Marine Charged With Lying About Killing (Shot Iraqi in back of head twice)

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040109/ap_on_re_us/marine_inquiry&cid=519&ncid=1473

LAS VEGAS - A Marine has been charged with making false statements after he said he shot an Iraqi soldier twice in the back of the head and killed another following a grenade attack on his comrades in Baghdad last year.

Gunnery Sgt. Gus Covarrubias, 39, of Las Vegas, will face an Article 32 hearing in which a senior military officer could decide to proceed with a court martial or dismiss the charges.

The charges stem from statements Covarrubias made to military officials while being questioned about a story he told a reporter, military officials said in a statement released by the Marine Forces Reserve Public Affairs Unit in New Orleans.

Covarrubias, who was charged Thursday, remains on active duty, Marine spokesman Capt. Jeffrey Pool said Friday from Naval Support Activity, New Orleans.

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[bluestateguy]

1. I support the troops...

except this one. He can burn in hell.

[seventhson]

2. Blame Bush

He made thi happen.

It never had to happen.

He made this kid a killer and put him in the game,

and you paid for it with your tazes. So did I.

So whose to blame?

all of us, you included. Me too. Don't be so quick to judge.

Curtis Mayfield said it best: If there's a Hell below we're ALL gonna go

[Mikimouse]

10. Wait, wait! This one does not fit usual description!

This guy is most definitely NOT a kid.

"He made this kid a killer and put him in the game,"

This is an adult (39) with enough years to differentiate right from wrong, even on a battlefield. Like it or not, there are some people who simply have very poor judgement. Just because they wear our uniform does not entitle them to behave any way they wish.

[Just Me]

19. "Poor judgment" is an understatement about this kind of

loss of control. I am surprised he has gotten as far as he has in the military. His actions were reprehensible regardless of his feelings which he allowed to take charge and he aimed at anyone in his path. A reckless "evil" that may not qualify at the level of those who intentionally direct inferiors to do "evil" deeds,...but, a reckless, evil act, nonetheless. I'm sorry but, every human being is responsible for his/her choices and actions. I am a believer in empathy and compassion and reform but not without consequences. I just want just consequences to be levelled upon those who are responsible for directing "inferiors" into immoral, unjust circumstances, as well.

[rolodomo]

5. You're going too far here...

The article stated that he had just witnessed his friends come under grenade attack. Did he just witness his friends leg get blown off? I don't know. One thing is for sure I'm not about to substitute my judgment for God.

This whole FUBAR illustrates why we need someone like Wes Clark. Someone who knows what it is really like, instead of some chickenhawk fantasy.

[Don Claybrook]

6. A war crime is a war crime is a war crime

No matter what he just saw happen, it's illegal and despicable to commit a war crime.

[rolodomo]

8. I don't know enough of what really happened....

so I'll take a pass. If there was a crime, then he should be punished. What the just punishment is under the circumstances would be is another inquiry.

[IndianaGreen]

11. The real crime was the invasion and occupation of Iraq

As we have learned from previous occupations in history, from Israel's occupation of Palestine to the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, it dehumanizes both sides and it leads to acts of extreme violence. From a moral and ethical standpoint, the full responsibility lies on the foreign occupier, for the occupied is merely responding in kind to the violent oppression of one's country.

Wes Clark will not get us out of Iraq anymore than Dean. Only Dennis Kucinich will get us out of Iraq immediately and unconditionally. Anything less than that will accomplish nothing but to add more names to a future war memorial to this insane and criminal war.

[TacticalPeek]

13. The Iraqis can get us out.

Just ask Charlie.

[PSU84]

3. If I read this correctly,

he is not being charged with shooting an Iraqi, but with lying to a reporter. Looks like he was trying to make himself sound like Rambo and told a story that, if it were true, would have been a war crime.

[amber dog democrat]

4. But we are bringing democracy

and freedom to these people. Sometimes you can't make an omlette with out shooting people in the back of the head.

Hope he gets court martialed and sent to Leavenworth.

[TolstoyAndy]

7. Ohhh Amber Dog

My favorite expression when trying to explain to my freep friends why killing is wrong, even for "country" or "cause".

It was Stalin said it (some forget):
can't make some omelettes w/o breaking some eggs.

You understand Amber, I :kick: you in a good way!

[amber dog democrat]

9. The NKVD just phoned

our comrades in the Lubiyanka ...are waiting for us to sign the confessions.

[AromaticSocks]

12. War is hell

If the Iraqi fragged his comrades then all bets are off. I side with the American soldier. Period.

[NickB79]

14. All bets are off

That somehow enables one to violate international laws and execute people with shots to the back of the head? This was not in the heat of battle, or in self-defense; this was murder. If I see a man murder my wife, and then track him down and shoot him in the back, I WILL be sent to prison, no question about that. My emotional state and desire for revenge isn't grounds enough for me to be pardoned of my crime, so why is it good enough here? Oh yeah, I forgot, Iraqi lives are worth less than US lives.

Man, I wish I lived in a world where I had blind faith in the government and every soldier in uniform was a saint marching in a holy crusade, incapable of committing crimes. Riiiigggghhhhtttt.

[akitamata]

15. Taking sides...

does not invalidate the war crimes accusation or an indictment. Up yours!

[amber dog democrat]

17. this has Article 15 written all over it.

and a lot more violations of the UCMJ. This marine needs to be drawn up on charges- period. Since when is it ok to be judge, jury and executioner - to captured POWs?

Let his officers take the stand too while we are at it. An episode like this can affect a lot of careers. Not very professional to have your men murdering combatants.

[Just Me]

20. Per your approach, we all might die,...

[mouse7]

16. 2 shots to back of head = making a false statement charges?

huh?

Did someone in the Bush family do the shooting or something?

[krondor88]

18. Gunnery Sgt. Gus Covarrubias

Gunnery Sgt. Gus Covarrubias is not a police officer; he does not have to apprehend the suspect. He did what he was trained to do, maneuver and close in on the enemy. Now if he captured the enemy and shot the POW point blank range, than that is a war crime and murder. All we know is that he was charge with making a false statement. What part, if all, where false? What made them (investigators) think he may have committed a war crime? Was it because that he shot the enemy in the head twice?
It could be that he exaggerated what he did in the war.

[NNN0LHI]

21. What part?

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2003/apr/26/042610659.html

Vegas Marine's interview prompts military inquiry

<snip>Military experts said the inquiry likely will focus on whether the Iraqi soldier was considered a prisoner of war.

"As soon as (the Iraqi soldier) had surrendered and obeyed a command to turn around, he was no longer an enemy combatant. He was a POW," said John Pike, director of globalsecurity.org, a defense and intelligence policy organization.

"We do not allow our soldiers to execute POWs at their own discretion," he said. "And this, as described, looks like the summary execution of a POW."

After killing the Iraqi soldier, Covarrubias said he took the man's military identification card. He was pictured on the front page of the Review-Journal, along with the ID card and assault rifle of another soldier he killed.

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[Just Me]

22. He "hunted" him down,...

,...what more need I say? If he "hunted" some man down,...he acted in murderous fashion as the prosecutor/judge/jury against an individual who is "suppose" to be treated according to those "LAWS" all people are subject to.

He HUNTED THE MAN DOWN,...according to his words.