🚀 go-pugleaf

George wrote:

> I disagree with the decision to lay criminal charges in the friendly
> fire incident. A military court martial, yes...civilian criminal
> court...no way. I would doubt that a civilian court would have any
> jurisdiction anyway. What these pilots did was tragic, but not
> criminal. We should not hold soldiers criminally responsible for
> battlefield activities...military courts have been setup for such
> reasons. It seems that the pilots did not follow proper procedures and
> they will be punished...this was yet another incident in an
> environment of recklessness which seems to run rampant through the US
> military as they continue to kill more of their own troops than do the
> enemy.

There may be other motives for a civilian criminal prosecution. It may be
the expectation of prosecutors that such charges will result only in an
acquittal due to the lack of criminal intent. I myself doubt the pilots
deliberately intended to bomb our soldiers on the ground. Incompetent?
Yes. Malicious? No. But the decision to lay charges in this way (and their
likely acquittal) might be an attempt to "innoculate" the pilots to any
future civil suits and/or criminal prosecutions for their acts.

JMcC