US Army's Robert Bales gets life, no parole for Afghanistan killings

[mania]

Reading the link from Webfacts first post is very heart breaking

[boomerangutang]

I wonder if there was any discipline for Bale's fellow soldiers. There are guards at the gates of those compounds. A guard sees a soldier leaving, solo, with two guns - TWO SEPARATE TIMES. The guard is delinquent for not challenging, with lethal force if needed.

Also, Bale's buddies. Did they never hear Bale say anything suspicious, immediately preceding the murder jaunts, in a drunken rage, perhaps?

Those murders were not completely isolated upon one man.

[NeverSure]

An off-topic post has been removed. This will be the last public warning about a discussion of religion.

The paying of blood money for a death in some countries is the sanctioned, legal and acceptable manner of dealing with the situation. It is not considered bribery.

Forgot about that part of the culture. Confirmed US did pay blood money to the victims families - US$50k for the families for each victim & US$11k for each of the wounded.

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-03-25/world/35447229_1_nato-afghan-afghan-officials-arghandab

I don't know about other countries or cultures, but this is embedded in US law and tradition. When someone is killed or maimed, the only possible compensation is money. You can't bring back a life or undo a maiming.

It's not a bribe. Paying money is considered the right thing to do when there is no other option, It sure beats the heck out of doing nothing for the people.

[simple1]

An off-topic post has been removed. This will be the last public warning about a discussion of religion.

The paying of blood money for a death in some countries is the sanctioned, legal and acceptable manner of dealing with the situation. It is not considered bribery.

Forgot about that part of the culture. Confirmed US did pay blood money to the victims families - US$50k for the families for each victim & US$11k for each of the wounded.

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-03-25/world/35447229_1_nato-afghan-afghan-officials-arghandab

I don't know about other countries or cultures, but this is embedded in US law and tradition. When someone is killed or maimed, the only possible compensation is money. You can't bring back a life or undo a maiming.

It's not a bribe. Paying money is considered the right thing to do when there is no other option, It sure beats the heck out of doing nothing for the people.

What are you talking about? Since when is it a US tradition to pay compensation for civilians/maimed killed in war zones. e.g. 40 years later Vietnamese families of civilians affected by Agent Orange are still fighting for compensation

Edited August 25, 2013 by simple1

[Scott]

I think he is referring to the laws in which compensation is awarded by the US courts in wrongful death cases. I don't think he is specifically talking about civilians killed in war zones.

[boomerangutang]

Just to clear things up a bit for a few folks who didn't seem clear on what happened in Bale's situation:

He would have faced the death penalty, but he pled guilty, so the most he could get was life without possibility of parole - which is what he got.

The surviving victims of his two murderous routs get cash compensations from Uncle Sam.

One question I have: when these sorts of things happen, is there any culpability by his buddies/associates/superiors - those who may have known beforehand? Is there any mention in their disciplinary manuals about what to do in such scenarios? It's likely we'll have soldiers cracking in the future. Seems to me the military should do all it can to preclude such things happening. I acknowledge it's a tough job, and suicides among soldiers are among the highest of any profession. I just hate to hear about innocents smitten for no more reason than a soldier going in to a rage.

[NeverSure]

Forgot about that part of the culture. Confirmed US did pay blood money to the victims families - US$50k for the families for each victim & US$11k for each of the wounded.

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-03-25/world/35447229_1_nato-afghan-afghan-officials-arghandab

I don't know about other countries or cultures, but this is embedded in US law and tradition. When someone is killed or maimed, the only possible compensation is money. You can't bring back a life or undo a maiming.

It's not a bribe. Paying money is considered the right thing to do when there is no other option, It sure beats the heck out of doing nothing for the people.

What are you talking about? Since when is it a US tradition to pay compensation for civilians/maimed killed in war zones. e.g. 40 years later Vietnamese families of civilians affected by Agent Orange are still fighting for compensation

I'm not talking about people killed during wars. This was unique in that it was murder outside of any battle or war, perpetrated by a loose-cannon killer who had no right or authorization to attack. The US military made the decision to compensate his victims and I think they did the right thing.

If you feel differently about it, that's OK.

[F4UCorsair]

An off-topic post has been removed. This will be the last public warning about a discussion of religion.

The paying of blood money for a death in some countries is the sanctioned, legal and acceptable manner of dealing with the situation. It is not considered bribery.

Even in Thailand I understand, albeit 'accidental' death, as a result of incidents on the roads.

[7by7]

An off-topic post has been removed. This will be the last public warning about a discussion of religion.

The paying of blood money for a death in some countries is the sanctioned, legal and acceptable manner of dealing with the situation. It is not considered bribery.

