Twelve US soldiers, a ‘rogue infantry unit run amok’, went on a killing spree of Afghan civilians taking grisly trophies are facing court martial and prison time.
“It’s the right thing to do and I’m going to do it,” said Robert Stevens on Wednesday at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Washington, when asked by the presiding officer why he pleaded guilty to charges.
He will serve his nine months at a detention facility – without pay – and will be demoted to E-1 private, the lowest rank in the army. Stevens will be allowed to stay in the military.
Stevens, 25, admitted opening fire on two Afghan men for no apparent reason, saying he and other soldiers were acting on orders from a squad leader during a patrol in March in Kandahar.
Five of the 12 soldiers named in the case are accused of premeditated murder in the most serious prosecution of alleged atrocities by US military personnel since the war began in late 2001.
At least two of the five are alleged to have collected severed fingers and other human remains as war trophies in Afghanistan and taking photos with corpses.
The five soldiers charged with murder are Calvin Gibbs, Adam Winfield, Jeremy Morlock and Michael Wagon, Andrew Holmes. The unit also tried to destroy evidence and lie about drug use in the unit.
[photo AFP]
People placed into horrible situations very often do horrible things. That is a given.
The argument you give, ‘holes that were not there’ applies to both sides. Actions like this unit took endangers all our troops and degrades the dignity of those who serve and are willing to sacrifice their lives.
OK the miltary today recruits from within gangs and other organizations where the average arrest occurs at age 12 and there are people who would collect body part trophies. This medic may be one. But, unless a person has walked in similar shoes and understands what combat does to the human body and mind, easy with the comments. During my first enlistment, the Pacific Fleet brig and whacko ward – 51C – at Oak Knoll Hospital in Oakland housed more corpsmen than cooks. Shoving body parts back into body holes that were not there a few minutes ago does not cause you to love the fellow wearing differnt clothing.