Marine Blackman

This case is a bad one to have to judge.

These Marines had a living hell in Afghanistan, and we have no real understanding of what they went through.

I'm not saying he should/should not have shot the wounded Taliban fighter, but it looks like this will run to appeal.

The Marine's leader (whatever rank he was) has stated that Blackman was a normal soldier, bruised by the Afghan war.

From what I've seen on TV, when Marine Blackman says "I've just broken the Geneva Convention", it pretty much weakens his case.

Being on this Jury would be a tough job?

 

All he did wrong was get caught. Whoever recorded that incident should have destroyed the recording immediately.

I am thankful that all though my RAF service I was never in a position where I needed to fire a weapon in anger. We should all be thankful that there are guys in all arms of the Services who are willing to do just that, risking their own lives in the process. It is shameful that he should be convicted of murder and dishonourably discharged from the Marines.

 

On the other hand he is murdering scum who killed a man in cold blood and can't even pretend it wasn't planned or thought about as his comment about the convention proves. The actions of a minority of soldiers like this reflect so so badly on the thousands of genuine people in the armed forces who are honourable and kill only when necessary. Nobody should take pleasure in taking a life and I'm sure the real heroes who have had to do it in the name of this country will agree with that. The two people I know who have had to kill over there both said as much themselves.

If an Afghan fighter had been filmed killing a defenceless man would you say he had done the right thing?

 

I have to bow down to your superior knowledge and experience here, as I have not served in the Forces.

You're right in the fact that Marine Blackman has served directly alongside a "whistle blower" and you have to ask the question, would a Taliban soldier have blown the whistle on his mate? We know the answer is a resounding no.

It's a dirty fight in Afghanistan and dirty tactics will prevail. How de we know if the Taliban fighter had a gun, knife, etc that may have been used? Did he have a radio that jay have been used?

For me, we should fight with the same rules as the opposition.

 

Murdering scum? Hmm, ok. I suggest you pop down to his Commando HQ next time you are in the south and let them know what you think of one of their comrades.
Who said he took pleasure in killing? These are highly trained, professional fighting men. Elite if you like. You don't get the green beret without being a special human being. On the other hand, any old MURDERING SCUM can be a Taliban "soldier"

 

He isn't one of their comrades. He is a convicted murderer who is a disgraced and sacked former employee who put all their lives at further risk

 

You really have no idea, have you. No idea at all about military ethos.

Best you keep comments like murdering scum to yourself

 

SuperTyke, you may well be out of your depth here matey?

 

To be honest I don't care. He's a murderer and people like him put our soldiers at even greater risk whilst also putting at risk members of the public

 

Is this guy some kind of a hero for you then?

Murdering a defenceless man is the most cowardly thing to do. It's just sick and wrong, no matter the circumstances.

 

What he did was wrong. However, he was at war, the guy he killed was his enemy, who in all probability was trying to kill him moments earlier. I don't want our soldiers killing captives, but I don't want them treated the same as low-life scum who break in to someone's house and slit their throat while they sleep, because it's not the same. It just isn't.

I don't know what should be done, I'm at a loss, I think what he did was wrong, but I don't think he's a murderer in the way our law defines it even though I'm fully aware he killed someone.

It's complicated and I don't know if we've got a justice system that is sophisticated enough to deal with it. I don't think I'm sophisticated enough to know what the right thing to do is either.

It's a pointless war that can't be won. One man died who believed our army are invading his country illegally and fought against them. Another man has gone to prison for killing that man despite being given orders to do just that, but only in a certain manner. Try explaining the subtleties of that to any human being who is currently being shot at. Back at base in England it's easy to understand, but in the middle of a battle?

Nobody wins, everybody loses, everyone's life is torn apart, thousands are dead, others are in prison and all because George Bush thought one bloke was hiding in some caves when all along he was in a great big house in an entirely different country. We found that bloke and shot him, yet we're still fighting people who don't want us there and **** like this keeps happening. George Bush is the one that should have been on trial. And Tony Blair for following him like a puppy and sending our lads to face an enemy who just won't give in to force. I don't blame them, I hope I act just the same if any other nation invades our country. But I'm finding it hard to blame this lad, even if his judgement in that crucial moment, when under so much stress, was not what we agree with when sat in the comfort and safety of our homes.

 

It wasn't my radio mate. I haven't got one.

 

A defenceless man who had been previously trying to kill our soliders without a second thought? Easy to sit here and pass judgment on those risking their lives every second of every day.

 

Yes, it's quite clear that you don't care. Putting a bullet in an insurgent isn't an act of murder. It's a violent, shocking act yes, but it's not murder.
However, hiding an IED in the dirt where you know that people are going to be walking or driving by most certainly IS murder. It's pretty cowardly too because no one sees you do it and the low-life sub-human bomber doesn't care who gets killed, maimed or just scared witless. It's an almost risk-free act for the bomber. These people don't have the courage to face their enemy, so they do as much as they can to make sure they don't.
It's a filthy, disgusting "war" and one that we should never have got involved in. Nobody is going to win it. Nobody will come out of it with much credit. However, the soldiers, marines and airmen who have been deployed are only there because a drafter sent them there. Nobody jumps up and down shouting "Send me, send me". It's part of the job, part of the military life. You just go and do the best job you can and hope you come back with all your limbs intact and, of course, with your life.

 

No, he's not my hero

 

He was at War- Jay.
really Jay, War

 

Should this have been brought into the public arena?

Maybe I'm soft, but I'm giving Marine Blackman some benefit of the doubt, that we, as general public, have no idea of what their situation is.

Am I being a bit naive in thinking that, if this would not have been brought into the general public eye, the Armed Forces would have dealt with this internally?

 

You'll have to expand on that, I don't know what you mean.

 

Bloody hell, you put that far more elequently that I would have. But I agree with every word.

Agree with the sentiment in the OP from Pasta - I wouldn't have known how to pass a verdict on this.

 

I thought that it was Hemsworth's attempt at poetry.