Ex-U.S. soldier loses appeal over rape and killing of Iraqis

[Playinghardball]

Source: Raw Story

CHICAGO — A former US soldier serving a life sentence for the gang rape and murder of an Iraqi girl and the slaughter of her family lost his appeal Tuesday, court records showed.

Steven Green, named as the ringleader in the March 2006 atrocity, was tried in civilian court after being discharged from the army due to a "personality disorder" before his role in the crime came to light.

Three other soldiers were given life sentences by a military court for the attack, which they plotted over whiskey and a game of cards at a traffic check point in Mahmudiyah, south of Baghdad.

Unlike Green, who has no possibility of parole, they can be released in as little as 10 years for participating in the rape and killing of 14-year-old Abeer al-Janabi and the murder of her mother, father and six-year-old sister.



Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/08/16/ex-u-s-soldier-loses-appeal-over-rape-and-killing-of-iraqis/

[gratuitous]

1. Oh, "atrocity"

Please. It's what we sent those soldiers over there to do. And the responsibility for this stops with Mr. Green, although the court opinion does concede that there were certain unspecified failures on the part of Green's superiors. But they'll get stuck somewhere in the ranks, and lose promotions, so that should be punishment enough. Right, Abeer?

[Bluerthanblue]

3. sorry-

the soldiers weren't "sent over there" to harass, terrorize, rape, murder an innocent 14yr old girl and her family.

I'm not sure what you are trying to say- NOTHING would be 'punishment enough' for what was done.

[gratuitous]

4. I would think that except . . .

The military discharged Mr. Green before it had all the facts in hand about the incident (which is why he was tried in federal court instead of a military court, leading to the appealable issue of whether a federal court had jurisdiction over Green), and from what I can tell, nobody above Green in the chain of command has had to answer for his actions. If there was a problem over this in the military, I presume they'd address it. Failing to do so, I conclude that the military is fine with the supervision Green got.

I'm just going by the results, not what the military claims for itself.

[bahrbearian]

7. Isn't he just a bad apple?

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bluerthanblue]

2. this is "good news"

if such a phrase could ever be used in relation to the sad history of Abeer and her family.

so sad-

[slipslidingaway]

6. . nt