Should the shooting spree soldier be tried in Afghanistan?

[Don Quixote]

Translation: The afghani's have to suck it up.

Coincidentally our same response to the Koran burnings.

Interesting, and they still don't like us you say?

the koran burnings were an accident while the killings were the act of a lone soldier

would you have us violate our on laws because it is inconvenient

we should have left there a long time ago as far as i am concerned, certainly after we killed bin laden, our excuse for invading afghanistan in the first place

this hearts and minds strategy is not working and now it is even less likely to work

 

[apple0154]

the koran burnings were an accident while the killings were the act of a lone soldier

would you have us violate our on laws because it is inconvenient

we should have left there a long time ago as far as i am concerned, certainly after we killed bin laden, our excuse for invading afghanistan in the first place

this hearts and minds strategy is not working and now it is even less likely to work

Regarding the Koran burnings I'm not sure what you and others mean by an accident. I read they deliberately burned the books believing they contained hidden messages in the notations made beside various verses.

 

[Damocles]

i have been against the death penalty for years because i think that it is too merciful, life in prison is much worse

That is one reason. Justice requires more punishment than the death penalty offers. Another is the reality that in an imperfect system we can be sanctioning the death of innocents and perpetrating a crime that we claim to be providing justice for...

That is unacceptable. If a person is alive there is a chance that an innocent can be released, if they are dead the courts won't even hear evidence against a conviction.

Instead of death, such a sentence should be a perpetual living arrangement in prison only to be released after a natural death, or one less natural that was not perpetrated by society.

 

[FUCK THE POLICE]

Do they ever actually hand down a death sentence to any of these guys though? I can't remember.

Although I must make the obligatory note that I do not support the death penalty, I've seen many soldiers get life sentences where anyone else would get the death penalty. Of course, whole life sentences aren't necessarily more lenient than a death sentence, even though their often seen as such.

But in the case of the Mahmudiyah killings, which involved the rape and murder of girl and the murder of her entire family, one of the worst crimes I've ever heard of in my entire life, only one person was given a whole life sentence. The other three were given century long sentences, sure, but one will be eligible for parole in 20 years, the other two in 10. And they'll almost certainly get it. Two guys were convicted of trying to cover up the crime, one is already free and the other received nothing but a dishonorable discharge.

 

[FUCK THE POLICE]

why would we want him tried in afghanistan? others are correct that he will be tried under UCMJ. that is the law and that is how we operate.

Now really, Yurt. Did the client state we established in Afghanistan which agreed to these proceedings really represent the people of Afghanistan? Could any state which exists in such a state of debt to another country really be said to have true independence in its decisions?

It could be argued that he couldn't possibly receive a fair trial in Afghanistan. However, he couldn't receive one under the UCMJ either, for the same reason. It'd be nice if we could route his case to the international court, but we refused to sign that because we realize that we have the power to impose our will wherever we want. Why would the world's bully agree to be bound by a fair arbitrator, when we can arbitrate ourselves all we want?

 

[USFREEDOM911]

That is one reason. Justice requires more punishment than the death penalty offers. Another is the reality that in an imperfect system we can be sanctioning the death of innocents and perpetrating a crime that we claim to be providing justice for...

That is unacceptable. If a person is alive there is a chance that an innocent can be released, if they are dead the courts won't even hear evidence against a conviction.

Instead of death, such a sentence should be a perpetual living arrangement in prison only to be released after a natural death, or one less natural that was not perpetrated by society.

While life in a Military Prison is no cakewalk, because they still have hard labor, life in a civilian prison, is not the same.
In a civilian prison, the strong rule.
How many stories have you read about certain prisoners living like it's normal, except for not being able to leave.
They find ways to have sex.
Drugs are available.
Through fear, they control those who are weaker.

To career criminals, being inside is almost easier then being free.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

Yeah, the military often will sentence people to death. He will get a lawyer though and may get only life in prison because of mental health issues.

I hope so. I don't like being forced to pay for the government sanctioned death of another.

I pretty much agree but would make an exception for Soldiers and Policemen who should be held to a higher standard. Killing civilians is a no-no!

 

[icedancer2theend]

In 1983, the Armed Forces Court of Appeals held in U.S. v. Matthews, 16 M.J. 354, that military capital sentencing procedures were unconstitutional for failing to require a finding of individualized aggravating circumstances. In 1984, the death penalty was reinstated when President Ronald Reagan signed an executive order adopting detailed rules for capital courts-martial. Among the rules was a list of 11 aggravating factors that qualify defendants for death sentences.

source

 

[Guns Guns Guns]

A portrait of the suspect is beginning to emerge.


The U.S. soldier accused of murdering 16 Afghan civilians and wounding several others early Sunday has been identified as Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, according to U.S. officials.



Bales is being flown from Kuwait to a military detention center at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. He has not been charged.


The staff sergeant arrived in Afghanistan in December.


On Feb. 1 he was assigned to a base in the Panjwai District, near Kandahar, to work with a village stability force that pairs special operations troops with villagers to help provide neighborhood security.






http://content.usatoday.com/communi...12/03/soldier-in-afghan-massacre-identified/1

 

[Airstrip One]

Historically, troops are tried by their own militaries. The reason why you treat POWs with propriety is that they are not guilty of any crime, but are a political enemy to your country. The UCMJ is something to be feared by troops in ways that civilians can only laugh at the silly US justice system. I personally hope they throw the book at this dumbass.

It's one thing when you see a foolish, testosterone-fueled 18-year-old troop go out and commit war crimes, but I think we can agree that we expect more from a career Army Staff Sergeant with a wife and children to support. He has not only stabbed his country, service branch, and unit in the back, but he has done the same to them as well. What a fucking loser.

 

[Don Quixote]

That is one reason. Justice requires more punishment than the death penalty offers. Another is the reality that in an imperfect system we can be sanctioning the death of innocents and perpetrating a crime that we claim to be providing justice for...

That is unacceptable. If a person is alive there is a chance that an innocent can be released, if they are dead the courts won't even hear evidence against a conviction.

Instead of death, such a sentence should be a perpetual living arrangement in prison only to be released after a natural death, or one less natural that was not perpetrated by society.

yes, that is the other reason which i neglected to mention, thank you