US Policy: Shoot first, ask questions later

[plenderj]

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-12285174,00.html
Nice to know they tried to evaluate the situation first.


And the war in Iraq. Going in to find WMDs when they have no proof there are any.
Oh yes I forgot, there is proof but you can't release it in case the stuff is moved.
You know, that would never stand up in a court.

[Xanith]

Maybe if Saddam didn’t have paramilitary forces dressing as civilians this wouldn’t have happened. I would blame Saddam for this not the coalition forces. Tragic, but it is war not a military parade.

X

[plenderj]

It was the responsibility of the US soldiers to ensure the target was hostile.
Irrespective of what Saddam did, its still those soldiers' fault.

[siyan]

Originally posted by Xanith
Maybe if Saddam didn’t have paramilitary forces dressing as civilians this wouldn’t have happened. I would blame Saddam for this not the coalition forces. Tragic, but it is war not a military parade.

X

if you don't accept the war as valid, then you shouldn't have to accept the casualties just because "its a war".

[Memnoch1207]

It was the responsibility of the US soldiers to ensure the target was hostile.

Uhh....he did have a gun!!! With all the suicide attacks going on...I would consider a man dressed as a civilian, brandishing a weapon at other people hostile.

It's easy for you to nitpick everything that is going on, but put yourself in the soldiers shoes...They have continuously been attacked by would be civilians (checkpoint bombings, sniper attacks). If it was me having to deal with that, and I saw a man holding an ak47 and scaring people with it, i would take him out...Your feable complaint to go ask the man questions (as you call it) could get your ass killed!

This is about survival...Survival is not Politically Correct!

Scenario if it was a member of Saddams Fedeyeen

Soldier: Um...Sir can I ask you to put the gun "POW"

CNN Report:
A U.S. Marine was killed today after approaching a member of Saddams Fedeyeen dressed in civilian clothing. The soldier approaced the individual in an attempt to ask him if he was hostile. The soldier didn't get to finish his sentence before the Saddam Fedeyeen "BLEW HIS ****ING HEAD OFF!"

Unless you have fought in a war, you have no idea what these soldiers are experiencing. They want to live...they want to make it back home and see their families.

This is not some cowboys and indians game played in the backyard...This is war. Life and death. Making a mistake means you might come home in a box.

[MasterBlaster]

It is not the soldiers job to identify this guy. Saddams troops are wearing civilian clothes. How is the Marine supposed to be able to tell the difference. The guy was standing there with a machine gun. How do you know he wasn't a soldier? If I walk into a bank wearing a ski mask and carrying a shotgun, do you think the police will believe me if I told them I was only there to make a deposit into my savings account? If there is looting and rioting going on, Board up your store windows and stay inside. dont stand around holding a machine gun. Use some common sense. If you are in the middle of a war zone dressed like the enemy holding a weapon someone is going to assume you are the enemy.:rolleyes:

[Xanith]

Originally posted by plenderj
It was the responsibility of the US soldiers to ensure the target was hostile.
Irrespective of what Saddam did, its still those soldiers' fault.
I don't know what was actually done to verify that this person was hostile or not but waving around an AK-47 in front of troops is one sure way to end up dead fast. Anyone in a combat zone that is armed can be considered a legal target. If he was innocent this is regrettable but unfortunately unavoidable, as you can’t ask everyone with a gun...."Pardon me are you a paramilitary solider or just an angry shopkeeper?"

X

[nishantp]

Originally posted by plenderj
http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-12285174,00.html
Nice to know they tried to evaluate the situation first.


And the war in Iraq. Going in to find WMDs when they have no proof there are any.
Oh yes I forgot, there is proof but you can't release it in case the stuff is moved.
You know, that would never stand up in a court. Therefore the US is an evil war-mongering country that is out to take over the world.:rolleyes: Now go home and have a good night's sleep.

[Arc]

Originally posted by plenderj
http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-12285174,00.html
Nice to know they tried to evaluate the situation first.


And the war in Iraq. Going in to find WMDs when they have no proof there are any.
Oh yes I forgot, there is proof but you can't release it in case the stuff is moved.
You know, that would never stand up in a court.

Umm what do you mean they have no proof? They have plenty of proof they just can't show it to you because you're not on thier approved TOP SECRET list.:) We can't very well go around telling the whole world how we gather intelligence yah know? And yes telling them what info we have does give huge clues to how we got it. Not to mention it would endanger any spies we might have in there...but you don't give a damn about them right?;)

[KayJay]

Protection Rackets seem to be very popular in this day and age. :o