U.S. Navy SEAL acquitted of murder in war crimes trial

[emptypockets]

10 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

While I withhold my opinion, it is on the basis of lack of knowledge not from my not serving in combat. I stand opposed of excluding my opinion on the basis of not having served. The Commander in Chief (never mind my opinion of the current one) is a civilian not a military person for a reason. If sent in my name as a citizen, I have a vested interest in the conduct of those troops (and, by all that is just, a responsibility to them for any service related damages).

Say that again in a language we can understand

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

41 minutes ago, mike787 said:

In reference to him...Where's the evidence/facts?  Are you the plaintiffs attorney?  Were you there?  Are you god? How much do you know about what happened? I'm just asking....

 

The guy was charged with war crimes by his own military justice system. And, from the news reports I've read on the case, his own team members testified against him and said he did what he was accused of doing.

 

No, neither you nor I know what happened in the case. But the facts that he was accused by his own team members and then the military prosecution deemed the case strong enough to file charges would suggest all was not right here -- the military jury's verdict notwithstanding.

[emptypockets]

16 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

nd thus the 'we are as bad as them' straw man argument predictably rears its head.

We have always been as bad as them and always will be. Unfortunately  the west is now full of cry babies where the world of Islam is full of death lovers.

 

Over a thousand years of conflict for those who have studied the conflict. It hasn't stopped yet even for most of the westerners who couldn't give a stuff about God and the Church.  They are still coming for ya.

 

What we westerners don't understand is that there is no separation between Church and State in Islam or even the judiciary....its all one. And all bad news for us.

 

Soldiers find this out pretty quickly - they are all the enemy.

Edited July 3, 2019 by emptypockets

[mooping20Baht]

"Among those reported killed were an old man and a young girl walking with other girls and four women. Gallagher frequently boasted about his murderous spree, claiming he killed three people per day for 80 days.

The charge of obstruction of justice was brought against Gallagher for witness intimidation. He threatened to kill Navy SEALS who reported his depraved behavior."

 

maybe  he'll be invited to sit in  the  Adelson VIP section  during Dear Leader  Viagra show  July 4th   or be invited to the State of the Union  next year  for  the  Democrats to applaud

[simple1]

3 hours ago, emptypockets said:

We have always been as bad as them and always will be. Unfortunately  the west is now full of cry babies where the world of Islam is full of death lovers.

 

Over a thousand years of conflict for those who have studied the conflict. It hasn't stopped yet even for most of the westerners who couldn't give a stuff about God and the Church.  They are still coming for ya.

 

What we westerners don't understand is that there is no separation between Church and State in Islam or even the judiciary....its all one. And all bad news for us.

 

Soldiers find this out pretty quickly - they are all the enemy.

What are you saying? It's OK to stab in the neck an unarmed combatant and for your fellow medic then to 'put him out of his misery'? Is it OK to snipe & murder civilians? When one listens to US counterinsurgency leaders claim the foregoing actions only lead to further US deaths & bearing in mind Afghan military and civilian deaths at the hands of Islamists exceed US casualties by the tens of thousands, what say you?

Edited July 3, 2019 by simple1

[yardrunner]

22 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

Unless you have served in the military, especially in a combat zone, you are not qualified to give an opinion. 

So i have not served in the military but i am still qualified to give an opinion in the same way that i am entitled to have and give an opinion about war crimes during WW 11

[wreckingcountry]

The world needs more men like Gallagher, NOT pussyfied liberal males still searching for their mothers milk.

Ah a Trump pimp is out their cage


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Rhys]

Vets will tell you: you need to be the best.. Patton said: make the other guy die, Sun Tzu: honor your enemy.  This got out of control on the squad level... that is where it should have remained. Yes as hell, hang a big 10-4 on the chief for demanding his fuzzies to be on the alert, he just checked his honor.... in the latrine. 

 

[TPI]

On 7/3/2019 at 9:33 AM, Just1Voice said:

Unless you have served in the military, especially in a combat zone, you are not qualified to give an opinion. 

To accuse a soldier of murder in an active war zone is nonsense! So the soldier is only allowed to kill in an "authorised" way?? Snowflake mentality!

