A First

[R W G R]

"A court martial got underway today accusing a Canadian soldier of murder for shooting a member of the Taliban on an Afghan battlefield. Captain Robert Semrau's case is believed to be a military and legal first.

Semrau, 38, is facing four charges for the 2008 death. He is accused of second-degree murder, attempted murder, behaving in a disgraceful manner, and negligently performing a military duty. It is alleged that he shot the man twice despite him being an unarmed and "seriously wounded" prisoner.

Court documents set a scene in which 36-year-old Semrau was in charge of a small group of soldiers caught in an ambush on October 19 last year. The Canadians were mentoring some new Afghan recruits, who were under British command. A United States Apache assault helicopter provided assistance to the group, who were in Lashkar Gah, Helmand, strafing the area.

After beating back their attackers the soldiers discovered a fighter with injuries deemed to be so severe that medical aid would be ineffective, along with a dead man. He was disarmed, his assault rifle having been captured. Shortly afterwards, with only Semrau near the man, two gunshots were heard. At least one eyewitness claims to have watched Semrau shooting the militant with his field rifle. Troops then moved on and the man's body was never recovered."

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Trial_be...?dpl_id=149697

What kind of Pandora's Box does this open?

[SSMP]

A box that shows that Canada's military is held to the rule of law?

[R W G R]

A box that shows that Canada's military is held to the rule of law?

And no other countries' military is?

That's not a response, it's a knee-jerk reaction from someone that cannot discuss issues within his country.

[NewCasa]

I give up Mr Wolf. What kind of Pandora's box DOES this open?

[R W G R]

I give up Mr Wolf. What kind of Pandora's box DOES this open?

I thought this was something intelligent people in your country could discuss.

Then I remembered what board I was on.

Carry on.

[NewCasa]

I thought this was something intelligent people in your country could discuss.

Then I remembered what board I was on.

Carry on.

Honestly Mr Wolf, nothing I said was meant as insulting. I just was asking you to elaborate. I'd rather hear what you have to say on it at this point. What are your thoughts?

[R W G R]

Honestly Mr Wolf, nothing I said was meant as insulting. I just was asking you to elaborate. I'd rather hear what you have to say on it at this point. What are your thoughts?

If I have to hold your hand through the process, it's not really worth it.

You see, in the U.S., if we saw a story like this, and it talks about something being "a first", and the something deals with the socio-political Maginot line that exists between government and a free society (or as a sub-category, government and law / military and law, etc), then we become interested. We question. We debate. What we don't do is just pass by with a collective yawn.

Sadly, a presumption I had about a lackadaisical attitude in your country towards what goes on around you, especially when it has to do with omnipotent government, has been proven true.

[NewCasa]

If I have to hold your hand through the process, it's not really worth it.

You see, in the U.S., if we saw a story like this, and it talks about something being "a first", and the something deals with the socio-political Maginot line that exists between government and a free society (or as a sub-category, government and law / military and law, etc), then we become interested. We question. We debate. What we don't do is just pass by with a collective yawn.

Sadly, a presumption I had about a lackadaisical attitude in your country towards what goes on around you, especially when it has to do with omnipotent government, has been proven true.

Unfortunately, you have only proven your own personal agenda once again. Am I permitted to think thoughts like "I've been drawn in to discussions with this guy before that have gone around in circles only to feed his ego and I don't want to go there again"? I have my thoughts about the issue, however I prefer not to share them with someone who is so obviously hostile to my country. For some reason the words Mei Lei come into my head....

[R W G R]

Dress up a mutt, and it's still a mutt.

I'm just sayin'

[Hans]

If I have to hold your hand through the process, it's not really worth it.

You see, in the U.S., if we saw a story like this, and it talks about something being "a first", and the something deals with the socio-political Maginot line that exists between government and a free society (or as a sub-category, government and law / military and law, etc), then we become interested. We question. We debate. What we don't do is just pass by with a collective yawn.

Sadly, a presumption I had about a lackadaisical attitude in your country towards what goes on around you, especially when it has to do with omnipotent government, has been proven true.

That's a lot of difficult words to say nothing of essence.

[NewCasa]

Dress up a mutt, and it's still a mutt.

I'm just sayin'

Yup. Nice pic, btw

[R W G R]

Yup. Nice pic, btw

A wolf is not a mutt...but why bring such difficult science into this?

[NewCasa]

A wolf is not a mutt...but why bring such difficult science into this?

Good point. Why quibble? The point has been made.

[SSMP]

View Post
A box that shows that Canada's military is held to the rule of law?
And no other countries' military is?

That's not a response, it's a knee-jerk reaction from someone that cannot discuss issues within his country.

Where did I say that other countries don't hold their military to the rule of law. I was just pointing out that Canada does.
How is that a knee jerk reaction? A knee jerk reaction would have been to condemn the guy without holding a trial, or expect that a person from the military should be exempt from the rule of law just because they are in the military. The facts of this matter right now are very sketchy, we don't really know anything about the case other than he was charged and that he is going on trial.
I still fail to see what pandora's box this will be openning. Suggesting that there is a Pandora's box without knowing the outcome of the trial, is a knee jerk reaction.
We do know for sure that the Canadian Military is held to the rule of law, as is witnessed by this trial.

[stupefied]

That's a lot of difficult words to say nothing of essence.

He's working himself up for a run for office.

[stupefied]

What kind of Pandora's Box does this open?

It doesn't, not for the rest of the world anyway. They'll just sadly shake their head, or in some cases laugh, at the Canadians. The Captain will get off though it may end his military career. The eyewitness will live a life of fear and regret.