Video From The Daily Show, Marines In Berkeley

[navyvetcv60]

God, I created a monster with this thread, it should be gone.

 

[Kreth]

The US military never allows active duty military personnel to be tried by a foreign, unaccountable, court.

I know a guy who'd probably argue that point. He assaulted a civilian while our Marine unit was deployed to Okinawa circa 1988, and spent several months in a Japanese prison at Naha.

 

[5-0 Kenpo]

They want to know also how it can be avoided in future.

Until there are no wars, it will never be avoided. I wonder if they will understand that?

All they and we are asking for is openess, that the people concerned come forward as witnesses to say what happened. They want the truth, however painful and they will face it bravely far better than being caught up in a a mesh of red tape and lies.

the following comment is more directed towards those who haven't lost family, but still want the truth.

I question the motivations of those who want the truth. It appears to me that when they get the truth, it is used merely as ammuniton to fight against the war itself, at least in the case of the current war. It simply becomes "see, I told you the government is full of liars and thieves, etc."

I question whether they are really in it for the involved families, or to further their own political viewpoints.

 

[Archangel M]

I know a guy who'd probably argue that point. He assaulted a civilian while our Marine unit was deployed to Okinawa circa 1988, and spent several months in a Japanese prison at Naha.

Under Article 7, for conduct that violates both U.S. military law and the law of the host country, there is concurrent jurisdiction. In that event, U.S. courts martial are granted the primary right to exercise jurisdiction to try crimes committed against the security or property of the United States or against U.S. personnel or their property, as well as crimes arising out of actions taken "in the performance of official duty. " In all other instances of concurrent jurisdiction, the host country has the primary right to exercise that jurisdiction. However, in deference to U.S. concerns, the host country is obligated to give "sympathetic consideration" to any U.S. request for waiver of the primary right to exercise jurisdiction if the United States claims such waiver "to be of particular importance."

 

[Ray]

So the pink ladies are against the war in Iraq; and this is the only reason they are making a big deal about the marines in Berkley. The media have turned it into "bush lied to us about the WMD's and the reason we went to war is invalid."

Everyone seems to have forgotten about the UN Sanctions against Iraq and the "Food for Oil" programs wherein relatives of UN officials enriched themselves (they were bribed by Saddam). And there's more we have forgotten.

I'd rather be sanctioned by the UN than invaded by an alliance of countries that actually want to enforce the rules that the "world" laid down.

 

[Kreth]

Under Article 7, for conduct that violates both U.S. military law and the law of the host country, there is concurrent jurisdiction. In that event, U.S. courts martial are granted the primary right to exercise jurisdiction to try crimes committed against the security or property of the United States or against U.S. personnel or their property, as well as crimes arising out of actions taken "in the performance of official duty. " In all other instances of concurrent jurisdiction, the host country has the primary right to exercise that jurisdiction. However, in deference to U.S. concerns, the host country is obligated to give "sympathetic consideration" to any U.S. request for waiver of the primary right to exercise jurisdiction if the United States claims such waiver "to be of particular importance."

I thought maybe that's what you were getting at. I just wanted to clarify your comment that the US never surrenders jurisdiction. The case I referred to was an off-duty (and off-base) incident, so the Okinawan government had jurisdiction. I believe it's part of SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement).

 

[Archangel M]

Yup. If the US courts martial acquits someone in a case stemming from official duty, we dont hand them over to a foreign court to give them a second shot. If the soldier is out on pass/leave and commits a crime in the host population thats another matter.

Interesting article on the matter here.