Marine kills injured Afghan.

[Geckos48]

Just think, we'd be calling these fellas Heroes had they not been caught.

Makes my blood run cold.
www.itv.com/news/2013-11-07/court-marshall-releases-recording-of-marines-killing-afghan/

So disappointed in our armed forces. Once again.

[Geckos48]

It worries me Kim :(?

[Geckos48]

That ? Was a mistake, it definitely worries me, no questions.

[IamInvisible]

What did you feel when Lee Rigby was killed, Geckos?

[Geckos48]

thursday your post would have been much easier to take seriously if the first post hadn't made me read the rest of it in the voice of Mr T.

[Geckos48]

I'll have to answer the Lee Rigby question in a bit.

I was, of course, horrified by it.

[Geckos48]

Make what easier for me? Your lack of sense or anything rational to say?

[Quangle]

As a non military person, can someone explain to me in basic terms what the rules of engagement are. Surely on another day in another environment the soldiers would have been supposed to kill that man? I realise that sounds like a stupid question but I have no knowledge in this area and I can only agree with Pacificdogwood on this - that it must be difficult to be in battle and facing daily horrors and fighting for your life and then step down and start applying rules consistently.

[meditrina]

The Taliban are noted for how they increase attacks on specifically British (not just international) troops in the run up to Remembrance Day, because they know there will be extra publicity in the UK.

MN has increased 'anti' threads in the run up to Remembrance for essentially the same reason.

We've already had a lengthy 2-part poppy thread, this is the general 'they're all uncontrolled killers' thread, and tomorrow at the latest there will be the humanists who like to criticise the form of Remembrance services. Will we get boarding schools and shouldn't have children for a full house?

[IamInvisible]

I honestly don't know Quangle, DH is away so I can not ask him.

[Geckos48]

Parkistan?

[NoComet]

Oh and on Remberence I will be remembering the German who saved my Grandfathers life, just as much as my Grandfather.

War is not a simple matter of good and and evil, there are heroic cards, kindness and atrocities on all sides.

But personally I choose the side that doesn't shoot school girls in the head for wanting an education.

[IamInvisible]

Is that all you can do, Geckos, pick on a typo?

Starball is right, try being a woman living under the Taliban. Have you ever read about it.

Your views and narrowmindedness disgust me. I am proud to say my DH serves in the RAF. I will be proud if my DS makes it as a soldier.

[NorthernLurker]

The proper legal process has been followed and justice is carried out. This crime should never have happened and nobody in the armed forces is saying that it should. There is universal outrage but there is also understanding of the context in which this crime was committed. That does not excuse it but it does explain it. The Marine who has been found guilty has utterly wrecked his own life as well as taking anothers. His family, his friends and his colleagues are all suffering because of his actions. The only appropriate response to this calamity is sadness. This is no time for scoring points.

Geckos - just about everybody on this thread has commented that you seem intent on goading, intent on casing distress, posting for a scrap basically. This website is a fantastic resource for support for parents and also for us to discuss issues as adults. There will be strong feelings but you know, adults can talk and disagree without behaving like a sulky child and throwing things. What i'm saying is - if so many people think you're behaving badly you need to take a bloody good look at yourself because you will not be getting anything out of using this site except for more stress and that's a real shame. Unless of course you get a kick out of the arguments? In which case take an even harder look at yourself.

[Quangle]

Thanks Kim.

I think this captures it:

I cannot imagine how hard it is to switch off like that and then treat someone with respect who was trying to kill you a few minutes ago

I suppose that is what professionalism is and what the military has to try to inculcate in its members - but it must be incredibly hard and they must sometimes fail.

I am not blindly militaristic at all - I struggle with buying a poppy although I usually do. I have the utmost respect for anyone who joins the military for the right reasons and am amazed at their courage and willingness to live a life I would not be prepared to lead. I just am not comfortable with the almost obligatory nature of the poppy and the fact that every newsreader has to have one... And I have no connection with the military, know no one in the military, didn't even have close relatives in WW2 (grandparents were farmers) so I'm far from identifying myself with the forces. But even given all that, I can't understand where Geckos is coming from. In fact although I can see that what happened was wrong, I'm more disturbed by the glib conversations between the marines before the shooting than by the shooting itself iyswim. War is a very narrow moral path to tread.