In the instant matter, the alternatives are not very good regardless of how things pan out. 1st, men made into killers are placed precariously into a slaughter zone and asked to kill other people (with kindness ?) gently, when realistically they can be expected to lose their sense of right and wrong after killing. They also will have growing apprehensions as time goes on and the killing continues of whether or not they will ever see home or their family and friends again.

Most Americans have never lived in an environment like war provides, so they cannot understand the things that happen there. Trump is the Commander in Chief. He can make the call as to whether he wants an American to stand trial for whatever charges are brought against him while soldiering for America.

As far as other soldiers being put in an unfavorable situation goes because of Trump's decision, that's almost laughable. 1st, the Arabs don't give a fuck about the Geneva Convention, they behead people at will because they're "infidels." The only way an American soldier comes home after capture is if somehow that soldier is valuable enough to trade out for the release of some terrorist.

Truth is simple. War is a motherfucker and anyone that finds them self in one needs to know that the primary objective is to live long enough to come home and hopefully not be so deranged that others suffer the effects of the damage done to "everyone" caught up in war.

The "LAST" thing a soldier in a war zone needs is to be haunted by the thought of being prosecuted for the shit that happens in battle. The people that should be prosecuted are sitting on their bribe taking asses in D.C. and the balance of Americans are paying their salaries.

...one needs to know that the primary objective is to live long enough to come home...

Lt. Dan concurs in the very last scene here.

He was tried and convicted by a jury of his military peers in a process that actually offers more protections for defendants than the civilian justice system (for example, an enlisted defendant can demand that at least one third of the jury be enlisted personnel rather than officers).

Utter horseshit...

Utter horseshit...

Right, written for the utterly naive do-gooder without a clue !

Truth is simple. War is a motherfucker and anyone that finds them self in one needs to know that the primary objective is to live long enough to come home and hopefully not be so deranged that others suffer the effects of the damage done to "everyone" caught up in war.

We were given a .45 with one clip in case shot down in Russia.

Let the stay at home heros guess what that was for????

Such people make me ill. I lost a brother and many friends in two wars.

The "LAST" thing a soldier in a war zone needs is to be haunted by the thought of being prosecuted for the shit that happens in battle.

So My Lie should have been ignored? Colin Powell tried his best as I recall. As one comment on American Conservative put it:

No, this is not about Trump defending the military. What this is about is how Trump thinks war should be fought, "tough" in his words. What he means by this is troops should be utterly ruthless. They should murder and kill civilians, as this strikes fear into the enemy and shows them how "tough" we are. Plus of course Trump likes vengeance. No one should be surprised by this as Trump has voiced strong support for war crimes, he wants "strong" torture, he wants the families of terrorists, women, children, elderly murdered to punish the terrorists. Sad thing is, I've heard lots of support for this kind of warfighting among conservatives.

William Laws Calley Jr.[1] (born June 8, 1943) is an American former United States Army officer convicted by court-martial of murdering 22 unarmed South Vietnamese civilians in the My Lai Massacre on March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War. Calley was released to house arrest under orders by President Richard Nixon, three days after his conviction. Following a petition for habeas corpus by Calley, a new trial was ordered by the 5th Circuit Federal court in Georgia. That ruling however was overturned on an appeal and the Supreme Court denied certiorari. His initial conviction faced widespread public opposition, both due to the campaign circumstances of civilian embedded Viet Cong and also due to Calley being singled out as the sole officer convicted with respect to the massacre.

Maybe Trump took Nixon's example. I served in Vietnam and one of the very first things one learns from others that have been there for awhile is that you can get blown up by "anyone" military, civilians and the most dangerous are the kids that have grenades strapped to their bodies.

Here's the thing ADA, fighting in a war isn't political it's mortally dangerous.

"""The Malmedy massacre was a war crime committed by members of Kampfgruppe Peiper (part of the 1st SS Panzer Division), a German combat unit led by Joachim Peiper, at Baugnez crossroads near Malmedy, Belgium, on December 17, 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge. According to numerous eyewitness accounts, 84 American prisoners of war were massacred by their German captors: the prisoners were assembled in a field and shot with machine guns.

The term Malmedy massacre also applies generally to the series of massacres committed by the same unit on the same day and following days, which were the subject of the Malmedy massacre trial, part of the Dachau Trials of 1946. The trials were the focus of some controversy. """

In retaliation we machine gunned German POWs but that was stopped and no charges filed

Not a good idea to commit war crimes if the enemy is capable of retaliation. When he's almost defeated, then do as you will.

Not a good idea to commit war crimes if the enemy is capable of retaliation.

Olde saying in the military, "the winner gets to decide who committed crimes and who gets hung"".

EDIT: I know later on Richard Armitage was Powell's assistant Secy of State ... and he was a drug runner during Vietnam, so I wouldn't put anything past Colin Powell.

Colin Powell ?

Indeed...

Actually he did it right. In the aftermath he drew a pass because he was black.

After the fact dogooders that were not there, their life was never in danger, make me ill.

It is difficult to have someone stand in front of you, tell you what you will do if necessary, even tho it means your life. Very difficult. Only one man that I recall objected and he was gone the next day.

Here's the thing ADA, fighting in a war isn't political it's mortally dangerous.

and following a cult leader is morally dangerous.