A Pentagon group has encouraged some U.S. military snipers in Iraq to target suspected insurgents by scattering pieces of “bait,” such as detonation cords, plastic explosives and ammunition, and then killing Iraqis who pick up the items, according to military court documents.
The classified program was described in investigative documents related to recently filed murder charges against three snipers who are accused of planting evidence on Iraqis they killed.
“Baiting is putting an object out there that we know they will use, with the intention of destroying the enemy,” Capt. Matthew P. Didier, the leader of an elite sniper scout platoon attached to the 1st Battalion of the 501st Infantry Regiment, said in a sworn statement. “Basically, we would put an item out there and watch it. If someone found the item, picked it up and attempted to leave with the item, we would engage the individual as I saw this as a sign they would use the item against U.S. Forces.”
I am sure that the above title will immediately anger many people in this country, but I just don't know what else to call it!
Leaving objects on the ground that could be used to make a bomb, and then assassinating anybody who picks them up is indefensible! There is no way to determine whether or not these people were planning to use them to harm American soldiers or not.
The victims are dead! There is no way to interrogate them, or find out who they are working with. Nor is there any way to know if they were simply curious, or if they had another innocent purpose for taking the item. Essentially the sniper acts as judge, jury, and executioner, and makes that determination in a matter of seconds. This is a despicable display of man's inhumanity to man.
The idea that this administration talks about liberating these people while conducting these murderous policies is sickening.
Somebody please get us the fuck out of there!
Somebody please get us the fuck out of there!
ReplyDeleteKucinich has said he will.