity.
It means that the country of Iraq cannot prosicute them. The same goes for US Military.
However, as a soldier, you are not immune from a court marshal by the US Government. So if a soldier disobeys an order, follows an illegal order, or breaks one of the Laws of Land Warfare, they can be punished by the Uniform Code of Military Justice or by the US Government, but not a government of a forign country.
Blackwater is presenting a question now because they do not fall under the UCMJ, so where do they get prosicuted? It doesnt mean they are immune, but its a legal delima.
2007-10-30 06:54:34 · answer #1 · answered by mnbvcxz52773 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Under new Iraqi legislation as of today Blackwater has NO Immunity and must answer ALL questions with regards their alleged crimes.
I forsee a mass exodus in the company from Iraq!!!
2007-10-30 10:00:12 · answer #2 · answered by conranger1 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Did you ever watch the show, Jericho? Well, I suspect that it was taken off the air due to the reference to "Black ops". This group of quasi military people are mercenaries and owe their allegience to the one who pays the most. Some have said they are Bush's private army, that they are Cheney's private army but most of us who know of Blackwater understand that these people have been trained to fire on U.S. Citizens and do as they are ordered. They are not subject to military law and they do not swear fealty to the USA (at least there is no way of monitoring the group to ensure that they are loyal to the USA). There is no way any group should be given immunity from prosecution and blackwater should not be guarding our diplomats or anyone else because they can pick and choose who they want to "pick off" or "kill" via "black ops" and their antics can be hidden from the public's view. No one should be given immunity from prosecution, including the President of the United States whom I consider a traitor of the highest order. It is quite possible that this is the army that has been hired by Dubai to take over the USA in the near future. To this day, we still don't know for sure whether or not the terrorists were part of an internal terrorist group in the USA. I lump blackwater in with any other terrorist group because it is not subject to loyalty or laws but is mercenary and can't be counted on to protect the citizens of the USA.
2007-10-30 07:55:20 · answer #3 · answered by Mindbender 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Very interesting stuff. In the military, you are required to follow orders, but you still have free will. If I was instructed to kill a family of people, I would object and face whatever punishment was dished out at me (even death, I'd imagine killing a family in cold blood would be worse than dying myself, just my opinion). Blackwater was given immunity because they are private company that resides in the US, they can be sued by anyone a lot easier than the military would be (you'd be going against a large part of our government). They gave them immunity it seems to prevent them from getting bogged down in lawsuits over the many activities that happen under their watch.
I disagree with immunity for any type of soldier, mercenary or armed guard. They still have free will, they should follow orders, but they should reserve their judgment and not follow bad ones, and accept whatever punishment is coming for doing so (often investigations can get you off for disobeying orders if you conduct yourself correctly and get lucky with the people looking into it).
2007-10-30 06:47:53 · answer #4 · answered by Pfo 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Blackwater people can be tried in criminal court
in the country it happened.Blackwater is being pulled out in 2009.Or government is investigating
Blackwater.and charges will be coming down.
When i was in the USMC i was a ground pound er.
I co mend your husband for willing to serve his
country.
2007-10-30 07:00:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
The ultimate decision to oney a direct order lays on the soldier. Your relatives are right.
Keep in mind that the orders come from someone that knows - therefore he will have a ride to explain his decision..
2007-10-30 06:49:11 · answer #6 · answered by Mephisto 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They don't have immunity. Who told you that?
2007-10-30 06:42:46 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
because the rules are made by corporate mafia henchmen, for corporate mafia henchmen, who employ corporate mafia henchmen.
2007-10-30 06:43:30 · answer #8 · answered by celvin 7 · 3⤊ 4⤋