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U.S. assures Afghanistan probe under way after rogue soldier kills 16 Afghans

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Crazy as it sounds, thankfully, he didn't burn a Koran.

We really need to get everybody out of there, this tragic incident more proof of wars' collateral damage.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

US need to controll these radicals in marines.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

I can tell you read the article!

But like I said, since no Koran was burnt there's likely to be little response from Afghans that have their priorities straight.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

The guy went mad in a desperate war zone. Get these people home before they're all crazy, fighting a cowardly enemy in far away and ungrateful lands.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

no one INVITED us to come in UNGREATFUL land to fight COWARD enemy.isn't?US armed use to fight unarmed people.they just got bad luck in chosing these people.

-8 ( +4 / -12 )

Probably yet ANOTHER example of the US scraping the bottom of the barrel for troops, and the guys just lost it. That said, he DID lose it, and I think he should stand trial in an Afghani court of law, and be tried by Afghan law. No doubt some on here will insist that it was rational, what he did, and that he should not be seriously punished, but if the same happened to them and there's they'd be crying bloody murder.

The worst part of it is the damage this guy has done to relations at a point when already they're rocky. THAT is why he may have to be given over to a domestic court.

1 ( +9 / -8 )

Let's hope he says he did it in the name of Islam. He'll get plenty of support here if he does.

-8 ( +5 / -13 )

The Canadians troops were there for so long and managed to avoid that kind of mess.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Shylock: "The Canadians troops were there for so long and managed to avoid that kind of mess."

Well, yes and no. A bunch of them did get killed by US fire when the pilots didn't bother to double check on exercises in said area, as well as other US killing friendlies incidents. But you're right in that we haven't head of any Canadians in the area going nuts like this.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Anyway, what's 'amusing' about this whole thing is people trying to downplay the seriousness of what the man did by pointing out what they construe as a lack of seriousness when regarding acts in the name of religion or acts towards those who would insult certain religions. Surely they don't think extremism is okay in some cases but not others -- or is just that they cannot fathom and admit what happened here from an American not born into the Muslim faith and so they deflect?

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Wow! Had this happened in Chicago or Denver, this story would be running 24 hours a day. Instead, it is barely a footnote. Bring the troops home.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

AFP: All Forget Please. This news is largely ignored by foreign (US) Media.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Maybe he got upset by the bible burning that took place on the base. In that case we are all supposed to understand that he snapped, and Obama should apologize to him.

That seems to be the narrative.... or pray tell, do we have double standards?

1 ( +4 / -3 )

He was most likely angered by the recent deaths of fellow soldiers by these so called 'allies' who turn their guns on the people who trained them. No doubt more lives will now be lost as the taliban and rogue allies attack any soldier they come across. Its time to get out of Afghanistan now!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

DentShop:

" Wow! Had this happened in Chicago or Denver, this story would be running 24 hours a day "

Fort Hood too?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

NATO’s International Security Assistance Force said it has arrested a soldier “in connection to an incident that resulted in Afghan casualties in Kandahar province.”

“This is a deeply regrettable incident and we extend our thoughts and concerns to the families involved,” ISAF said.

Isn't it very interesting that every time an American or ISAF member goes on a shooting rampage or drop a bomb on the wrong target like a wedding with more than 20 casualties they call it an "incident" and when an Afghan sets off a carbomb it's a terrorist attack... Just saying

5 ( +10 / -5 )

Wow, WilliB, nice deflection. Got anymore? It is interesting for all those out there that want to bring these guys home. There are going to be some serious head cases in that crowd. Can't wait to see how many people and places in the US get shot up because these guys thought war would be like a video game. But they won't be able to turn this one off. The US has created a generation of nutbars just waiting to be brought home to an economy that won't take them, and a society that can't look them in the eyes. Good luck with that.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Christ almighty. More proof if it were needed that the US Army isn't fit to be deployed on a camping holiday in Oklahoma, let alone foreign countries. They scrape the bottom of the barrel for the most adrenaline fuelled hicks they can find, then feed them a steady diet of blind obedience and rabid nationalism, and zero professionalism. They act like it's a game of Cowboys and Indians, treating the local population with utter contempt.

