U.S. soldier apologizes for killing Afghan civilians

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

U.S. soldier apologizes for killing Afghan civilians

TACOMA, Washington | Thu Aug 22, 2013 2:50pm EDT

(Reuters) - A U.S. soldier who gunned down 16 Afghan civilians in a nighttime rampage last year apologized on Thursday at a sentencing hearing to determine his fate, calling the killings "an act of cowardice."

"Sorry just isn't good enough, but I am sorry," Army Staff Sergeant Robert Bales told a military jury. "What I did is an act of cowardice."

(Reporting by Jonathan Kaminsky; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Gerald E. McCormick)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/22/us-usa-afghanistan-trial-idUSBRE97L0YV20130822

[atreides1]

1. That was it, all he had to say?

I wonder what kind of deal they worked out?

[libodem]

2. He snapped

I'd call it temporary insanity from PTSD. I blame the perpetual deployments in a never ending war. He had to have been out of his mind.

Plus, I'm sure we are not being told the full extent of the participation. There were civilian reports that seem to have been dismissed regarding other soldiers being involved. He is the sacrificial lamb here.

[mwrguy]

3. When you train a man to be a killer

don't be surprised when he kills people.