[TPI]

4 hours ago, simple1 said:

What are you saying? It's OK to stab in the neck an unarmed combatant and for your fellow medic then to 'put him out of his misery'? Is it OK to snipe & murder civilians? When one listens to US counterinsurgency leaders claim the foregoing actions only lead to further US deaths & bearing in mind Afghan military and civilian deaths at the hands of Islamists exceed US casualties by the tens of thousands, what say you?

You weren't there, I didn't see, only the people concerned can judge? Time to move on??

Edited July 4, 2019 by TPI
spelling error

[Mel52]

Fake Yankee military court! It was never going to convict one of their own . Even though witnesses saw the act   

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

 

How do you know? Were you there? You know what my opinion is about it, nothing, you know why, because I wasn’t there, didn’t see it, so I have no idea what really happened therefore I have no right to form an opinion because I wasn’t there with him.  

 

 

And guess what I’m a combat veteran myself with 5 combat tours to Afghanistan and Iraq. But I know nothing about this guy Chief Gallagher or his team because I never worked with him or anybody on his team nor was I deployed with him or his team.

 

All I know is what I’ve heard on the news and the news very rarely ever even gets the story half right most of the time.

 

I’m former Army Special Forces myself so I can’t help but sympathize with the guy even though he was a Navy SEAL and I was Army but as a former Special Operator I naturally sympathize with the guy however like I said I have no clue what really happened because I wasn’t there I wasn’t deployed with him. He could be guilty as hell, totally innocent, or more than likely the truth is somewhere in the middle where it usually is in situations like this from what I’ve seen in my own personal experience after 21 years of service myself.

 

You are right about one thing usually Military Courts Marital are show trials but not the way you think it’s usually the opposite. A lot of times at a Military Court Martial you have a better chance of being found not guilty at a trial in North Korea or Iran. The main reason why he was found not guilty was because of the media attention on the whole trial, they were never planning on convicting this guy not the judge or jury anyway because there was too many eyes on the trial.

 

Normally military prosecutors are some extremely vindictive SOBs, personally I always DESPISED JAG Officers when I was in the military because screwing people over is good for their evaluations and military legal records and conviction rates. Military JAG Officers are a lot worse and a lot more overzealous than civilian prosecutors, they’re all about keeping up that conviction rate no matter what the cost they don’t give a damn if someone is innocent or guilty just whether or not they can win at trial that’s it. But I guess a lawyer is a lawyer is a lawyer military or civilian I hate lawyers I’ve always seen attorneys as an unfortunate but “necessary evil” especially the JAG CORPS in the military because they really don’t care about the truth just what they can make it look like in court.

 

But then again some people see Special Operations Forces as a necessary evil as well. I can pretty much also assure you that this guy Chief Gallagher is no saint either none of us are that do or did that kind of work but it doesn’t necessarily make him or any of us bad people at all.

 

I’m not sure what you think happens in combat but I can at least tell you that sometimes people do actually die in combat, it’s just that whole war thing. In this case the bad guy died and I am not shedding a tear. I’m not against Gallagher and I’m not on his side either because I wasn’t there I have no idea what really happened. I definitely would not condone war crimes however especially the killing of innocent men, women, and children that’s not who we are but again I wasn’t there so who am I or you for that matter to judge? And I’ve at least been in combat multiple times after 21 years of service and I can’t even give you my opinion because I have no idea what really happened out there because I wasn’t there with him. Anyone else who tells you that they can form an accurate definitive opinion on this matter is either lying or doesn’t know what they are talking about unless they were actually there and saw the whole thing. Bottom line never pass judgment on things you know nothing about.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, TPI said:

To accuse a soldier of murder in an active war zone is nonsense! 

 

Then the U.S. military's own rules and military justice codes are "nonsense" in your view. Because they don't condone the deliberate killing/targeting of non-combatant civilians, war zone or not.

 

If a military were to condone that kind of conduct, deliberate, intentional conduct, then that military would be no better than the Islamic / ISIS / terrorists they're fighting against. Because that's exactly what the latter does -- intentionally target and kill innocent non-combatants.

 

In war, accidents and mistakes are inevitably going to happen, and innocent people will sometimes be injured and killed as a result. That's not what these allegations were about, accidents and mistakes. These allegations alleged deliberate targeting of non-combatants.

Edited July 4, 2019 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Mel52]

....let alone have any clue what the UCMJ is.  Always easy to point to perceived injustice with little or no actual knowledge concerning the issue.

