Reporter Unlawfully Killed By US Soldiers

Julian · 13-10-2006, 11:48

Going by the words of the coroner HERE what likelihood is there of those responsible actually facing a court in the UK?

Now if it was the other way round, the soldiers would be extradited pdfq to face trial there.

Xaccers · 13-10-2006, 11:57

About as much chance as certian A10 pilots who attacked our troops in GW1 and more recently being held up in a British court.
Having said that, if the role was reversed, I believe it would still be unlikely that our soldiers would be extradited to the US.

SOSAGES · 13-10-2006, 12:15

anyone in a war zone goes in to it knowing the risks.
if he valued his life he would of got a nice safe job in a bubble wrap factory.

soldiers kill - they shoot guns and having just invaded a country and upsetting the locals and getting shot at all day every day you would tend to fire first and ask questions later.

**Chris** · 13-10-2006, 12:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOSAGES

you would tend to fire first and ask questions later.

Especially if you're American. They do have a reputation for being gung-ho.

TheDaddy · 13-10-2006, 13:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

Especially if you're American. They do have a reputation for being gung-ho.

I guess it comes down to professionalism, the conduct of American soldiers always seems to be questionable

SOSAGES · 13-10-2006, 14:42

the conduct of any soldier is questionable to the media and then the general public... im pretty certain a few UK soldiers got in trouble recently.

if i was a soldier and was in iraq and getting shot at everyday id be putting the boot in a few times.. its expected its not a tickling contest! its war and if i was captured by an enemy force i wouldnt expect to be treated nicely....
if anything the US/UK soldiers are too nice.

foreverwar · 13-10-2006, 15:07

Don't you just love the way these things are reported
BBC News website today 13th October 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6046950.stm
"An inquest heard Mr Lloyd was killed by a US bullet near Basra. His interpreter died and his cameraman is missing.
It was told that Mr Lloyd, 50 and originally from Derby, was hit while in a makeshift ambulance, having already been hurt in American-Iraqi crossfire. "

"He added Mr Lloyd would probably have survived the first bullet wound he received, but was killed as he travelled away in a makeshift ambulance."

BBC news website 10th October 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6037171.stm
"Mr Lloyd, 50, died on 22 March near the Shatt Al Basra Bridge after his four-man team got caught up in the crossfire between American and Iraqi forces.

Earlier, the inquest heard colleagues of Mr Lloyd were put into an Iraqi truck just before it was hit by gunfire from US tanks.
Lebanese interpreter Hussein Osman was killed and the remains of French cameraman Fred Nerac have never been found.
Mr Nerac and Mr Osman were driving behind Mr Lloyd and cameraman Daniel Demoustier when they came across an Iraqi convoy at the bridge. They turned around, but the Iraqi soldiers caught them up and forced Mr Osman to pull over.
Maj Roberts told the inquest witnesses said Mr Nerac and Mr Osman were taken out of their marked TV car and put into the back of a pick-up truck.
Mr Lloyd and Mr Demoustier waited in the car in front.

She was told the vehicle was part of a convoy carrying Saddam Hussein's Baath Party leader to Iraq's second city, Basra.

Derby-born Mr Lloyd was hit by an Iraqi bullet then an American bullet hit him in the head and killed him outright as he was being evacuated by minibus to hospital, the inquest has been told."

Strange how it isn't mentioned in today's news that he was hit by an Iraqi bullet first - and unfortunately for the poor man, whilst he was being carried away in a civilian mini-bus, he was shot again; but the report makes it sound as if they aimed to shoot him in the head. And also not mentioned is that the biggest cause of deaths to the US forces is IED's, often carried in civilian vehicles.

**Stuart C** · 13-10-2006, 15:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

Especially if you're American. They do have a reputation for being gung-ho.

I was listening to the Radio and they were talking to some sort of expert on the British Army, and armies in general. He said that the difference between the British Army and the American Army is that the chain of command in our army has been set up to deliberatly restrict the use of Guns and Bullets. Basically every officer can be held directly responsible for any bullet fired by a soldier under their command. Theoretically, the Queen is responsible for every bullet fired by the Army.

injuneer · 13-10-2006, 19:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

I guess it comes down to professionalism, the conduct of American soldiers always seems to be questionable

Well, if you see how the US army gets recruits you can see why. They target the poorest areas, with high unemployment, and make offers of a great life in the army. To a lot of them it must seem the best way to escape. It was a similar story for British volunteers in WW1, anything to escape a life of drudgery in 1914 Britain.