I saw the CDS too, in no mood to discuss anything with an open mind as I saw him. On the one hand he said in the Telegraph today that Maj. General Julian Thompson should not have offered an opinion on clemency, yet on the other hand the CDS did just that. General Thompson said that it would be right that clemency should be considered.
I am not in a position to decide the law one way or the other but I do feel that the CDS went too far in saying that it was a clear case of murder, and murder is murder - the verdict. He dismissed clemency and said that it should not be considered. That is enough for me when you take into account that sentence has not yet been determined and the advocates will have to discuss it with the words of the CDS in their minds. It shows a large content of suggestion and of how the sentence should be maximum. I do not agree with that. But they will also have to remember that the CDS has not one iota of influence on the court martial, but it would appear that he thinks otherwise.
The Geneva Convention (GC) has been mentioned several times. Fair enough. But what do the Taliban think of the GC? Nothing. They murder on a daily basis and if they don't like something said about them they will murder anyone. Remember the little girl getting a bullet in the head?
The war in Afghanistan is not a fair war and 446 of our guys have been killed and maimed. I know how that would make me feel. Our guys have been
A couple of little perspectives remind me that we have 'committed' acts of 'murder' when a sniper can kill a person who is over a mile away, or a drone can missile the leader of the Taliban only to find that they now have another.
Soldiers wear uniforms, except the Taliban, and we have no chance of knowing who is who, yet we have to abide by the GC while our guys get killed and their heads and limbs are put on display. What does the GC say about that and when was the last time it was used against insurgents?
Its a rotten mess and Marine 'A' happened to get caught up in it. It seems to me that he acted more or less how many of us would have. Also, I would take a bet that it is not the first time
I have signed a petetion for clemency - the link is here from the Telegraph. It is entirely up to you how or if you want to sign it.
"Court martial board: Show clemency towards Marine 'A' on Change.org.
http://www.change.org/petitions/cour...share_petition