Exactly and that’s pretty much what I said we know nothing about it unless you were actually there and saw what happened or at least knew more about it than what we’ve heard on the news. For those of us who know nothing about it what we think we know about it depends on what news channel you watch.

[mooping20Baht]

https://www.metafilter.com/164515/THE-CRIMES-OF-SEAL-TEAM-6

 

 

you decide

[Mel52]

Like I said above I served in the military for 21 years I’m retired military. I’ve been on 5 combat tours to Afghanistan and Iraq and I forgot to mention my short combat tour in Yemen as well. My Iraq and Afghanistan combat tours were long. I can tell you from personal experience that in combat if you even accidentally shoot an innocent civilian 9 chances out of 10 you’re probably going to prison Fort Leavenworth for at least 20 years. And that’s in a combat zone.

 

I know of cops in the United States that have mistakenly shot the wrong person and an unarmed civilian at close range in the United States NOT in a combat zone and one I know of in particular as well as others got paid vacation for a little while and then back on the job after a little while. The one I know of was forced to resign because of media attention and a Grand Jury was convened to decide whether or not to indict him with murder but he was never even indicted and that’s just one case that I have personal knowledge of there have been many other cases like that.

 

I have nothing against law enforcement at all but it’s just an example and something to think about. I can’t really form a complete accurate opinion of those situations either because again I wasn’t there I didn’t see it for myself.

 

 

 

 

[Mel52]

So if he had been captured by Isis,they would have chopped his bloody head off,this 'victim' was a fighter for a manic death cult ,not an innocent civilian,anyway in combat you do what you have too and often have a split second to make a call,the fighter was injured,so he may well have put him out of his misery,all the pc crap being heaped on servicemen/women makes me sick.Watch some of Isis video's sick,crazed ,maniacs,i hope the Iraq courts who have sentenced these scum to death go through with it.
 Gallagher was found NOT GUILTY , end of.

You’re right if they capture one of us we’re dead for sure probably after being severely tortured. But we can’t be like them we are supposed to be the good guys and we are not supposed to be like them. Although I have no opinion on Chief Gallagher because I don’t know him, I’ve never worked with him, and I wasn’t deployed with him. So I have no idea what really happened out there and I actually am a combat veteran myself with 21 years in the Army and 5 combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and it’s not fair even for someone like me to judge the man because I just simply don’t know anything about the situation at all.

[JHolmesJr]

Thank you for your service Mel52.

[Mel52]

While I don't agree with his opinion, anyone is qualified to give one.

Everyone maybe entitled to their own little opinion regardless of what I think about it but not everyone is “qualified” to give an opinion about stuff they know nothing about. I’m retired military after 21 years and a 100% disabled veteran with 5 combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and I’m not even qualified to give an opinion about it because I wasn’t there. I don’t know Chief Gallagher, I’ve never worked with him, and I definitely was not deployed with him so I didn’t see what really happened. All I know about it is what I’ve heard on the news which almost never gets stories like this 100% accurate. So who are any of us to judge?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-navyseal-warcrimes/u-s-navy-seal-spared-jail-but-demoted-after-war-crimes-trial-idUSKCN1TY1BJ

 

Quote

 

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - A U.S. Navy SEAL platoon commander acquitted of murdering a captured Islamic State fighter but convicted of unlawfully posing for photos with his dead body was sentenced on Wednesday to a demotion in rank and pay.

.............

Instead, he will receive a one-step demotion in his rank from chief petty officer to petty officer first class, presumably accompanied by a corresponding reduction in his pay. The sentence also carries a two-month forfeiture of his salary, a sum of nearly $5,400.

.......

Parlatore suggested defense lawyers would appeal to the Navy command, which still must affirm terms of the sentence before it takes effect. The situation was muddied further by guidelines stipulating that a sentence calling for confinement, even with credit for time served, could trigger a stiffer administrative demotion, down to the junior enlisted rank of seaman recruit.

 

 

So it would seem, this one ain't over yet...

 

[Guest Jerry787]

a very sad day for democracy.

the gentleman is a psyco, which shall be behind bars for the rest of his life.

[dick dasterdly]

2 hours ago, TPI said:

To accuse a soldier of murder in an active war zone is nonsense! So the soldier is only allowed to kill in an "authorised" way?? Snowflake mentality!

