The troops were under stress and it caused them to gang rape and kill a kid

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/GEO837137.htm

US military court hears of combat stress in Iraq rape case

BAGHDAD, Aug 8 (Reuters) - A U.S. military court deciding whether four soldiers should be court-martialled for rape and murder heard on Tuesday how troops were "driven nuts" by combat stress and got high on Iraqi cough syrup.

Private First Class Justic Cross described how conditions "pretty much crushed the platoon", which lived in constant fear of being killed in the Mahmudiya area south of Baghdad where the rape and murders took place in March.

"It drives you nuts. You feel like every step you might get blown up. You just hit a point where you're like, 'If I die today, I die'. You're just walking a death walk," he said.

On Monday, the court at Camp Liberty heard graphic testimony of how three of the soldiers took turns raping a 14-year-old Iraqi girl before murdering her and her family.

[ShortnFiery]

1. No worries, let me introduce you to ...

Fort Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary

What I believe will be you FUTURE HOME for LIFE. :grr:

[Nimrod2005]

6. No death penalty?

[lebkuchen]

7. The death penalty not a possibility here?

...IF the general in charge of the unit decides to court martial? That general would be Mattis, the "fun to shoot some people" guy. I cannot wait to see what his plans for these cretins are.

[kiki]

2. Fuck you, boys.

Ya know, I imagine it's pretty stressful living in a country that's overrun with religious lunatics, suicide bombers and heavily-armed xenophobic American teenagers. So the next time some Iraqi decides to plant a little explosive present for the US troops, I'm sure you'll realise it's just their way of blowing off a little steam, right?

No?

Didn't think so.

"It was (an) outlet to release." Again, FUCK YOU.

[Crankie Avalon]

3. Didn't I read that they were golfing while they planned the attack...

...didn't they come back and "cook chicken wings" after it was over just as cool as you please?

[Elidor]

4. That defense is going nowhere

Are they hoping no one will notice the tens of thousands of US troops who haven't raped anyone despite living under the same stress?

[lebkuchen]

5. They were grilling chicken wings after drilling the family

Are we to assume that rape, murder and mayhem take the edge off an otherwise stressful occupation? Which Marine general will be promoting such activities, with a wink, nod, "good job" and souvenir knife? This is the US military's idea of "liberation?"