[M249]

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Aug04/0,4670,ArmyRapeSlaying,00.html

"I don't really blame my chain of command. I don't really blame anybody," he said quietly. "I could have stopped it. I take responsibility for my actions."

You should have upheld your values and stopped it. If unable to stop it, you should have went straight to your OIC/NCOIC. That was somebody's daughter.

Spielman's sister, Paige Gerlach, screamed: "I hate the government. You people put him (in Iraq) and now, this happened."

It's the government's fault that your brother took part in the rape and murder of a 14 year old girl? Are you high?

:soapbox:
I don't give a damn if it was a war zone. Rape and murder is inexcusable. We are supposed to hold ourself to a higher standard. He disrespected himself, his unit, the US Army, and the United States. Abu Ghraib was nothing compared to this.

Killing a civilian because due to fog of war, or because you thought he or she was a threat is one thing, planning and taking part in a rape, then killing the victim and her family to cover up the crime is incorrigible.

He's lucky, after the guilty verdict and appeals were exhausted, I would have turned all of them over to the Iraqis. 110 years? pffft...

 

[HannitizedRushBaby]

But why does someone who was serving our country get a more severe punishment than a civilian commiting a similar crime here? I am NOT excusing what he did at all. If he is guilty... then he got what he deserved.

I just wish that the sickos who rape people HERE we given what they deserve! (I say they deserve castration, but I'll settle for life in prison... even though tax-paying citizens shouldn't be paying to keep perverts alive!) But that brings up a whole different soapbox... our jails. I say we should revert back to "Counte of Monte Cristo" type prisons. Don't ya think crime rates would drastically decrease?!?!

Oh, and I say life in prison for these folks because I don't believe they can "recover". Usually people... no, excuse me... animals who go to prison for that type of crime are released only to go another step further the next time!!!

Sorry... :soapbox: I'm done now. That's just a touchy subject for me. I was once at a restaurant with a friend (who originally disagreed with me) talking about this very subject... and he told me that we needed to step outside because I was getting too loud. He thought I'd drop it once we left the restaurant... boy was he wrong! Anyway, he now agrees with me about punishment for sex offenders. *checks one off the list*

 

[ptsmith24]

:shock: :shock:

 

[M249]

But why does someone who was serving our country get a more severe punishment than a civilian commiting a similar crime here?

Because, like LEOs, we hold them to a higher standard of conduct.

 

[wsweeks2]

Because, like LEOs, we hold them to a higher standard of conduct.

If only they held themselves to a higher standard of conduct (Legacy et al excluded).

 

[GAGunOwner]

But why does someone who was serving our country get a more severe punishment than a civilian commiting a similar crime here?

Because, like LEOs, we hold them to a higher standard of conduct.

+1

 

[Ashe]

But why does someone who was serving our country get a more severe punishment than a civilian commiting a similar crime here?

because he was tried by a military court, under military laws. We have the firm belief that to prevent crimes like that from happening you mete out the harshest punishment possible. The is no misguided person who was neglected as a child. This was a Soldier who knew what he was doing was wrong and did it anyways. He's lucky that we are so progressive now, less than 100 years ago he would have been "hung by the neck until dead."

 

[HannitizedRushBaby]

Because, like LEOs, we hold them to a higher standard of conduct.

because he was tried by a military court, under military laws. We have the firm belief that to prevent crimes like that from happening you mete out the harshest punishment possible. The is no misguided person who was neglected as a child. This was a Soldier who knew what he was doing was wrong and did it anyways. He's lucky that we are so progressive now, less than 100 years ago he would have been "hung by the neck until dead."

I definitely agree that he got what he deserved. I just think that we should consider punshing civilian offenders more harshly. And I believe that even those "misguided" people usually know what they are doing. And in the rare case that they truly don't know right from wrong... they are obviously a danger to society so some action should be taken.

 

[wsweeks2]

The UCMJ is completely different than what civilians have to abide by.

 

[HannitizedRushBaby]

The UCMJ is completely different than what civilians have to abide by.

I don't think I'm getting my point across very well. I understand that this is a diffrent situation. A soldier... who did something unforgiveable... and was tried in a military court... and received the punishment that he deserved.

Okay... I got that. All I am saying is that everyday criminals are out raping and murdering without fear of a severe punishment.

 

[Ashe]

Ever read Heinlen?
IMHO all involved should have gotten a "Danny Deever"