I didn't know that Iraq had declared war against the US - apart from those in Iraq trying to kill them of course....

[Mel52]

a very sad day for democracy.

the gentleman is a psyco, which shall be behind bars for the rest of his life.

Really? he was found not guilty of murder and not guilty of any war crimes. Apparently the only thing they convicted him of was taking a picture of the dead body or something, even I did that once in combat in Afghanistan in 2002. I didn’t pose with the body or anything sick I just took a picture of it and I even have it on my Facebook page to this day in my thousands of picture albums. So no actually he will not spend a single other day in prison he’s free, he’s going to get time served apparently for the pictures and maybe demoted or something. Worst case scenario for him is that his career maybe over and probably ruined and his pension might be in jeopardy. Other than that he’s very lucky compared to what could have happened.

And regardless if you weren’t there then you have no idea what he is or isn’t. I’m a combat veteran myself with 21 years of service and 5 combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and a short tour in Yemen and not even I am qualified to give an opinion on this matter because I don’t know Chief Gallagher or anyone on his team as far as I’m aware, I’ve never worked with him, and I definitely was not deployed with him. Bottom line neither of us were there therefore neither of us are qualified to judge him combat vet or not.

[petemoss]

1 hour ago, Mel52 said:

I have nothing against law enforcement at all but it’s just an example and something to think about. I can’t really form a complete accurate opinion of those situations either because again I wasn’t there I didn’t see it for myself.

 

So how could the jury decide one way or the other? Were they there, did they see it for themselves? No, the decided on the evidence presented to them, that evidence being that he bragged, in texts to his friends, that he had stabbed the Iraqi in the neck with his hunting knife. His colleagues, who were there, corroborated his story. Guilty as charged unless you have an extremely biased jury. and a president who loves playing to his base.

 

Why did he do it? Obviously to brag to his friends and family back home that he had "taken out" an ISIS terrorist with his own hands, he even posed for photos to corroborate his story.. He'll probably leave out the details that the guy was knelt down with his hands tied behind his back and already seriously injured. War hero? No, coward.

Edited July 4, 2019 by petemoss

[dick dasterdly]

12 minutes ago, Mel52 said:

Really? he was found not guilty of murder and not guilty of any war crimes. Apparently the only thing they convicted him of was taking a picture of the dead body or something, even I did that once in combat in Afghanistan in 2002. I didn’t pose with the body or anything sick I just took a picture of it and I even have it on my Facebook page to this day in my thousands of picture albums. So no actually he will not spend a single other day in prison he’s free, he’s going to get time served apparently for the pictures and maybe demoted or something. Worst case scenario for him is that his career maybe over and probably ruined and his pension might be in jeopardy. Other than that he’s very lucky compared to what could have happened.

And regardless if you weren’t there then you have no idea what he is or isn’t. I’m a combat veteran myself with 21 years of service and 5 combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and a short tour in Yemen and not even I am qualified to give an opinion on this matter because I don’t know Chief Gallagher or anyone on his team as far as I’m aware, I’ve never worked with him, and I definitely was not deployed with him. Bottom line neither of us were there therefore neither of us are qualified to judge him combat vet or not.

"I didn’t pose with the body or anything sick I just took a picture of it and I even have it on my Facebook page to this day"

 

And that is precisely why it is so 'sad' - you think this is entertainment to post to your friends ☹️.

 

Are you suprised that a few of us are more than a little wary about the defendant being let off by a military court even though the members of his team were testifying against him?

 

Edit - Whilst you for some obscure reason think that you being sick enough to post a picture of a dead Iraqi on fb (!!!) makes you the ideal person to comment on this case? ????

Edited July 4, 2019 by dick dasterdly

[Mel52]

I’m a combat veteran myself with 21 years of service and 5 combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and a very short tour in Yemen but that’s not relevant because I don’t know Chief Gallagher or anyone on his team, I’ve never worked with him, and I definitely was not deployed with him. Bottom line I was not there so I have no idea what really happened he could be guilty as hell, he could be totally innocent, or more than likely the truth is somewhere in the middle as it usually is in situations like this from my own personal experience. I’m not on his side and I am not against him either because I know nothing about him or what happened. And frankly neither does anyone else on here talking about him that I know of. If you were actually there with him and actually saw what happened then go ahead and speak up about what you think if not then you probably should know what you should do which is just be quite and remain non judgmental. You’re entitled to your opinions but your opinions mean nothing.

