Rogue Soldier kills Afghan civilians

[Gargamel]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Turn him over to the Afghan legal system.

Normally, I'd say let the military courts handle this. But no this time. This needs to be handled by the locals for multiple reasons. Their closure and international relations just to name a couple.

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by Gargamel

Normally, I'd say let the military courts handle this. But no this time. This needs to be handled by the locals for multiple reasons. Their closure and international relations just to name a couple.

They simply can't do it. Recruiting would likely plummet like a rock if we started the precedent of handing our wayward soldiers over to local justice, no matter the crime.

[Onkel Neal]

Possibly true, we should try it and see.

[Jimbuna]

I'm beginning to think relations are so low they'll never recover now.

[u crank]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

I'm beginning to think relations are so low they'll never recover now.

Sad but probably true. It's a no win situation and hard to imagine any good outcome. To bad.

[Sailor Steve]

I was agreeing with Neal's comment until I read Skybird's comment. What is the correct course of action in a case like this? I have no idea.

Then I read u-crank's comment, and I'm reminded of Walt Kelly's Pogo, and his twist on a famous military statement: "We have met the enemy, and he is us."

[STEED]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

I'm beginning to think relations are so low they'll never recover now.

Best thing get out fast.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by STEED

Best thing get out fast.

I should imagine President Karzai has already got his escape route/package worked out.

[nikimcbee]

In hind site, maybe we sould just give Afghanistan back to the Russians. Let them run that place.

Maybe it's time we just go.
The whole thing is just tragic. No winners.

[STEED]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

I should imagine President Karzai has already got his escape route/package worked out.

One way ticket to Eastbourne for the old folks home.

[kiwi_2005]

IMHO when a soldier is diagnose with mental problems they shouldn't keep him in service the Army should send home to recover ASAP.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by kiwi_2005

IMHO when a soldier is diagnose with mental problems they shouldn't keep him in service the Army should send home to recover ASAP.

Up to 40% of the German soldiers returning from Afghanistan are estimated to suffer from various degrees of PTSD. That value bases on diagnosed cases and statistical estimations on people not finding their way to psychological treatement.

Comparable numbers I have read about the US forces since Iraq, too. That'S why I said back then in 2003 and later that the real number of wounded casualties amongst Americans range in the high tens of thousands, considering the rotating in and out of troops, maybe even more.

There is a reason why defence ministries absolutely hate to speak about PTSD, and play it down: casualty numbers, and money.

[August]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

They simply can't do it. Recruiting would likely plummet like a rock if we started the precedent of handing our wayward soldiers over to local justice, no matter the crime.

The precedent has already been set. Not in Afghanistan or Iraq (yet) but we have allowed our troops to be prosecuted by local authority in the past. It all depends on the Status of Forces agreement, if any, we have with the host country.