On Thu, 9 Nov 2006 11:32:51 -0800, Craig Lalley <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>"James B. Byrne" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: They are hired or 
impressed killers and they are made up primarily of inexperienced young men 
drawn from the disadvantaged of their societies. You can dress this 
unpalatable fact up with gold braid, coloured ribbons, arcane styles of 
sddress and more-or-less fashionable clothing but the bottom line is that 
armies existto kill on command and most people whose have any reasonable 
alternative would rather not.
>
>Mr. Byrne,
>
>I have many friends in the military, every single one has a college degree.
>
>The name Pat Tillman comes to mind, but then he probably wasn't educated.
>
>-Craig
>
Craig,

he was killed by his own countrymen who just were a little trigger-happy or 
idiots.
His death isn't a good example for smart soldiers. (not him but all the 
others involved)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-11-09-tillman-probe_x.htm?csp=34
One of the four shooters, Staff Sgt. Trevor Alders, had recently had PRK 
laser eye surgery. He said although he could see two sets of 
hands "straight up," his vision was "hazy." In the absence of "friendly 
identifying signals," he assumed Tillman and an allied Afghan who also was 
killed were enemy.

Another, Spc. Steve Elliott, said he was "excited" by the sight of rifles, 
muzzle flashes and "shapes." A third, Spc. Stephen Ashpole, said he saw two 
figures, and just aimed where everyone else was shooting.

Squad leader Sgt. Greg Baker had 20-20 eyesight, but claimed he had "tunnel 
vision." Amid the chaos and pumping adrenaline, Baker said he hammered what 
he thought was the enemy but was actually the allied Afghan fighter next to 
Tillman who was trying to give the Americans cover: "I zoned in on him 
because I could see the AK-47. I focused only on him."

All four failed to identify their targets before firing, a direct violation 
of the fire discipline techniques drilled into every soldier.




http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-11-09-tillman-probe_x.htm?csp=34

* To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, *
* etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html *