Afghan Taliban - no faith in trial of U.S. massacre suspect
Source: Reuters
(Reuters) - Afghanistan's Taliban vowed on Friday to take revenge on NATO forces for the killing of 17 civilians, for which a U.S. soldier is due to face charges, saying they had no faith in any court proceeding.
The massacre in the southern province of Kandahar as well as the burning of Korans at a NATO base have angered many Afghans and damaged relations at a time when Western forces are drawing down combat troops and the Taliban have suspended peace talks.
"This was a planed activity and we will certainly take revenge on all American forces in Afghanistan and don't trust such trials," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location.
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The lawyer representing Bales said U.S. authorities lacked proof of what happened during the March 11 shooting spree in the Panjwai district.
Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/03/23/uk-afghanistan-idUKBRE82M0BY20120323
unhappycamper
(60,364 posts)Nobody went to jail for the Haditha massacre
Nobody went to jail for the Backwater killing spree in Iraq..
sofa king
(10,857 posts)That's assuming the killer's counsel can't throw the hook during the trial--and keep in mind that the Bush Administration built in innumerable secret protections and loopholes designed to sweep incidents just like this under the rug.
Factor in the DoD's preference for lying first and disclosing as little of the truth as necessary later (meaning that what we think we know about this incident may be largely fabricated), and this one is bigger than the rug.
War is a shit sandwich and everyone has to take a bite, I guess, but I can't see any due process outcome which doesn't enrage many Afghanis and end in more deaths and more violence.
I suppose extraditing him back to Afghanistan to stand trial there is out of the question. But that's the only way I can see this fuse getting snipped ahead of the spark.
Orrex
(63,224 posts)If an active duty Afghan soldier had murdered 17 American civilians on US soil, do you think we'd allow him to be flown bach to Afghanistan for trial?
daleo
(21,317 posts)On his next leave. I doubt that it would be considered a purely military affair. One can hardly blame the people of Afghanistan for doubting the process.
Orrex
(63,224 posts)If we have any faith in that fine nation that we've rebuilt, we should permit that sovereign state to prosecute this case. If not, then what the fuck have we been doing over there for all these years?
The Stranger
(11,297 posts)Real simple.
bpollen
(110 posts)A US serviceman was fairly recently convicted, in Japan, by the Japanese, for a rape that occurred in Japan.
A US serviceman slaughters 17 people, including CHILDREN!!!, and we don't even let the Afghanis TALK to him.
If that ain't a big F. U. to Afghanistan, I don't even know what is.
I don't like or support the Taliban or terrorists, but it sure as shootin' isn't hard to understand why some would want Amerika destroyed.