Concerning Snipers, Rules of Engagement and General Kearney
BY Herschel Smith
17 years, 2 months ago
Problem Statement
From all appearances, two more soldiers will be in military court defending their actions in battle due to the current rules of engagement – or [mis]application of them. From the New York Times:
FORT BRAGG, N.C., Sept. 17 — From his position about 100 yards away, Master Sgt. Troy Anderson had a clear shot at the Afghan man standing outside a residential compound in a village near the Pakistan border last October. When Capt. Dave Staffel, the Special Forces officer in charge, gave the order to shoot, Sergeant Anderson fired a bullet into the man’s head, killing him.
In June, Captain Staffel and Sergeant Anderson were charged with premeditated murder. On Tuesday, in a rare public examination of the rules that govern the actions of Special Operations troops in Afghanistan, a military hearing will convene at Fort Bragg to weigh the evidence against the two men, both Green Berets.
The case revolves around differing interpretations of the kind of force that the Special Forces team that hunted and killed the man, Nawab Buntangyar, were allowed to use once they found him, apparently unarmed.
To the Special Forces soldiers and their 12-man detachment, the shooting, near the village of Ster Kalay, was a textbook example of a classified mission completed in accordance with the American rules of engagement. They said those rules allowed the killing of Mr. Buntangyar, whom the American Special Operations Command here has called an “enemy combatant.
On September 23, 2007 at 1:38 am, gmwashingtondc said:
Vote for Murtha/Kearney in ’08…There is hope for the Taliban!
On September 29, 2007 at 11:14 pm, gmwashingtondc said:
The two Green Berets have been cleared of all charges in the Article 32 case. Announcement on 9-28-07. See Fayetteville Observer article on Sept 28 or 29th. This is the same Kearney that declared the marines in Afghanistan convicted before the investigation was even under way. Said “no evidence of taking on fire” later proved by Jag that they did take on fire. He also appoligized to the Afghan families. These guys are still fighting for their lives. On a side note: The two green berets have been covered on O’Reilly Television program. Check archives online and watch for additional coverage. O’Reilly said he’s going after Kearney. It’s about time somebody did.
On September 30, 2007 at 8:21 pm, gmwashingtondc said:
Fayetteville Observer 9-29-07 Green Berets Cleared in Article 32
Kearney
“The Article 32 investigation accomplished my intent,
On October 1, 2007 at 12:49 am, Herschel Smith said:
I am convinced that there is much more to this story. Further, I am going to follow up on the Marine Recon boys who were forced out of A-stan by Kearney.