Another answerbank popcorn thread.
Gromit - there was an appeals process through the Courts Martial system for any offence, you could accept the judgement of the court or it could be held under appeal terms by a court of Generals. If this has changed in the last few years then fair enough.
For him to appeal under terms of combat stress or PTSD that would have to be assesed by psychologists and would only be allowable following their diagnosis. The huge problem I have with this is that is he's using it to get a reduction in sentence then he disrespects every member of our armed forces who respected the discipline and came home to suffer the effects of PTSD.
The harsh reality of this case for me centres around his admission in the video of his breach of the Geneva Convention, he knew what he was doing:
The Geneva Convention,
CHAPTER II
Wounded and Sick
Article 12. Members of the armed forces and other persons mentioned in the following Article, who are wounded or sick, shall be respected and protected in all circumstances.
They shall be treated humanely and cared for by the Party to the conflict in whose power they may be, without any adverse distinction founded on sex, race, nationality, religion, political opinions, or any other similar criteria. Any attempts upon their lives, or violence to their persons, shall be strictly prohibited; in particular, they shall not be murdered or exterminated, subjected to torture or to biological experiments; they shall not willfully be left without medical assistance and care, nor shall conditions exposing them to contagion or infection be created.
He killed a wounded man, enemy or not, breaking this basic tenet of the convention, he's guilty and should pay for that crime.
Wellington once allegedy said of armies that discipline was the only thing that prevented them descending into anarchy. That holds true today, unless the training of our future officers and soldiers continues to maintain that discipline our armed forces become an uncontrollable rabble.