Re: What would you have done in this soldiers place?
What would everyone else do. That is a very hard question to answer. We all say from the comfort and safety of our own homes that we would have done the same. Until you look over your gunsight at another human being, you never know. <br />As I have said before, nobody has earned the right to criticize until they have been over there. One thing the Marine did wrong was to speak. He should have just fired and moved on.<br />The reporter should have never been there. His only agenda is to get ratings and pad his career. What better way than to create a public outcry for something, bingo he is the popular one and famous for a minute.<br />Looking at the big picture, here is what he reports as an unarmed man in a Mosque. An unarmed man in a religious site. the rules of engagement in this war, avoid damage to religious sites. This is why they were fighting from this Mosque, kind of a safe zone. You can bet the enemy will use this news to their advantage. Unarmed innocent victim killed by American Christian in Mosque, shot as he was praying. Playing right into the hands of those calling this a holy or religious war.<br />Who knows what this Marine saw or thought when he fired that shot. I hope for his sake he thought this man was a serious immediate threat. Not for what will happen to him as punishment, but what he will have to live with. I don't know how many here have been in combat, but if you have you know. It is one thing to shoot at moving forms and see them drop, it is another to stand and look at another human and kill him. Especially if you see their eyes when you pull the trigger. Later when he is hugging his wife or children he will be haunted by the mmemories, and will start questioning his action. That is a whole new fight to live through.<br />This war has turned into a sporting event. We have so many armchair quarterbacks or soldiers in this case, all full of ideas on what should be done and how. Just like the reports of prisoner abuse a few months ago. Why is this stuff even aired? Part of war is not just see which side can kill more of the other side. There is a point when you have to take the fight out of your enemy. In the early days when we captured enemy soldiers, we disarmed them and held them prisoner for a short time. Then we made them sign contracts saying they will not take up arms against us again in this war. They were then sent home with everything but their weapons. Now I see that we are surprised the same people are b ack fighting. This is a great PR move, and some actually think it is a good idea, but in reality it of course is stupid.<br />To win a war you need to demoralize your enemy to a point they are sick of fighting, and will give in. These people have been fighting all their lives, and are fighting for what they believe in. We will not take the desire to fight out of them until the last one is killed, but we also need to show that we mean business. <br />I have said from the beginning we need to put guns in the hands of the reporters and make them join the fight. Only after the fight should they be allowed to make their news report. If they are in harms way they would be reporting a different side of this war. <br />I do say that if this marine did kill an un-armed man enemy or not, it was murder. If there was no feeling of immediate threat or danger it was wrong. But like I have said until you have been there you have no right to criticize.<br />I WILL ADD THOUGH, I WILL DEFEND THIS MARINE TIL THE END for what he did!<br />I can say with certainty that I would do the sdame thing. The only thing that bothers me is his statements first. I have seen this happen many times, firing at a wounded possibly un-armed enemy. The troublesome part is the statements first. To the armchair soldiers and the bleeding hearts it sounds like "look guys watch what I do to this one". Should have just fired and went on. <br />Like I said, I will definately defend this soldier to the end. Would I have shot the man, I can honestly look at myself and say I probably would have. But there is really not enough information out there to form a decent educated opinion.<br />We here at home can sit and think about this, and pick it apart for days. This Marine had a second or two to make his decision.
