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]

I've never said that all members of the armed forces are murderers, I have said they all join up freely to an organisation that murders and destroys the freedoms of millions. I have said I have no respect for people who choose to put themselves in that position and certainly don't think they are heroes.

I think it is quite obvious that the culture of the armed forces is one of killing and desensitisation, I don't think this sort of thing is rare.

[Geckos48]

The posts are there for you to read, if you want to clarify that by quoting me ever saying those things then carry on.

I do not respect soldiers

I do not understand how you can be anti-war but pro-soldier

I do not think there is any reason for people to join our armed forces, we know what they do

I think that actions like those of this soldier are common and covered up by people who would never cover up such atrocities at home.

[YouStayClassySanDiego]

I don't need to quote your previous ramblings.

[Geckos48]

Well, if you want to accuse me of being a 'liar and an idiot' I think you should.

[IamInvisible]

He was not a soldier, he was a marine.

Crimes do not get covered up within the Armed Forces.

When DH joined the RAF in 1986 he was not aware a war was going to start in Afghanistan in 2001. He didn't even know he was going to still be in the RAF then.

You frequently state in your military hating threads that the people who join the Armed Forces are career killers.

There are reasons for people to join the Armed Forces because a military is needed by this country. If people didn't join up voluntarily, you and I and every other adult in this country would have to join up for a time. Would you rather that?

The Armed Forces do a darn sight more than go to war, maybe Google and educate yourself.

[Geckos48]

I disagree that a military is needed in this country to the extent that we use ours, I don't think our being in Afghanistan or Iraq did anything but bad for our national security and I thought the NI fiasco was a 'throw your weight around' farce.

I think if you join the armed forces you are joining an organisation that kills and destroys as it's first prerogative.

I have no respect for people who choose this.

This awful, awful crime shows that actually these things are covered up in the armed forces, how many people have come forward in defence of this man and explained that 'these things happen at war'

If you choose to join up, that is what you are choosing to be a part of.

[IamInvisible]

Lots of crimes do not get covered up in the Armed Forces.

It doesn't matter what anyone says to you, you do not listen. You have no knowledge of the Armed Forces, you just make sweeping statements and spew your bile.

[Varya]

Rogue Afghan police are reported to have killed a number of allied troops. I do not agree that in a war scenario anyone can be sentenced for murder and feel this is a miscarriage of justice. The conditions in Afghan cannot be imagined by civilians in the UK and our guys are under pressure constantly in hot dusty conditions not experienced by our judiciary. Shocked at the sentence.

[RowanMumsnet]

Evening

Right: first off, only one man has been convicted of anything. We don't want to get into trouble for contempt of court and we're guessing none of you do either, so we've deleted all posts that speculate about the guilt of any other person.

Secondly, please hold off on personal attacks. They're against our Talk Guidelines, as you know.

Thirdly: while we fully understand how angry and upset many of you have been made by the OP's arguments, we think in essence that she is entitled to make them. This is a big news story that's being discussed by many people, and the role of the armed forces in our society is a legitimate topic for debate.

OP, we're going to drop you a mail soon so we'd appreciate it if you could check your inbox.

If the personal attacks continue we might have to get stern about things, so please desist.

Thanks
MNHQ

[AliceinWinterWonderland]

My father was a high ranking career naval officer while I was growing up. I am incredibly proud of the work he did and what he went through in service to his country.

I am incredibly disappointed that you can focus so rigidly on the actions of 3 people and act as if their crimes are normal behaviour for all in the military. That is a very biased and unreasonable conclusion IMO.

I wonder what exactly you think would have happened to this country if we never had a military... they serve a necessary purpose, whether you choose to believe it or not.

[IamInvisible]

Do you know what? If I came on here saying all Maths teachers were kidnappers because one did it, people would think I was a bit mad. If I said I had no respect for GP's because Harold Shipman killed some of his patients, I'd be handed a grip. If I said that hospitals couldn't be trusted because one is in the news for falsifying documents, I'd get faces. If I said every single social worker is shit because it's their fault all those children have died recently, people would tell me I was being ridiculous.

If, everytime someone started a thread about teachers having a terrible job, I said they knew what they signed up for, I'd be called a cunt.

But it is fine and dandy to repeatedly slate the military, not only that accuse them of all sorts of terrible things. It absolutely makes me sick.
Yes they know what they are signing up to, but they do a very difficult job, in difficult conditions.

I don't want my DH to be hero-worshipped. He is just doing his job at the moment 72 hours a week. He hasn't seen his kids for almost 2 months and won't see them at Christmas. But he is a good man, as are the vast majority of the rest of them who are serving and they don't deserve the bashing they are getting, particularly from Geckos.

[Geckos48]

Your husband is a good man because he is a good man, it's nothing to do with an armed force that destroys so many lives and creates so much hatred for our country.

[RowanMumsnet]

@IamInvisible

Do you know what? If I came on here saying all Maths teachers were kidnappers because one did it, people would think I was a bit mad. If I said I had no respect for GP's because Harold Shipman killed some of his patients, I'd be handed a grip. If I said that hospitals couldn't be trusted because one is in the news for falsifying documents, I'd get faces. If I said every single social worker is shit because it's their fault all those children have died recently, people would tell me I was being ridiculous.

If, everytime someone started a thread about teachers having a terrible job, I said they knew what they signed up for, I'd be called a cunt.

But it is fine and dandy to repeatedly slate the military, not only that accuse them of all sorts of terrible things. It absolutely makes me sick.
Yes they know what they are signing up to, but they do a very difficult job, in difficult conditions.

I don't want my DH to be hero-worshipped. He is just doing his job at the moment 72 hours a week. He hasn't seen his kids for almost 2 months and won't see them at Christmas. But he is a good man, as are the vast majority of the rest of them who are serving and they don't deserve the bashing they are getting, particularly from Geckos.

We do take your point. But as ever on MN, if you were called a cunt, those posts would be deleted (assuming they were reported).

As we said, we're going to drop the OP a mail.

The fact that we're asking for people to stick to the Guidelines shouldn't be taken as an indication that we agree with any particular viewpoint on here, if you know what we mean.

[Geckos48]

I can't see how I have broken any rules, nor said anything that hasn't been said by other posters on the forum re Poppy Day.

[PennySillin]

'You are trained to fire a weapon in the Forces. No matter what you do - except medical people."

Actually that's incorrect, all medics have weapons training too.

[IamInvisible]

Rowan Sorry I wasn't aiming that post at you. I was in the middle of typing it when DH FaceTimed me. By the time I posted, you had posted so it was an unfortunate cross post.

I do apologise.

[Geckos48]

Can I just say that if teachers were representing my country abroad whilst swanning round in huge military equipment and with guns, I would be pretty bleak about them too.

The culture of the armed forces creates this stuff, thanks to another thread on here I have read about a solider who beat his 7 week old daughter so badly that she died slowly over 12 months.

These are the people we are sending abroad to 'fight' on our behalf and I would say that is a huge problem.

P.s, I didn't report anyone.

[Mignonette]

You can be anti war and pro respecting the war dead including soldiers.

Just as you can be anti abortion and pro the NHS.

Unless you are particularly concrete in your thinking that is.

Your posts are getting a tad whiny OP. I imagine you were a nightmare of a child.

[Geckos48]

I am anti war, I respect those who had to fight and kill people, not those who choose too.

[RowanMumsnet]

@IamInvisible

Rowan Sorry I wasn't aiming that post at you. I was in the middle of typing it when DH FaceTimed me. By the time I posted, you had posted so it was an unfortunate cross post.

I do apologise.

Ah, no worries! tend to assume all posts are aimed at me