American Soldier in court for the murder of 16 civilians

[Boomba]

Robert Bales, attacked 2 villages and killed 16 civilians, mostly women and children. Then piled up the bodies and burnt them

One man lost his mother and 2 year old daughter

Is pleading guilty in court, to escape the death sentence as reported

American.

Get your facts right

My apologies, he is indeed American and not British

Appalling.

I'm not in favour of the death penalty, but I can see where the bereaved families are coming from demanding it. And he would presumably be hanged if he'd been tried and found guilty in Afghanistan by a civil court - it's only the fact he's being tried by the US military that might save him.

Are you going to ask MNHQ to change the thread title? I think you should!

Yes, I don't support the death penalty either. I don't think.

I think if you commit a crime in another country you suffer the consequence

Would he escape the DP if he was Afghan and pleaded guilty? I don't know

Horrific. Understand the families anger

RIP

American. There have been various individuals of different nationalities who have gone berserk and abused their power and the trust of those they are meant to be fighting to defend.

I'm very glad he has been caught and very glad he will be tried and sentenced.

Terrible things happen in wars, and it is not acceptable for anyone to commit such atrocities.

I know of people who were killed by civilians during a different war, their murderers will never be brought to trial, they will never have to face up to the terrible murders they committed because there were so very few survivors and they cannot identify the perpetrators well enough. Soldiers in uniforms are generally easier to trace and be brought to account. Atrocities by civilians are not, and a lot is done to perpetuate the hatred in communities between people who have so very much in common but will be led to murder over trivialities. That is what appals me.