Democracy = Murder?

The dumb, frightened soldiers – many of whom only signed up for the military because of education scholarships – aren’t the only ones who should be put on trial for the murder of Iraqi’s, the men who put them there should also be prosecuted. I’m halfway through reading Bob Woodward’s ‘State of Denial’ - I had always assumed that there must be some type of wider conspiracy behind Iraq (and I’m not convinced yet that there isn’t some dark forces in Cheney’s office) – but it never occurred to me that Bush and his team of American’s are actually incredibly stupid and have blindly stomped all over the Middle East in an ignorance that borders on criminal negligence. I’ll write more after I’ve finished the book, but my God it is an amazing insight into the preparations for the invasion of Iraq.

US soldier jailed for Iraq deaths
A US soldier has been jailed for 18 years for his part in the murder of three Iraqi detainees in May of 2006.
Pfc Corey Clagett, 22, who is the third soldier to plead guilty in connection with the case, made the plea in a deal with military prosecutors. The soldiers originally claimed they had killed three men trying to escape. A fourth soldier from the 101st Airborne Division, squad leader Staff Sgt Raymond Girouard, is due to face court-martial in the coming months. Under the deal, Clagett admitted charges of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice. He admitted to killing one of the victims and participating in the murder of the other two. Earlier this month another member of the group, Spc William Hunsaker, was jailed for 18 years after pleading guilty to murder. Another soldier has admitted aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon and was jailed for nine months.