Indeed.

In the UK victims of a crime, any crime, or their families may be eligible for compensation.

To say that such compensation being claimed or paid, especially when the victim is the family's bread winner, is "buying principles" and a bribe is a ridiculous and ignorant statement to make and an insult to the victims' families.

I doubt there is the same social security provisions in Afghanistan that we enjoy in the UK. Do those who call paying compensation to the victims' families "buying principles" and a bribe think they should be left to starve?

[chuckd]

An update on Hassan:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HASAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR FORT HOOD SHOOTING

from AP 28 Aug 2013

By MICHAEL GRACZYK and NOMAAN MERCHANT

Associated Press

FORT HOOD, Texas

A military jury on Wednesday sentenced Maj. Nidal Hasan to death for the 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, handing the Army psychiatrist the ultimate punishment after a trial in which he seemed to be courting martyrdom by making almost no effort to defend himself.

The rare military death sentence came nearly four years after the attack that stunned even an Army hardened by more than a decade of constant war. Hasan walked into a medical building where soldiers were getting medical checkups, shouted "Allahu akbar" _ Arabic for "God is great!" _ and opened fire with a laser-sighted handgun. Thirteen people were killed.

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/08/28/Soldier-sentenced-to-death-for-Fort-Hood-shooting

[F430murci]

An update on Hassan:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HASAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR FORT HOOD SHOOTING

from AP 28 Aug 2013

By MICHAEL GRACZYK and NOMAAN MERCHANT

Associated Press

FORT HOOD, Texas

A military jury on Wednesday sentenced Maj. Nidal Hasan to death for the 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, handing the Army psychiatrist the ultimate punishment after a trial in which he seemed to be courting martyrdom by making almost no effort to defend himself.

The rare military death sentence came nearly four years after the attack that stunned even an Army hardened by more than a decade of constant war. Hasan walked into a medical building where soldiers were getting medical checkups, shouted "Allahu akbar" _ Arabic for "God is great!" _ and opened fire with a laser-sighted handgun. Thirteen people were killed.

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/08/28/Soldier-sentenced-to-death-for-Fort-Hood-shooting

As to Hasan, I am cool with death penalties, but this nutter wanted death penalty and wanted to be another whack a doodle martyr type. Judge should have given him life and isolation or solitary for his "safety."

[lomatopo]

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, MILITARY-STYLE

To sum up where we seem to be headed, as it is apt to be seen in many parts of the world:

One dark-skinned Muslim with an Arab name kills two American soldiers. He is put to death.

A second dark-skinned Muslim with an Arab name kills thirteen American soldiers. He, too, is put to death.

A white Christian-American soldier kills sixteen Muslim civilians—three men, four women, nine children. His life is spared.

For an American soldier to be executed, the sentence of death has to be personally affirmed by the President of the United States.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2013/08/crime-and-punishment-military-style-robert-bales-and-nidal-malik-hasan.html

[F430murci]

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, MILITARY-STYLE

To sum up where we seem to be headed, as it is apt to be seen in many parts of the world:

One dark-skinned Muslim with an Arab name kills two American soldiers. He is put to death.

A second dark-skinned Muslim with an Arab name kills thirteen American soldiers. He, too, is put to death.

A white Christian-American soldier kills sixteen Muslim civiliansthree men, four women, nine children. His life is spared.

For an American soldier to be executed, the sentence of death has to be personally affirmed by the President of the United States.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2013/08/crime-and-punishment-military-style-robert-bales-and-nidal-malik-hasan.html

So many factors at play one should not try to make it racist based merely on the above observations.

Didn't Bales pled out so to speak in an effort to avoid death penalty and show remorse. He probably had a valid PTSD defense.

Didn't Hasan made a mockery of the court system and the jury during his trial and showed no remorse.

[lomatopo]

So many factors at play one should not try to make it racist based merely on the above observations.

To sum up where we seem to be headed, as it is apt to be seen in many parts of the world.

This was more about how we are perceived in other parts of the world.

I think all us white Americans know that there is no racism in the U.S.

[F430murci]

So many factors at play one should not try to make it racist based merely on the above observations.

To sum up where we seem to be headed, as it is apt to be seen in many parts of the world.

This was more about how we are perceived in other parts of the world.

I think all us white Americans know that there is no racism in the U.S.

WTH is that? Haha, this place is getting more bizarre by the minute.

[Ulysses G.]

A white Christian-American soldier kills sixteen Muslim civiliansthree men, four women, nine children. His life is spared.

The white guy took the plea deal. The dark skinned Muslim refused expert legal council and purposely offered no real defence.