Should There Be A Lenient Sentance For Marine A

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/10454622/Marine-A-poll-finds-47-want-a-lenient-sentence.html

47% want a lenient sentence and 35 per cent believe the marine should receive a full life sentence for his crime.

/// Support for a more lenient sentence was highest among the over 55s, with more than half of those aged 55-64 saying that the law should make an exception for a serving soldier. Among the over 65s, some 55 per cent would support leniency. ///

It would be interesting to see a vote taken of amongst those who have actually served in Afghanistan, it is only those who know what pressures are involved when you fight those who do not wear any uniform of recognition.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// Strange that some want to make a hero out of such a cowardly
crime. ///

Strange also that one who regularly attacks the Daily Mail, for using such misleading and emotive language, is prepared to use the same tactics.

Who on this thread has ever wanted to make this soldier a hero?

[Gromit]

Fred,

The 53% came from me and AOG wrongly used it.

If 47% want a lenient sentence, then 53% do not. But AOG muddled the figures when he said 53% disagreed with me. 53% actually agreed with me.

[Gromit]

AOG

The very first post states

// Should be giving him a medal //

[Zeuhl]

/Who on this thread has ever wanted to make this soldier a hero? /

Isn't everyone who serves in the armed forces a 'hero' according to some people on AB

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question879968.html

[sp1814]

AOG

I am not going to second guess a military court.

I'm not a soldier. They are.

You wrote:

"it is only those who know what pressures are involved when you fight those who do not wear any uniform of recognition."

Such as the warrant officers in charge of the military court case?

[Zeuhl]

^
We called them Mujahadeen then

That was when they were heroic freedom fighters

and Sadaam Hussein was a brave bastion against evil fundamentalist Iran

[sp1814]

AOG

Going back to your original question of whether there should be a a lenient sentance [sic] for Marine A...what would you say would be lenient in this case?

For premeditated murder in civvie street, five years would be considered extremely lenient.

For how long do you think Marine A should be sentenced?

[FredPuli43]

AOG, it is gladdening to see that you may be acknowledging that the Daily Mail uses misleading and emotive language. I say "may be" advisedly.

Nobody has said, in terms, that this marine is a hero. What they have said is that this marine should be above the law that applies to the rest of us, in that he should not get the sentence which we would get for shooting dead a helpless, and hapless, individual who posed no real or apparent threat to us, which is what this man did. However, it is fair to say that the rationale is that our boys are doing a heroic job; "Help for Heroes" comes to mind; and so this man should be excused, to some degree, in what he did, and the sentence should be less. Now, bearing that in mind, is it unreasonable to read what has been said as treating him as, or like, a hero?

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// The 53% came from me and AOG wrongly used it. ///

Yes that is quite correct I was answering your Sunday 17.56 post where you incorrectly stated 53%, I should have re-checked the report instead of taking your word for it.

/// If 47% want a lenient sentence, then 53% do not. But AOG muddled the figures when he said 53% disagreed with me. 53% actually agreed with me. ///

No I did not, it is you who is muddling the figures, read my post

*** 47% want a lenient sentence and 35 per cent believe the marine should receive a full life sentence for his crime. ***

Only 35% agree with you Gromit and may I remind both yourself and Fred, that this is an opinion poll nothing more and nothing less, and we in a free country are allowed to voice an opinion, even if it is not the same opinion of those who only think their opinion is the correct one.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// The very first post states ///

// Should be giving him a medal //

Medal are given out for all manner of things, Campaign Medals, Long Service Medals, Good Conduct Medals etc etc, one does not necessary need to be a hero to receive a Medal.

[FredPuli43]

AOG, your last sentence is true. May we expect you never to cite any opinion poll, the results of which support your opinion?

[anotheoldgit]

sp1814

/// Such as the warrant officers in charge of the military court case? ///

I think you will find that it was not Warrant Officers in charge, those in charge would be Senior Officers.

I refer you back to my "to be seen to be doing the right thing" remark.

[Zeuhl]

/one does not necessary need to be a hero to receive a Medal./

But aog

isn't everyone serving in Afghanistan a 'Hero'?

[andy-hughes]

AOG - "... one does not necessary need to be a hero to receive a Medal."

Indeed, and one does not need to be a cold-blooded killer in order to be a Marine - but this soldier was and is both.

Not strictly speaking the action of a 'hero' though, was it?

[anotheoldgit]

FredPuli43

/// is it unreasonable to read what has been said as treating him as, or like, a hero? ///

Play with words all you like Fred, the word 'Hero' was never used.

[Gromit]

AOG.

You seem a little confused. Firstly I do not want a life sentence or a lenient one. Somewhere about 8-10 years would be about right.

Secondly the Poll.

What should be Marine A's sentence
a) He should get a lenient sentence = 47%
b) He should get Life = 35%
c) Don't know = 19%

So 53% didn't want a lenient sentence.

Strangely, the above percentages add up to 101% so the poll, as published, is rather shoddy. Only 2059 sampled.

[Gromit]

AOG

// Medal are given out for all manner of things, Campaign Medals, Long Service Medals, Good Conduct Medals etc etc, one does not necessary need to be a hero to receive a Medal. //

Now you are just being silly. The poster who said

// Should be giving him a medal for taking out a terrost killer. //

clearly meant for the murder and not for long service etc.

[Zeuhl]

/Strangely, the above percentages add up to 101% so the poll, as published, is rather shoddy. Only 2059 sampled./

Quite normal with rounding up

e.g. if a) He should get a lenient sentence was 46.5%
and b) He should get Life was 34.5%

half a percent would be the opinions of approx 10 people out of the 2000 sample