And they wonder why they caint make recruiting quotas.....

[3.4 slow to go]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/11/na.../11marine.html

yes, it's better to be judged by twelve than carried by six. You pulled a TX law and protected yourself, so we're gonna court martial you. [img]graemlins/slap.gif[/img] :mad: :mad: :rolleyes:

[Camarorulz]

From everything I've heard the military isn't having any trouble meeting recruiting quotas. A friend of mine going into the Air Force told me that they have too many people, that's why his shipping date keeps getting pushed back.

That really sucks about that marine though. He shouldn't be charged with a damn thing.

[andrew.brandon]

yeah last summer there was a 6-9 month waiting list for the army and marines. now if we can just get some people in the guard and reserve. I knew my unit us undermanned but last weekend I learned that we are only 45% manned in my section :eek:

[tWiStEdBird]

Last I heard the numbers were less then expected.

[95Batmobile]

That is completely rediculous...

[loser]

i agree with 95batmobile , he was protecting him self, how was he sopossed to know if they we're unarmed or not. and even if he did see any guns, they could still have bombs around their chest or anywhere.thats just sad

[95fbirdkid]

"premeditated murder" my ***. :mad:

[Dan M]

I read a newspaper article recently that said Army and Marines were hurting for people while Navy and Air Force had too many.

About the article... all I can say is WTF. Could someone copy the whole thing so I don't have to sign up?

[3.4 slow to go]

^^ when I first posted, you didn't have to sign up for anything....I'll get you a synopsis of it:

Two murder charges have been filed by the United States Marine Corps against 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano, who served in combat in Iraq. If convicted, he could face the death penalty. So what did he do to face such accusation and punishment? He killed two Iraqi insurgents. Dropped 'em dead in cold blood at point-blank range. Isn't that the object? So .. what happened?

The controversy surrounds the circumstances. On April 15, 2004, Lt. Pantano's men raided an insurgent's house that was used for bomb-making. When the two men started to flee, the Marines shot out their tires and took them captive. After setting up a perimeter, Lt. Pantano took the cuffs off the Islamic terrorists and told them to search the vehicle. After all, better they take their dirt nap than he if the thing was booby-trapped. So far so good.

Then, for no apparent reason, the Iraqi insurgents stopped searching, turned and started walking toward Lt. Pantano...speaking in Arabic. He yelled for them to stop. They didn't. They just kept coming. Fearing for his life and realizing the men weren't listening to them, he shot them. Were they on a suicide mission? Were they either going to kill the Marine, or force them to kill them? Were they looking forward to their 72 virgins? Come on, folks. You have three choices here. Hand-to-hand combat; or turn and run. Popping a cap in their insurgent rumps seemed like the best choice

Now .. in addition to the murder charges, the Marines are charging him with destruction of property for slashing the tires of the SUV so it couldn't be used. He's also being charged with desecration, for posting a sign on the SUV to the other insurgents that said "No better friend, no worse enemy."

So now Lt. Pantano is being scapegoated for doing his duty. The purpose of the United States Marines in a war zone is to kill the bad guys. Mopping up insurgents is just what they were sent there to do.

Hopefully a jury will see it that way.

[98Camaro3.8]

Get BugMeNot so you don't have to register for sites like that. ;)

[3.4 slow to go]

http://insider.washingtontimes.com/a...1-123325-5095r and incase that gets over run w/hits:

The Washington Times Insider
insider.washtimes.com
Marine charged with murder
Published February 11, 2005

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- A Marine lieutenant has been charged with a military count of premeditated murder for shooting two Iraqis during a search for a terrorist hideout, and faces execution if he is found guilty, his lawyer said yesterday.
Second Lt. Ilario G. Pantano, 33, is accused of "numerous violations" of the Uniform Code of Military Justice in connection with the deaths, the Marine Corps said.
An Article 32 hearing -- the military court equivalent of grand jury proceedings -- will be held; no date has been set.
Marine spokesman Maj. Matt Morgan said exact charges will be released later.
Attorney Charles Gittins said Lt. Pantano, based at Camp Lejeune, may have made a mistake in combat -- but should not be charged with murder.
"Even if he's wrong, accidents happen in combat," Mr. Gittins said. "This was a very stressful situation. These two guys were bad guys. ... He said 'stop' and they didn't and he said it in Arabic."
Lt. Pantano was a platoon commander whose unit was dispatched to search for a cache of weapons and the terrorist hideout, said his mother, Merry Pantano of New York City. She said her son acknowledges shooting two Iraqis as they fled the supposed hideout.
"Isn't it amazing?" she said. "He can face the death penalty for doing his job on the battlefield, making split-second decisions.
"He said it was self-defense in the situation that he was in," she said.
The Marine Corps had no comment, except to say the investigatory hearing process had started.
The attorney also said the shootings on April 15, 2004, were investigated by battlefield commanders at the time -- and that Lt. Pantano was cleared.
"The lieutenant reported it to his chain of command after it happened and they investigated and said good to go. Then three months later a disgruntled enlisted man makes a complaint," the lawyer said.

[Dojo2000]

Originally posted by loser:
how was he sopossed to know if they we're unarmed or not.

Because they were his prisoners. Anybody that takes POWs and doesn't check them for weapons deserves to get shot/blown-up/stabbed.


In this case the charges are ridiculous.

[V8 Killer]

freakin government...

[teal99camaro]

he had them search a car... there could have been weapons in that car!

[tWiStEdBird]

Could have also been booby trapped. He did the right thing, make em search it and keep aim at them while they're doing so.