Scapegoat
Hang on a sec.
The article states that prisoners were mistreated - bad. I don't agree with it.
To say there are no excuses is not right though. Unless one was there (and I was not as I suspect most on this thread were not), it must be impossible to judge the emotions that go through ones mind.
As an ex Inf instructor, we train soldiers, some of which have less intelligence than some of the readers of this thread, to KILL. We also train them that comrades are important. Imagine how these soldiers must have felt when they saw a friend or brother killed or wounded. I for one am not surprised that these things happen.
But to put the CO on trial over the actions of a few of his 500 soldiers is ludicrous. Is the section commander, Platoon Commander, Company Commander, Brigade Commander etc etc etc all the way up to Buff himself also getting charged??? I think not.
Why ruin another good mans life and career just to satisfy those who don't understand close combat. It's time the Army stood up and told it like it is.
Let us not forget that before the holier than though preach too much, aircrew have done and do the same. What about the US Apache pilot who famously hunts down a lone person (assumed to be a soldier) on Infrared with the 30 mm and keeps going until he moves no more. - this is aircrew, educated people!
Rant over - Shell scrape being dug