 

I was Army Special Forces he is a Navy SEAL so as an ex member of Special Operations I can’t help but sympathize with him because I’ve been there myself. Although I don’t condone war crimes either, but regardless I don’t know if he committed a war crime or not so I have no opinion or judgment. All I know is what the news reported and that he was found not guilty at his Court Martial which still isn’t enough for me to form an educated opinion.

 

 

 

 

[petemoss]

2 minutes ago, Mel52 said:

If you were actually there with him and actually saw what happened then go ahead and speak up about what you think if not then you probably should know what you should do which is just be quite and remain non judgmental. You’re entitled to your opinions but your opinions mean nothing.

So the jury didn't have the right to pass judgement as they weren't there either?

[Mel52]

"I didn’t pose with the body or anything sick I just took a picture of it and I even have it on my Facebook page to this day"
 
And that is precisely why it is so 'sad' - you think this is entertainment to post to your friends ☹️.
 
Are you suprised that a few of us are more than a little wary about the defendant being let off by a military court even though the members of his team were testifying against him?
 
Edit - Whilst you for some obscure reason think that you being sick enough to post a picture of a dead Iraqi on fb (!!!) makes you the ideal person to comment on this case? ????

I really don’t give a damn what anyone thinks I’ve taken pictures of taliban and Al-Qaida prisoners before as well and those are also in my Facebook pictures somewhere and no it was not for entertainment it was to document and remember certain life experiences but regardless I don’t care what you or anyone else thinks.

[petemoss]

1 minute ago, Mel52 said:

I really don’t give a damn what anyone thinks I’ve taken pictures of taliban and Al-Qaida prisoners before as well and those are also in my Facebook pictures somewhere and no it was not for entertainment it was to document and remember certain life experiences but regardless I don’t care what you or anyone else thinks.

So why post them on Facebook? Bragging rights, no other reason.

 

I'm sure that if Facebook was around in Lt. Calleys time, he would have posted pictures on Facebook. It's what the US military are renowned for, killing women, children and men with their hands tied behind their backs. Heroes one and all.

[Mel52]

So how could the jury decide one way or the other? Were they there, did they see it for themselves? No, the decided on the evidence presented to them, that evidence being that he bragged, in texts to his friends, that he had stabbed the Iraqi in the neck with his hunting knife. His colleagues, who were there, corroborated his story. Guilty as charged unless you have an extremely biased jury. and a president who loves playing to his base.

 

Why did he do it? Obviously to brag to his friends and family back home that he had "taken out" an ISIS terrorist with his own hands, he even posed for photos to corroborate his story.. He'll probably leave out the details that the guy was knelt down with his hands tied behind his back and already seriously injured. War hero? No, coward.

Thanks for making my point about people judging the situation who have absolutely no idea what really happened out there. I’m a combat veteran myself with 5 combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and I am not even qualified to pass judgment on him or his team because I wasn’t there with him and I didn’t see what really happened or what happened in court.

 

I already gave my opinion above about what I thought about the military justice system the Uniformed Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) when I was in the military and yes it’s often a joke, the military justice system is often an oxymoron because normally in the military justice system you’re more than likely to be found guilty at a court martial whether you did it or not usually. In this case Chief Gallagher was just lucky to have a lot of media attention on his case which can also cause bias in the court because everyone is afraid of all the eyes watching and afraid of the politics of the situation.

 

I am qualified to at least say what I think about the military justice system because I actually served but I’m not qualified to judge the man because I know nothing about him or what happened and neither do you or anyone else on here. If anyone reading this was actually there and saw it feel free to speak up and set the record straight if not then hush because you don’t know what happened and neither do I. None of us know one way or the other.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I wonder what a jury of regular Iraqi citizens would have concluded if they had heard the same evidence presented at trial?

 

I wonder if the families of the elderly man and the schoolgirl who were allegedly shot and wounded by this guy, among others, feel that justice was done?

 

I tend to follow the general dictum that most of the time, where there's smoke, there's fire. Maybe the guy didn't do this particular thing or that particular thing. But the breadth and scope of allegations against him, including by his fellow team members, suggest he's hardly a deserving poster boy for the U.S. military.