Amercian opens fire...Oh GREAT!!

[DJD]

Goodness this is bad. The actions of this soldier do not represent the military's mission over there but it's going to be twisted that way. The article mentioned that the Kahn said the soldier should be handed over? Yeah right. He will be dealt with via military justice and the Afghans can get out of the way. I hope the US powers that be make it very clear that if you attack our soldiers in retaliation you will be met with deadly force.
War is hell and cruel and not totally fair.....let's just leave and let them have their Taliban country back.

[Hlleonard]

I have never understood why we just can't seem to find the wisdom to know when it's time to come home and let those folks take care of their own problems... There are things we have to do, comeuppance for 911, intervene when Sadam moved into kuwait and if Iran decides to interfere with commerce via a blockade of some kind I believe it would be in our best interest to "lend those folks a hand" so to speak but when we finish a job we need to leave these folks to handle their own country but instead we want to stick our noses in their business and too often we get it bit... Sadam should still be the ruler of Iraq because it was none of our business whether or not he was a "bad guy".

[RoadToad]

What slivers of trust we may have regained after the Koran burnings are now gone, unlikely to ever be recovered now. It's past time we got out of there. Hopefully the powers that be will now realize the futility of trying to take sides in a civil war, when both sides hate you.

[SLP]

This is horrible. I think the question should be raised why it appears to have been so easy for an unauthorized armed solder to leave his base all by himself, and then just stroll into people homes and murder sleeping women and children.

[greenriverman1]

I am not saying that what the man did is right or wrong but I wonder where the men of these households were at the time that this took place? Were these families killing our solders? Who knows?

Why don't we bring our troops home and let the folks over there blow each other up? Are any of them our friends? Or do they say so for the American dollar?

[HURRICANEBOB]

I hate to see any representative of the US commit crimes against innocent people of any nationality, race, or religion.

I think his chain of command has some serious questions to answer about how an armed member of their command leaves a post armed and alone in a combat area.

No matter how wrong the other guy is for doing this to us, we can't tolerate our folks that stand for what is right doing such things.

I would like to see the guy legally discharged from the service, sane or not, then extradited to the country who's citizens he offended to stand trial in their court. NO Us goct legal representation, he has to get his own private counsel. If that country's legal system has the compassion to recognize a possibly insane person commited the act, so be it. If they ajudge the conduct to be so offensive that it can not be condoned or excused even if a possible mental illness existed, then once again, so be it.

I think the way to gain back some amount of confidence in our integrity, and build trust, is to show our ally Afghanistan, that we trust them to do the right thing. If we shield our own, I think we demonstrate a double standard.

It grieves me this occurred. I believe there is a reasonable limit to how much any society can condone, no matter how sane or insane the perpetrator.

[Chubminnow]

I would like to see the guy legally discharged from the service, sane or not, then extradited to the country who's citizens he offended to stand trial in their court. NO Us goct legal representation, he has to get his own private counsel. If that country's legal system has the compassion to recognize a possibly insane person commited the act, so be it. If they ajudge the conduct to be so offensive that it can not be condoned or excused even if a possible mental illness existed, then once again, so be it.

I think the way to gain back some amount of confidence in our integrity, and build trust, is to show our ally Afghanistan, that we trust them to do the right thing. If we shield our own, I think we demonstrate a double standard.

It grieves me this occurred. I believe there is a reasonable limit to how much any society can condone, no matter how sane or insane the perpetrator.

Good point Bob...and from what I'm gathering that country doesn't spend a lot of money or time on legal counsel...the Taliban have vowed to kill and behead "those" (plural) responsible for the 16 Afghan civilians killed. The latest news report that I watched indicated the guy went door-to-door in his rampage.

[know1]

If there was a military force from some other country here in the USA and one of their soldiers went rogue and went door to door killing civilians, there is NO WAY we'd be cool with that military dealing with the soldier on their own terms.

[HURRICANEBOB]

I am not saying that what the man did is right or wrong but I wonder where the men of these households were at the time that this took place? Were these families killing our solders? Who knows?

Why don't we bring our troops home and let the folks over there blow each other up? Are any of them our friends? Or do they say so for the American dollar?

Maybe they were just out having a beer with the guys. Love ya man, but please don't ask the same question if some thug breaks into my home when I'm not around. I mean.....I do fish.

[HURRICANEBOB]

Goodness this is bad. The actions of this soldier do not represent the military's mission over there but it's going to be twisted that way. The article mentioned that the Kahn said the soldier should be handed over? Yeah right. He will be dealt with via military justice and the Afghans can get out of the way. I hope the US powers that be make it very clear that if you attack our soldiers in retaliation you will be met with deadly force.
War is hell and cruel and not totally fair.....let's just leave and let them have their Taliban country back.

I do agree, we don't have to tolerate any form of retaliation against any of our other troops. They didn't do it. And the Afghans need to step up and make sure their people don't do it either. To do so, if the Afghans allow it in retalation, I say, and totally agree: Do a 100% pullout and on the way out leave a note that says "We came to try to give you back your life. We're sorry this happened, but if you bite the hand that feeds you, the hands goes away and the feeding does to. Good luck, and have a nice day".