I hope this psycho gets dragged before an Afghan court to face justice there, though I reckon the US will pull some strings to get him off with a mere dishonourable discharge and have him back home a free man. Sixteen innocent people dead, pointlessly, because the US Army is so utterly dysfunctional in the professional standards it holds its soldiers to. It's a disgrace and it's a crime.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

That's a switch.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

This is what the real definition of 'winning the hearts and minds' of the afghan locals!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

It makes you wonder about base discipline - how was he able to go out on a one-man "patrol", with no questions asked?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

AFP: All Forget Please. This news is largely ignored by foreign (US) Media.

agree. u.s. media/propaganda mostly concentrate on negative news about china. anyway, since ww2, i think the u.s. installed/supported then uninstalled middle east dictators when it's agenda chances - it once supported saddam.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

That's not the only case, many other cases are restricted for sharing via media, imagine all the massacre which marines do in Afghanistan.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

This is very bad and while I do not see things eye to eye with Americans all of the time. I do believe this was the act of a madman. The vast majority of American troops are not bad people. I do think the US military will have to turn him over to the Afghanistan civil authorities for trial and punishment. If not they might as well make plans to pull out.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Well either way he's going to be put in prison for war crimes including the murder. I understand its a result of battle stress around some terrorist moles in the Afghan army that they train. There was a documentary I watched about PTSD and quite literally in places such as Iran and Afghanistan where the enemy can come out of a crowd of civilians and start attacking, some of the soldiers went nuts and just started shooting the men, unarmed or not. This guy obviously snapped, or did it for (absolutely misguided) revenge for the previous suprise attacks with their Afghani "allies".

Don't worry this man isn't going to be getting a free pass, they're just going to put him in a US prison most likely with either life/death sentance (depending on what war crimes they can pin him for) or a very long sentance if its can be determined to be completely caused by mental trauma that a psychologist to help him with.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

This guy deserves punishment from the local (Afghani) authorities and he deserves punishment from his country, as he has just single handedly wiped out any traces of trust or goodwill toward the US in the Middle East.

Atrocities like this, and many more we don't know about, the ironically named "friendly fire" episodes, shooting up a wedding party, bride, groom, guests, the cowboy helicopter crew that Wikileaks uncovered that shot up a group of news reporters and their children in a series of senseless wars have turned public opinion toward the country from one of love to one of hate.

There is no earthly need for any US troops to be stationed anywhere than their own countries. The astronomical amounts of money the US is spending on "defense" could be put to FAR better use. There is a lot of cleaning up to do in the U.S.A., a country that doesn't EVEN have a national health service, where there is HEAVY racial discrimination in large areas and education is with a few exceptions, extremely poor.

Leave the "soldier" who went on a rampage to the Afghanis to wreak whatever punishment they feel he deserves - the crime was committed on Afghan soil, after all. The US government should compensate those who have lost by this crime and pull its troops out of there, out of every country that is not US land.

It should work on making friends with other countries, finding things it can do for its neighbours that don't involve mayhem.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

It begins to make more sense now. I've just read an article about this on the BBC site.

It seems that the "soldier" was undergoing psychiatric treatment.

It doesn't look as if the treatment was very effective, does it?

Keeping psychs away from guys like this seems like it might be a good idea too.

Psych has a lot to answer for in the downfall of the U.S.A.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

One thing I'd like to bring to everyones attention though, we have ways of healing the mind, and healing the body... but what on earth do we have to heal the heart? Anyone?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

but what on earth do we have to heal the heart? Anyone?

Another Obama apology should do the trick.

If, as reported, a single soldier is responsible for killing all of these civilians he would never be turned over to a foreign government for trial. He will be held to account under the increasingly politically correct UCMJ and if guilty, be sentenced to life in prison. Since traitors don't get the death penalty anymore, a murderer will not either.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

"Probably yet ANOTHER example of the US scraping the bottom of the barrel for troops".

So of the thousands of young men and woman volunteering to serve their country, all are from the bottom of the barrel?

"Anyway, what's 'amusing' about this whole thing is people trying to downplay the seriousness of what the man did by pointing out what they construe as a lack of seriousness when regarding acts in the name of religion or acts towards those who would insult certain religions".

What people would that be? I don't see one referance on this page where anyone said the dead deserved to die and it's no big deal.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Nine children and three women were among the dead.

Horrific.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Okinawa Mike, I agree with you, fancy that :) There are a lot of questions to be answered. The military is investigating and there should be answers in a few days.

