zombinis3 Loc: Southwest

As per stars and stripes


OPINION
Trump is wrong to pardon war criminals

By WAITMAN WADE BEORN | Special to The Washington Post | Published: May 10, 2019

In early 2003, as a cavalry officer, I stood in front of my scout platoon at dusk after a long day preparing to deploy to Iraq. I spoke with them about the law of war and how they should treat civilians when we got into theater. It wasn’t a long conversation, but I felt that giving clear guidance about what was acceptable — and not acceptable — was important. They should treat the civilians as they would neighbors, I told them. Soldiers take most seriously the things their leadership makes most serious.

On Monday, President Donald Trump pardoned the convicted war criminal Michael Behenna, who, while serving as an Army first lieutenant, had murdered Ali Mansur Mohamed, an unarmed, naked Iraqi, by shooting him in the head and chest. Making a specious claim of self-defense, Behenna argued that Mansur threw a piece of concrete at him and “stood up like he’s coming at me.” And so he neutralized this threat, a naked man, already released by the Army. Behenna was supposed to be returning Mansur home to his village. A military court convicted Behenna of unpremeditated murder. American soldiers testified against him. The military court of appeals and a review panel upheld that conviction, though he was paroled early, in 2014.

Even before pardoning Behenna, Trump demonstrated a disturbing flippancy toward war crimes. He has repeatedly expressed support for former Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, another alleged war criminal. Gallagher’s own men told investigators that he had, according to The New York Times, “shot a girl in a flower-print hijab who was walking with other girls on the riverbank.” In 2017, Gallagher walked up to a 15-year-old prisoner of war and “stabbed the wounded teenager several times in the neck and once in the chest with his hunting knife, k*****g him.” He then texted images of his “k**l” to friends. Even in the tightknit Special Operations community, fellow SEALs were horrified and repeatedly reported Gallagher’s behavior until charges were brought. He faces court-martial at the end of the month. Trump tweeted that Gallagher would be given better conditions in confinement “in honor of his past service,” an honor many would say he threw away long ago.

Trump has also publicly supported Maj. Matt Golsteyn, who is charged with premeditated murder in the shooting of an unarmed man and the burning of his body in Afghanistan. “I will be reviewing the case of a ‘U.S. Military hero,’ ” the president tweeted.

I know it sounds old and tired but our miltary have to be trusted. The rules of engagements have to be followed. Even if those same rules get more members k**led. The people who are under your direction take their clues from you if you don't give a damn do you think they will? Yeah war is ugly and things do happened. But if a close knit group is outraged at what a member did ,does that member deserve respect? At times we are not in country because we want to be there. We are in country because we are asked to be there. How you would like it if someone came into your home and disrespected everything you have? And yes there are people in that same country that don't want us.

permafrost Loc: Minnesota

I will not tell you or anyone about a number of things from Vietnam..

It was long ago and only a part of what makes me; me..

I had a problem with it for 20 years. but now was long ago and has no hold on me..

Wonttakeitanymore

The antichrist is Obama and the demonrats! What about Obama pardoning that t****y t*****r

rumitoid

What you are missing is that I am just the messenger of an opinion held by a general and enlisted men that I agree with. You have an argument about this thread, argue with them.

Read these:
https://thebulwark.com/pardoning-war-criminals-isnt-just-wrong-it-hurts-the-military-and-american-interests/

http://conservativecircle.org/forums/topic/pardoning-war-criminals-isnt-just-wrong-it-hurts-the-military-and-american-interests/

https://www.stripes.com/trump-is-wrong-to-pardon-war-criminals-1.580488

rumitoid

Blade, what you appear to have overlooked it is not my outrage that promoted this thread but that of a general and enlisted men. I agree and find it in keeping with Trump's base character. No hatred for the man but for what his actions have done to the image and outlook of this nation. On a day we are to remember those who served and gave the ultimate sacrifice for freedom with honor and by a code, Trump seems to want memorialize those who disgraced the uniform and f**g. You find that appropriate? You don't see that as perverse?

rumitoid

pr, I am delivering a message from a general and enlisted men who served this country with honor that find Trump's possible action on behalf on these accused war criminals on Memorial Day to be a disgrace. I merely agree with their opinion. If you want, say those men are speaking "self righteous BS!!!!!!!!!!"

Did you even read the links you asked for and I gave you? They express the opinion of American service men, not Trump-h**ers or bashers. Please read:
https://thebulwark.com/pardoning-war-criminals-isnt-just-wrong-it-hurts-the-military-and-american-interests/

http://conservativecircle.org/forums/topic/pardoning-war-criminals-isnt-just-wrong-it-hurts-the-military-and-american-interests/

https://www.stripes.com/trump-is-wrong-to-pardon-war-criminals-1.580488

rumitoid

I volunteered for the draft and served from 12/1966 to 12/1968.

rumitoid

If you read the article, it is other service men and a general who are outraged.

Michael Rich Loc: Lapine Oregon

But....if you witnessed atrocities with no statue of limitations, why would you not want justice?

What makes modern soldiers more culpable in a no win situation?

zombinis3 Loc: Southwest

The sentence was reduced not cleared. Obama commuted the sentence not pardoned.

woodguru

The man with the best words needs a dictionary, intelligence committees acting on valid intelligence that Trump campaign people had highly questionable interactions with Russians at a time when Obama came very close to declaring Russian hacking to be an act of war, are doing their job, it would have been treasonous not to investigate.

Barr, in selectively declassifying out of context and damaging information will of course refuse to shine any light on the evidence that shows any validity to investigations.

woodguru

Why do you respond to something that is about something inexcusable? The president has no business interfering with a military discipline case where it is crucial that the military make an example of this kind of despicable behavior.

There is nothing righteous about calling unacceptable and despicable actions what they are, Trump is an effing moron as Tillerson so rightly called it. Trumps picks are the most wonderful and qualified humans to ever assume his positions...until they don't agree with him or call out his ineptitude.

cbpat1

You of all people have some brass balls bringing the lord into any discussion with the beliefs you have.

rumitoid

Really? What are my beliefs?

cbpat1

You are so right. Just because Obama wanted to apologize for everything the military did, doesn't mean Trump has to. According to Obama the very act of k*****g a Muslim was a war crime.

I can't imagine being over there in those s**t hole countries, where you were always scared of a bomb blowing up your vehicle, or someone claiming they were on your side when all they really wanted to do was blow you up in the name of Allah. I can't believe I wouldn't snap at some point or treat someone a little rougher than I should. I certainly don't think our brave soldiers should be punished for some of the things they have done. It just seems unfair to me. I think many of them should be pardoned.