Marine investigated in insurgent death

[DMZ-LT]

An embedded reporter with a Marine unit in combat may have taped a Marine killing a wounded insurgent. This is to much. I never approached a NVA body with out shooting it. I just learned this summer that I had shot and killed a wounded NVA soldier during a big fight. I'd do it all again to keep even one of my men alive. We can't be sending our troops into combat and judging them on the 6 o'clock news

[39mto39g]

People die in war.
We spend a lot of time and money to train guys to kill and when they do, some reported sets them up for being some kind of murder'er. The enemy have used wounded people to attach bombs to and kill our guys, This should have never been reported at all. The reportd (NBC) should have not even been with the Marines, All that said, I wouldn't have shot him, but I wouldn't blame someone else from shooting him either. The Marine has to know he was being filmed, what was he thinking? Get the reporters out and let the Army and Marines do the job.
The next mission they go on I would leave the reporters in a building somewhere and tell them to stay put as we moved out.
Let them fend for themselfs.

Ron

[b3196]

Shoot the reporter first...or at least take the film. But then again, I'm not a big fan of the media.
Bob K

[Packo]

This will become a huge deal over nothing. You can plainly hear the Marine saying; "he's fucking faking he's dead", then blows him away. These guys have been playing dead, then killing Marines and soldiers when they try to help them. Not getting political but the action that Kerry was in that got him a Silver Star was shooting a wounded NVA. Just think if embedded reporters would have been on IWO, NORMANDY, and some of the other battles of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. I firmly believe that after the investigation this Marine will be cleared. If not, I will personally send money to his defense team. I love hearing all the arm chair warriors ringing their hands and peeing their pants over this non-event. YOU GO DEVIL DOG!

And Lt.......I agree with what you said about approaching wounded or dead NVA. The men come first! Hooah Sir!

Packo

[Andy]

Trying to keep things as simple as possible I define war as, killing people and breaking things. However, something like what Rusty Cally did was just wrong, don't see this in the same light. I've posted something under the Vietnam site on this subject. It's too bad, that video is going to go a long way to inflame Arabs.

Stay healthy,
Andy

[Seascamp]

It happens. Get a bunch of guys all buzzed up tight on killing in a kill or be killed environment and stuff just happens. It is nearly impossible to switch on and off the kill mindset at will once it?s on a roll, especially in a house-to- house continuous fight.

And of course the hate agenda media ?cops? are going to lap that stuff up like wormy alley cats around a bowl of warm milk, SOSDD, three plus decades later. But the good news is that the most recent Pres. candidate was anointed a ?war hero? for doing the exact same thing, so maybe that young Marine will also be cut a bit of slack, I hope so. The bad news is that that NBC reporter would be well advised to scratch ?imbedded reporter? off the list of things he or she wants to do from now on. Either that or learn how to cover their own stupid six and be real, real good at it.

Scamp

[reconeil]

Whether Marine, Cav Trooper, Airborne or Infantry,...you've just got to feel sorry for U.S. Combat Ground Troops nowadays.
After all, no brave men and women should be ordered to abide by quite silly, quite suicidal and quite asininely enemy helpful and one-sided Rules of Engagement.

Besides, UNILATERALLY forcing: "America's Finest" to conduct such an overly sensitive and/or politically-correct warefare against fanatically murderous muslim terrorists is downright criminal. What's next? Rubber bullets against RPGs? Would that suit America's Left and their overwhelmingly supportive Press/Media?

Hell, had I and my other 11 people been in anything even resembling this latest hullabaloo over NOTHING and/or killing assassins during our stint,...I seriously doubt that killing such an enemy would've troubled NO ONE. That's what we were taught to do. Our Directives were as easy to follow as: 1, 2, 3.

1 If it looks hinky at a distance, lay down a: "Reconnaisance by Fire" with all four 30 caliber machineguns. If no one returns fire, still carefully approach the objective by sending one of the expendable jeeps and/or one without a radio.

2. If it's up close and personal and even only looks slightly threatening,...kill it.

3. If a structure must be cleared, after concussion grenades are used quite liberally (depending on size structure),...afterwards just go in and sort-out the pieces, raise the flag, pop-open some champagna, or whatever.

Granted, nowadays if me and mine acted so sensibly and/or not fighting politically-correct warfare as ordered in Iraq,...we would all be in Leavenworth or doing Stockade Time at minimum.

Regardless, "We" would most likely all be alive,...and minimizing casualties should always be one of the prime objectives of any Field Commander,...whether he be a lowly Scout Section Leader, Division Commander or Commander-In-Chief.
Screw the sanctimoniously stupid and naive Politicians and Press/Media, and the other much wiser and resolute enemies of The U.S. Military called: "Terrorists".

If I was calling-the-shots in Iraq, I would Neutron Bomb one hostile neighborhood at time,...producing minimal destruction and minimal U.S. Casualties (if any?), while killing the enemy TO-THE-MAX.

General Patton quote: "A good soldier doesn't die for his country". "He makes the other dumb bastard die for his country".

Neil

[melody1181]

Have to agree with Bob.

Its easy for people to judge this guy. He had been wounded the day before and had more than likely seen friends killed by these scum bags. If it were me I would of done the same thing. This Iraqi, I have a hard time feeling sorry for. He would of killed as many people as he could of. This young marines career and life may be messed up because some stupid reporter that should of never been there...EVER. Its a war zone, no room for PC Sh!t

Think it's bad now?They're trying to develope helmets with embedded cameras, micks,recievers,etc.,to allow anyone in the chain of command to watch, lesten,record,and communicate with the trooper in real-time.Won't be any more second guessing,there'll likely 37 people trying to butt in DURING the action with 37 diferent opinions/orders.

[Tab]

Many of us have been there and done that, but to do it front of a TV reporter with a camera, well some one is a couple sandwiches short of picnic. It was not they he did not know the reporter was there he had been with them for some time on patrol. All the TV are interested in is a good story, now the time they have sold the rights to this bit of film world wide they will make fortune, the TC crew will get a dirty great pay rise, and some form of news Oscar. So for them it is a win win situation, for the soldier it looks like he will have some time to reflect on what to do in front of a TV crew.