http://www.petitiononline.com/as123/petition.html


Sign this if you think that the second guessing of this weeks actions in Fallujah should stop.

I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6. That is the motto of all soliders. This Marine did right in a place where folks don't fight "fair".

It won't stop.

Second-guessing is a national pasttime any more.

As long as the kid over there carrying the M4 rifle doesn't second guess. We can here all we want.

Again, rather be tried by 12 then carried by 6 everytime.

Next time the Marines should send that NBC reporter into the building first and wait till he gives the 'all-clear'.

Blame NBC first! Blah... Blah... Blah! :p

War is war, anyone not in a US uniform and carrying a AK-47 is nothing more then a target.

What the kid did was wrong. But what the kid did was very excusable... to a degree.

No one knows what was going on inside that kid's head; how many times he'd been shot at that day; how many of his buddies he'd seen hit/killed; what he'd been through up to that point. There's no doubt his adrenaline was in overdrive and his judgement lacking from the fog of war.

But a certain discipline must be maintained on the battlefield. It's called Rules of Engagement. He may have very well killed the one man that knew exactly where Zarqawi is hiding or knew the insurgents battle plans. Or he could have been an innocent civilian held hostage by the insurgents.

That's why doctrine and the Rules of Engagement dictate the taking of prisoners when possible. Even a Gunny made that point when he was questioned afterwards.

All that being said, given the same circumstances and situation, I can't say I wouldn't do the same thing as that kid.

The real issue is the absurdity of having embedded reporters and cameramen with these units. Major mistake by the Pentagon.

It could be said that the real absurdity is that we debate this incident at all. Insurgent....shoot to kill every time all the time.

Although I hate war and this one in particular, I do not know how we can stand in judgement of this 20 yr. old young man. He will be chastised, not by the media, not by the liberals, but by the Command structure. The biggest problem here is that a portion of the Arab world will use this incident to steel their hatred of us. Just one more unintended consequence of GW's folly.

I support what the marine did. The stress and confusion while you are in heated battles can easily play with your mind. I would like to see some of the politicians that are making comments about this situation out there on the battle field.

Sthd_dreaming,

I agree, the soldier was doing his job. Every good worker makes some mistakes, and maybe this was, or maybe it wasn't. I'm in no position to know. But I like your suggestion about having some of our Congressional lawmakers getting in the mix. Reminds me of one of the best parts of Michael Moore's F-911, urging Congressmen to have their sons and daughter enlist in the military and serve in Iraq. I'm kinda' thinking that ought to be a national requirement for war. It's probably the only thing that would cause legislators to think through the probable outcomes of their actions before they make decisions.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

Damn right Salmo I agree one hundred percent. All these people that sit back here and see our guys getting killed and civilians getting decapitated and yet this incident happens and everybody is so quick to judge it disgusts me it wouldnt be like this if they didnt allow those damn VIDEO CAMERAS in during war times. What is the point of that anyways it just disgusts me !!!!

Anyone seen Saving Private Ryan

In the opening seen there is a young boy, probably 18, laying on the beach with his intestines or some internal part laying next to him and his stomach is wide open. He is SCREAMING the words “Mommy”, that’s the stuff the news should show for all who think American Boys should be dying over there.

On the other hand I see GH point about the cameras being a major mistake for the obvious reasons of the solder in question.