I have been following the news story about Marine A and the fact that he shot and killed an injured Taliban insurgent. Sorry, but it just makes my blood boil to hear the usual left wing suspects who have never had to encounter this kind of real life horror and carnage, come out and condemn this soldier who was sent there in the service of this country in the first place! Ah they say! We can not have any one acting above the law! If this is the case then why hasn't Tony Blair had his collar felt? This Marine surely needs our help not punishment and sentencing him to life imprisonment in my opinion is just plain wrong. I thought that we were supposed to be a civilised society afterall. I have no doubts that he will be punishing himself for the rest of his life in any case and just sending him to prison will not cure the mental demons that he is surely experiencing. On rememberance day I find it disgusting that on one hand the politicians are all there at the senotaph laying their wreaths and showing their respects and yet on the other they are ignoring the needs of some of our brave soldiers. If any one should be locked up in prison it is Tony Blair, Alistair Campbell and the rest of the war mongers that sent our brave servicemen and women off to the killing fields on a completely false prospectus in the first place. I doubt very much that any of these slime ball politicians will be made to face a court of law any time in the future! It is always the ones that have to do their dirty work that are left to be hung out to dry. This is not the first time either when you consider that the Bloody Sunday report is recommending that British Soldiers who served under very difficult circumstances back on that dreadful day in 1972 may now be facing criminal sanctions for their actions! I don't see any one from Sinn Fein/IRA being summoned to appear in a court of law for their actions on that day or indeed throughout those troubles! It seems that it is just British serviceman and women who will always be made the scapegoat!
comments removed In Hindsight, Have to agree with Spanish on his post below. Dont think I have ever been in a situation whereby i have to thank Spanish for trying to remove fuel from flames but on this occasion and especially this day I have to say 'good idea mate'
Just think this thread could stir up some arguements as talking politics normally does, better off discussing it on a site that is for like minded people that want a good old ding dong!
Unfortunately a lot of the people who sign up for the armed forces and police force are in it for the power. Our soldiers rape and murder people and what it does is undermines trust in our armed forces and undermines the war effort, he's no better than the nutjob that murdered Lee Rigby. He is unfortunate that he was caught but fortunate that we don't have firing squads anymore. To answer your point, it's a breach of discipline and whatever the psychological effects of being in a situation like that and the animal behaviour it brings out in people, it can excuse someone making mistakes when they have a quick or difficult decision to make but in this case it was a calculated murder when the marine in question was calm and knew exactly what he was doing and that it was wrong.
The other point, of course, is that rememberance Sunday has got no relavance to this case whatsoever. It is a chance to pay respects to those who have fallen in war. It's not a time to be glorifying war in general or celebrate our serving troops. It also has got nothing to do with Northern Ireland, a place where men on all sides have walked free as a result of diplomacy which has brought lasting peace.
Just to pick you up Spanish if you go onto other boards you will see that there are many Off Topic discussions that have nothing to do with football hence why I started the thread with O/T I just thought that as this is a topical news item at the present time it was worthy of a thread. If we are honestly saying that we are not able to discuss anything OT then fair enough this will be the last one I shall ever post.
I think it's fine up to the point where insults fly about. It doesn't take a political hot potato for that to happen
I just think that we owe this Marine a duty of care as it was the government that ultimately put him in this position in the first place! We don't know the extent of the psycological damage this guy is suffering and to simply bang him up in prison for 25 years is just plain wrong! He will already be suffering a life sentence due to the horrific circumstances he found himself in and to now add to this punishment is shameful. This man is being sacrificed on the altar of political correctness. We hear that this man must be made an example of and that no one is above the law but we know this isn't true when you have Tony Blair free to make millions but instead should be put in front of a war crimes tribunal at the Hague!
The two issues are separate, Blair and Bush should be tried, but that doesn't excuse this murder. In fact Bush became president by rigging the vote. Cameron and his mates are all corrupt as hell, in bed with a leading Wonga beneficiary it has transpired this week. Thanks to Edward Snowden we may be entering a new era of World Politics, but it has nothing to do with or any bearing on the case in question.
Was wondering if anyone would rise to this issue. Tricky one, while I see where Warky is coming from, I am with Hamps on this. All politicians by their nature and our process of influence in West & East are corruptible and contemptible! Irrespctive of their shades of colour. We have now a right collection of corporate pigs in the proverbial trough who are treating our vulnerable, elderly, sick and disabled in our so-called society with utter contempt. However, yes, this marine case should have been handled differently and not in the public/media glare. And please don't start me on La Thatcher!
southcoast - he has been kept anonymous. But I find that frankly bizarre as that is not a luxury afforded to most people tried in this country, innocent or guilty.
The point I am making is that if this Soldier has been found guilty of murder whilst carrying out his duties then Blair should also be tried for sanctioning the murders of tens of thousands of innocent Iraqi and Afgan civilians! If no one is above the law as it has been said countless times during this case then why is Blair not up in front of a judge? Now do you see the point I am making! Every one it seems is equal before the law yet some it seems are more equal than others! I am frankly surprised that you come over all liberal and caring when it suits you but I guess a Soldier suffering from an obvious psycological stress disorder doesn't count! And just to get onto the other political point you are tryoing to score I think Labour and its relationship with Unite needs further scrutiny as the whiff of corruption gets stronger by the day! God help us if Red Ed and his union cronies ever make it into power! The Grangemouth debacle only serves to give us a glimpse of what life will be like if Milliband ever gets into office!
Ok Warky, let's forget the other nonsense if we may because it has absolutely diddly squat to do with this. I agree about Blair as it happens but it isn't helpful on this thread. What you're saying is murder is fine, because I find it quite a stretch to suppose that anyone who has committed murder over the last 50-100 years is of a sound mind. What about the Nazis? They must've seen hideous things before they raped, tortured and put Jews to death so they obviously just needed a bit of rehabilitation. Those are the very good reasons for having laws that say you cannot go around killing whomsoever you choose whilst serving in a conflict.
OK then Hampy are you saying then that all Murderers should be thrown in jail for twenty five years? And I thought I was meant to be the hang em and flog em Tory in this debate!
Warky, while I do have some sympathy with you on this one, I would say lets agree to disagree on the basic principles here. It could be stated that many western leader for the past 30 years...and certainly central Asian, middle east and East has had their hands stained in some nasty war/military action, or stood by when there perhaps was a case for intervening. The more democratic ones, we have to hope or assumed they had a mandate. But its not a perfect world - I can only share my one post-war experience which some found controversial at the time, but our political masters at the time - Blair as it happens - were proved right. I found myself managing several Kosovan community humanitarian/relief projects amidst a massive international effort, over the course of a year. Fascinating, frightening (we were in-country only 6 weeks after hostilities ceased), rewarding, demanding & challenging, with many moments of humour - and there was a bona fide UN mandate! And there was me, a lousy poor Christian (not!) helping the muslims... But Iraq not so clever.....and no-one will ever "win" in Afghanistan. Back to the footie!
