Soldier accused of firing on fellow troops ID'd

[sabra]

Source: CNN

The U.S. soldier accused of firing on fellow troops in Iraq has been identified as Army Sgt. John Russell, and he has been charged with five counts of murder, a military spokesman told reporters today. U.S. officials said Russell killed five people at a stress clinic at Camp Liberty, near the Baghdad airport.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/

---

more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/05/12/iraq.soldiers.killed/index.html

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The U.S. soldier who fired on fellow troops in Iraq has been identified as Army Sgt. John Russell, and he's been charged with five counts of murder, a military spokesman said Tuesday.

Russell killed five people when he fired on other troops at a stress clinic at Camp Liberty, near Baghdad International Airport, U.S. officials said.

Along with five counts of murder, Russell also was charged with one count of aggravated assault, said Maj. Gen. David Perkins, who briefed reporters in Baghdad.

Russell is on his third tour in Iraq. He's with the 54th Engineering Battalion, based in Germany. He is in military police custody at Camp Victory.

[T Wolf]

1. Stress and weapons do not mix well. We grow killers and then are shocked when they kill?

The only shocker is that this does not happen more often.

[JonLP24]

2. Alot of crazy stuff happens when Soldiers return home you don't hear about

Maybe not to the extent as this case but there is a difference in behavior of soldiers that have done tours.

[JonLP24]

5. In fact it can be more stressful being in the US then in Iraq

A war zone is something you adjust to, it becomes a new way of life. Then when someone returns home they don't always necessarily adapt. In fact some might want to return because a war zone is something they got used to and feel comfortable in.

[11 Bravo]

3. Three tours in a combat zone can purely fuck you up.

[Sanity Claws]

4. Third tour

That's a lot of war to experience.

[napi21]

6. I know I will be slammed for saying this, but I really think a draft

would have been a good idea. I remember when there was a draft & we were in 'nam. Guys were drafted, but they served their 2 year term and they were DONE! This 2, 3, 4, and even 5 tours is total BS and I don't believe hunman emotions are able to deal with it!

As a country, we should make a decision keep the all volunteer army and participate in NO WARS, or participate in wars but re-enact the draft to support their requirements!

[JonLP24]

8. As much as I want to disagree with you

One deployment is hard enough, multiple tours can have unpredictable effects not to mention the stress of those families. My one tour I seen atleast 10-15 divorces, some during, some after but all due to the fact of being seperated. It does create a complicated situation in we need to say enough is enough. Time to get out.

[MindPilot]

9. I agree. Any military action over a certain number of troops

should automatically activate a draft--for both men and women.

That should put the brakes on any decision to send in the Marines

[proteus_lives]

17. Agreed.

The number plan sound like a good idea.

[ZombieHorde]

13. I will never support decreasing our civil rights. nt

[JDPriestly]

14. The draft is hard on the individuals who are drafted but good for societ.

The draft makes the existence of the war more real, makes more Americans aware of the horror of the war. Also, a draft prevents the sense we have now of an elite military force, a group of people among us who are different in that they have served in the military.

Further, the military is a social equalizer when there is a draft. As it is now, the rich kids and kids from military families become officers and the very poor, those who can't otherwise survive or whose families think they need discipline, serve as soldiers. It is yet another way in which we are becoming a society of castes, of defined classes. The military did a lot to tear down class distinctions in WWII and Viet Nam.

The military brass want a volunteer army because they want "professionals" to man the complex machines and deal with the sophisticated technology with which they fight today. Training a pilot is an enormous investment. They don't fight with muskets any more.

So, there are arguments on both sides, but I think a draft is a good idea.

[uppityperson]

16. Giving them more bodies to do 3,4,5 tours will help?

And no, they would never make a totally equitable draft. If that were possible, we wouldn't be in Iraq now.

We also need much more mental health resources available for military and vets.

[Blue_Tires]

7. very sad all around...

if you're the army, i don't know how your explain THAT to the victim's families....

[MindPilot]

10. You tell them the truth, the whole truth and nothing but... n/t

[MindPilot]

11. three tours should not even be allowed.

After your first, you should be able to volunteer for a second and it would be approved only after a physical and psychological evaluation. But no more than two--ever.

[JonLP24]

12. Before and after a deployment

You answer a questionaire on a computer. Then afterwards based on your answers they will refer you to a psychiatrist, doctor, etc. However it is possible to lie on the answers to get thru it quickly as a whole unit going thru it takes forever to go thru the process.

[ConcernedCanuk]

15. This will only get worse - the illegal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will come home to the USA

.
.
.


I have personal experience with vets from Vietnam from my stay in the USA for 14 months from 1979 - 1980.

USA is going to implode in the next decade -

All these young families destroyed as a result of the atrocities they saw, and/or committed in the Middle East will wreak more havoc on USA society than anything Osama Bin Laden or any other so-called terrorist could have dreamed of creating on USA soil

USA is killing itself with it's own aggression

World is watching.

[proteus_lives]

18. "World is Watching."

Well, you sound excited to watch it happen.

I'm from a family with multiple Vietnam Vets and their comrades. Guess what? No maniacs. Remember, your stay in the US didn't give you a PhD in US culture.

[ConcernedCanuk]

19. "excited" is the wrong word - "concerned" is more accurate. Be careful with your paintbrush

.
.
.

[proteus_lives]

20. Well it's hard to tell with your posts.

That concern about the paintbrush goes both ways.