The article says Army Staff Sergeant, so Marines do not enter into this. I am sure justice will be done.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

SmithinJapan: Surely they don't think extremism is okay in some cases but not others

I believe your standard rhetoric when innocents die in the name of Islam is to point out that it's a tiny percentage of those who kill compared with the whole. If you don't present the same argument here, what conclusions should I draw?

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Ok, time to go.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

From what I have read, it was more than one soldier and they appeared to be drunk.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Crazy people should be handed over to the Taliban.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

First off, it wasn't a single soldier, the only people who are saying it was a single soldier are the U.S. government, but all the locals (who were actually there) insist it was multiple soldiers.

What boggles the mind is that this demonstrates more than just rogue soldiers. Where was their Sergeant? Where was their CO? Even if it was just a single soldier it demonstrates a systematic breakdown in the command structure in the U.S. army that soldier(s) can just stroll off with a full load of ammunition and weapons and start shooting up a village.

There must have been some sort of sanction for this killing, because an army base isn't like a kids sleepover, to get in and out of base you need either accomplices or orders. To requisition arms and ammunition you likewise need accomplices or order. To get vehicles, food, batteries, equipment, etc, likewise.

Clearly the U.S. army as a whole is responsible for this incident, and as such Obama, as commander-in-chief is accountable. While I like Obama as an individual if he doesn't at least make a General's head roll for this then he's basically saying that a complete lack of discipline in the U.S. army of okay with him, as is the result of a lack of discipline, dead women and children.

Moderator: There are no reports of more than one soldier.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

he thought he's playing call of duty..

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Good job!

This is what we need!

This US soldier has probably saved lives by exterminating children and women.

The young children will never have the opportunity to become evil Taliban terrorists and the dead women will never have the opportunity to give birth to the same.

Why couldn't this policy be adopted for ALL of the countries that the US is currently occupying?

Instead of jingoistic campaigns such as 'Enduring Freedom' etc we can have 'Operation Decimation'

Once the whole population is wiped out , peace will reign.........

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I'm going to wait until more real facts come out on this. The events as reported so far just doesn't pass the smell test for me of just some rogue U.S soldier shooting up women and children and then setting them on fire and calmly walking back to base as if nothing had happened.

I may be wrong and the reason may well be he went postal, but until I get more facts I'm withholding judgement on this for now.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Why are we surprised?

This is what soldiers do best-kill others!

The US is having its biggest campaign in history,expect more of the same!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

American never should have gone into Iraq or Afghanistan. It tarnishes the image of America and creates bad publicity for America and American's when crap like this happens. America needs to stay out of other peoples business. To much money (tax payer money) has been put into this so called war. Is there any benefit in the future?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Obama has to walk a fine line on this one, having instructed his racist AG Eric Holder to classify the sudden jihad and massacre at Ft Hood (killed roughly the same number of American soldiers) as " work place violence."

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

The BBC has reports of more than one soldier.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The Canadians troops were there for so long and managed to avoid that kind of mess.

How would you know? Canadian troops were involved in torture in Afghanistan.Its easily verifiable online But it doesnt get anywhere near the press American atrocities do.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I don't agree with smith's comments, but unless Americans have become a race, you can notch your post up as another swing and miss.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

American never should have gone into Iraq or Afghanistan. It tarnishes the image of America and creates bad publicity for America and American's when crap like this happens. America needs to stay out of other peoples business. To much money (tax payer money) has been put into this so called war. Is there any benefit in the future?

Many American's would agree with you on Iraq, but Afganistan you apparently completely forgot WHY the US went there in the first place... and it wasn't because the US just "Needed a war". Those that forget history are DOOMED to repeat it. You forgot so you'll just be waiting around for it to happen again I see.

Now that we know that Afghanistan will in no way improve itself from what it was even with help, there is no reason for the US to STAY. The Afghan government is a failure, the people that run the government are a failure and the Taliban and Islamists like it that way since they believe that the best government is an Islamic government and they like to keep everything as unstable as possible so they can regain control and power. A "modernized" country can not win in these types of situations because we CHOOSE to create laws to control OURSELVES and try to abide by those laws. Many of these chaotic countries don't have these laws and don't uphold themselves to "the same" standards and thats where it becomes ridiculous.

Should the US someday no longer exist I'm pretty sure China and possibly Russia would have no qualms commiting genocide in these situations because its a lot easier for them to say to hell with "human rights" and other high ideals of virtue and morality especially if their enemy has none.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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