Question. Did SSG Bales do what he's accused of doing?
Question. Did SSG Bales do what he's accused of doing?
Here is an article with the latest from the defense lawyer.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1387719.html
It is interesting because it shows what the defense may be when the case comes to trial. The lawyer says "There's no `CSI' information." and speaks of various things that call into question mental capacity. The killer is continuing with the story that there is no memory of the events except "the smell of gunfire and of human bodies but not much more."
Also another incident that involved violent behavior toward others has been reported. This one in 2008.
This shouldn't be seen as another typical American over lawyered trial. The US occupation of Afghanistan and the US Army are also on trial with Bates.
If the US can offer swift justice to its enemies in Afghanistan, then expect the Afghans to require the same from the Americans. If justice is seen to be delayed, then accusations of double standards will be made, and they will stick.
America, please leave Afghanistan. You are not serving any useful purpose there anymore.
KingJaja:
You know exactly what will happen and so does the rest of the world. This thing will drag on for years and years, every tiny procedural stratagem will be utilized, there will be dueling psychiatrists, dueling physicians, dueling pharmacologists and there will probably even be small demonstrations lauding the killer as a "hero". Lord only knows when it will end or how it will turn out. But it will not be swift.
I have tried to follow this story, but this article struck me as new. Apologies if not.
Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...-soldiers.htmlQuote:
Psychologists have blamed a surge in random acts of violence among US soldiers on the heavy use of prescribed medicines by the American military. More than 110,000 Army personnel were given antidepressants, narcotics, sedatives, antipsychotics and anti-anxiety drugs while on duty last year, according to new figures by the US Army Surgeon General. The figures indicate an eightfold increase in martial drug use since 2005, with nearly 8 per cent of servicemen and women on sedatives and 6 per cent on antidepressants.
Great, but the Afghans who killed their American counterparts could have been "under similar pressure".
You guys don't fully understand how this sounds to the ears of the rest of the World.
It sounds like making excuses for people who do evil things. It sounds like that because that is what it is. KingJaja, most of the guys here know exactly what it sounds like to the rest of the world.
I read that George Orwell story you recommended. It was quite good.
The glacial pace of US legal procedures probably won't change. I wish it would but no matter what we want, the case will drag on and on, though there are many in the US who wish it wouldn't.
The world should not get used to this. No need to refrain from bringing this up in every official and unofficial forum available, often. Politeness doesn't go that far.
Things aren't completely hopeless though. Nobody who defended Calley 40 and more years ago will admit that they did today. And when this case is finally resolved, I am guessing the nature of the facts will be such that nobody will defend this thing for its actions. Somebody else mentioned this but the defenders aren't really defending the thing, their apparent defense is only a political weapon to urge withdrawal from Afghanistan. As the case proceeds the two things, the actions of the killer and the political position will become harder and harder to reconcile so they won't try.
So in the end, that this was evil will be accepted by all. But the world just doesn't have to learn to live with it US slowness, though I don't know what exactly can be done about it. I don't know what the USians can do about it in the short term and many of us are as frustrated as the world.
The prisoner Bales pled out and apparently avoided the death penalty.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/n...0,856566.story
I figured this would go on for years and am glad I was wrong.
Judging from a very brief excerpt of his testimony as quoted in the article (which may not be enough to judge anything by), this guy will make a good subject for the FBI agents who study psychopaths.
What an absolute turd. Screw that guy.
I'm with you - absolute turd. He should have been smoked.