Quote:
Originally posted by Pacifier
there was this incident where a soldier, according to some reporters who were embedded in the unit, didn't shoot warning shots, but started shooting directly at the truck. he was disobeying a direct order which resultet in the death of a couple of civillians.
warcrime is maybe not the correct term, but i thnik those kind of incidents require a closer look.
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Actually, official reports (from both CNN AND Al Jazeera) said that the soldier did fire warning shots, but that the shots weren't fired early enough. It has been clearly said that warning shots were fired, but the commanding officer said they should have been fired earlier. I wasn't there, and anyone can report it based upon whatever they prefer to write, so we won't know for sure. However, considering the reason they fired on the vehicle, after car bombings and so forth, and considering that they were positioned at a checkpoint and not hiding in the bushes, the vehicle should have stopped. Warning shots should not be necessary if there is an existing checkpoint. I hate to say that these people deserved it, because they didn't, but if I were coming up to a checkpoint of any kind, whether I had done something wrong or not, I would stop. During a war, you have to expect that anyone at a checkpoint is going to be armed. I wouldn't expect the opportunity to drive right through it and ahve them throw cotton balls at me or something.
Pacifier, if you want a better position to argue, I suggest you read about the incident in Nasiriya, also referred to as the Bridge of Death. There were a number of civilians killed in that incident, and it has some questionable actions. You can find the article here:
http://www.jihadunspun.com/intheatre...ist=/home.php&
Read up on that one, if you haven't already. It definitely gives support to your anti-war and pro-warcrime stance. I don't agree with the war crime issue, but by all means, read up and we can debate on that one.