Puts me in mind of the aftermath of the Lee Clegg affair. 'We'll stand behind you, boys' came the cry from the MoD. The when it came to the crunch, he was left hung out to dry.
Seem to remember that those on guard with guns and one up the spout vowed to shoot IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION of someone threatening, iaw the green [or whatever colour] card. That meant aiming to miss by a wide berth - just close enough to frighten the little sh*t, but avoiding all the subsequent court proceedings that would have resulted if they had hit it.
How soon before we get to the stage where commanders will insist on a legal man in the field to advise BEFORE a nasty happens? If the JAG programme on SKY is in any way slightly accurate legally, then the Americans already do it. Wouldn't you just love to have a lawyer in full combats [and fully trained] going out with you on patrol? Wouldn't it focus their minds wonderfully into the reality of real combat, instead of the present situation in their comfy armchairs with their perception of what it's like?
It might colour their arguments in court somewhat...