By Max Musson:
I have only limited time this morning and so this will not be a comprehensive article on this matter, although I have already addressed many of the issues in an earlier article.
The way that Sergeant Alexander Blackman has been treated is a disgrace.
As a serving soldier in a war zone when the incident for which he has been prosecuted took place, Sergeant Blackman and his men had hotfoot, over-run an injured enemy combatant in civilian clothing, with weapons on him. That enemy combatant was a member of a guerrilla army that routinely violate the Geneva Convention and go so far as to hang the dismembered body parts of captured British soldiers from trees in order to mess with the heads of those who discover them and strike terror in their hearts. Enemy combatants of this sort do not deserve to be treated in accordance with the Geneva Convention, they do not show, and therefore nor should they expect mercy, and they should quite rightly face summary justice when captured.
If the Taliban want to be treated in accordance with the Geneva convention, then they should abide by it themselves, wear a uniform so that they can be distinguished from civilians and go to war against the British Army as a conventional military force.
Sergeant Blackman should therefore have never been charged with murder.
Judge Blackett claims that Blackman’s actions will enable Muslim extremists use this incident to gather support for their cause and increase the likelihood that they will attack British service personnel, but if the case had never been brought against Sergeant Blackman, then no Muslim extremists would have known about it.
As it is, by allowing Sergeant Blackman to be publicly named, Judge Blackett has increased the likelihood that those same Muslim extremists will attack the Sergeant’s family in retaliation for the killing of the Taliban terrorist.
Judge Blackett has a long career as a Naval lawyer behind him, but he has as far as I am aware never served in the frontline in circumstances in which he would come under fire or in direct contact with the enemy. He is therefore not competent in my view to stand in judgement over someone who has. One cannot apply peacetime twenty-twenty hindsight to battlefield decisions and delivering the judgement that he has, Judge Blackett will be responsible for a dramatic loss of moral right across our armed forces.
It is a disgrace and if justice be done, there will be angry demonstrations on the streets of London today!
By Max Musson © 2013
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Dispater
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Max, I know there is a general agreement n the country about the treatment of Sgt Blackman. I know also that many ex forces colleagues are aghast at his treatment. Is there no way that a nationalist party can arrange a march on Parliament in support of the Sgt? The fact that he was fighting in a war that few, if any, of us wanted is not his fault.
A few months in Colchester and demotion would have been sufficient punishment for his momentary lack of discipline.
Steve
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This soldier should never have been put in this position, the politicians who sent him on this fool’s errand should also be serving life.
SerpentSlayer
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The judge deserves execution, even more than the Taliban scumsucker did.
I do hope that if ever we are able to turn the tables, the names of traitors like this are remembered, imprisoned/executed and the innocents behind bars are freed. I hope the forces are aware of the implications of the precedent this case has set, the war crimes of our leaders and of generals are ignored or even rewarded, while normal warrior behaviour has the full weight of unjust law weighed upon it.
Next time you pick up your SA80, bear these things in mind.
David Yorkshire
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I think that all those in the armed forces should abandon their posts in protest. Let Iraq and Afghanistan go to hell. Then come back and protest on the streets of Britain until Sargeant Blackman is released, for any one of them could be next to be hung out to dry by our treacherous politicians. A new form of courage is perhaps required: the courage to disobey orders.
Max Musson
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There is a saying that war is when you let the government tell you who the enemy is, and revolution is when you decide for yourself.
Steve
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Sounds about right to me!
I don’t let the government tell me who my enemy is.
Dave H
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https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/how-we-help/about-us/team-h4h/trustees/his-honour-judge-jeff-blackett/
How is the unjust sentence of ten years ( he should never have been in court in the first place ) and removing the anonymity for Sergeant Blackman and his family helping heroes ?