He's Dead Now

This is yet another event that I didn't even want to touch. I know this will probably be dismissed as a 'fog of war' mistake as opposed to a war crime. This may be one of the few episodes that was caught on tape and I am sure there are more. But, this kind of thing cannot continue. I understand that the young soldier had watched one of his comrades get blown up the day before and that he may have been trigger happy, traumatized and totally disoriented. I know this is a war but I don't see how they could have expected anyone who witnessed that kind of thing to go out and perform as though nothing had happened. What are they doing to the minds of our young men over there?

Narrating the video, NBC correspondent Kevin Sites reported that one of the Marines noticed that one of the injured was breathing. "he's f****** faking he's dead," the Marine shouts, raising his rifle and firing a single shot in the man's direction. At that point, the video as broadcast on US television, goes black, but an unidentified voice is heard saying, "he's dead now."

In a report that accompanied the footage, Sites said, "The prisoner did not appear to be armed or threatening in any way."

Under international law, military forces have an obligation to protect and provide necessary medical attention to wounded insurgents who are "hors de combat" -- or outside of combat that is, those who no longer pose a threat.

"The deliberate shooting of unarmed and wounded fighters who pose no immediate threat is a war crime under international law," said Amnesty, who stressed that the U.S. authorities should immediately investigate the case and hold perpetrators responsible.

Under the circumstances, the only defense would be that the Marine had reason to believe that the insurgent was armed and posed a threat, in which case the shooting would constitute an act of self-defense.

I don't see a positive end to this conflict in Iraq. Our motives were shaky at best and the insurgents have no intention of ceasing their fight against us. We have virtual teenagers over there fighting a guerilla war when the most many of them had previously seen was a schoolyard rumble. I just cannot imagine how warped they will be if and when they get back. Yes, that Iraqi insurgent is "dead now." Unfortunately, a lot of our young soldiers are too - physically, mentally and/or spiritually.