# Hearts & Minds update: Shooting wounded prisoners in a mosque. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 16, 2004, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearts-minds-update-shooting-wounded-prisoners-in-a-mosque/274974 "2004-11-16T01:31:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearts-minds-update-shooting-wounded-prisoners-in-a-mosque/274974/221 "2004-11-18T23:48:36Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > …George Bush the Lesses and his cronies are going to Hell for this, and I say this as a man who does not believe in Hell. Which would be perfectly dandy, if handbaskets were less inclusive. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearts-minds-update-shooting-wounded-prisoners-in-a-mosque/274974/222 "2004-11-19T01:02:59Z")
I can see we’re making progress here – what a relief! I was afraid this would turn into one of those threads where everybody tries to spew the best insult, and no one budges an inch. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearts-minds-update-shooting-wounded-prisoners-in-a-mosque/274974/223 "2004-11-19T01:11:42Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#): > > Never play poker with a guy named **Doc** , never eat at a place called **Mom’s** , and never expect sense from someone named **The Truth**. I just figured I couldn’t handle him. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearts-minds-update-shooting-wounded-prisoners-in-a-mosque/274974/224 "2004-11-19T01:13:29Z")
> [@furt](#): > > I just figured I couldn’t handle him. you can’t 😉 ---
**Author:** ![smartini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@smartini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smartini)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearts-minds-update-shooting-wounded-prisoners-in-a-mosque/274974/225 "2004-11-19T01:20:27Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Thanks for the link, **smartini** > > I do not believe that they were sent over there with a legitimate purpose in the first place. Having thrown Iraq into such disarray, however, my country cannot now morally abandon the Iraqis to deal with it alone. > > George Bush the Lesses and his cronies are going to Hell for this, and I say this as a man who does not believe in Hell. I agree. We are now in for the long haul, and even worse, essentially alone since GWB does not know the meaning of the word negotiate. And if I am not mistaken I think there is already a ring in Hell reserved. As for the booby trapping? No atrocity exonerates another. We will all end up animals with that philosophy. I just hope the soldier gets a fair trial. It’s too late for him to not be there…which would have been best all around. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearts-minds-update-shooting-wounded-prisoners-in-a-mosque/274974/226 "2004-11-19T01:25:49Z")
> [@smartini](#): > > I agree. We are now in for the long haul, and even worse, essentially alone since GWB does not know the meaning of the word negotiate. I wonder when/if Britain will pull out. Tony has to save his bacon sooner or later. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearts-minds-update-shooting-wounded-prisoners-in-a-mosque/274974/227 "2004-11-19T03:22:31Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Brilliant man. > > \ Gee, thanks. I’d still like it if he/she answered **DtC** ’s questions. I’d also like to know when wacko became a synonym for brainwashed fanatic. I just can’t keep up with kids these days. ---
**Author:** ![Nietzsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8dc957/32.png) [@Nietzsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nietzsche)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearts-minds-update-shooting-wounded-prisoners-in-a-mosque/274974/228 "2004-11-19T05:11:02Z")
> [@The Truth](#): > > When dealing with wacko muslim terrorists, I would have done the exact same thing myself. Had this US soldier died, then not many of you would have given a crap, so I don’t particularly care to hear about all the whining going on just because some terrorist thug was killed. Seriously, who cares ? > > Give the US soldier some R&R, that’s what he deserves. Is it just me or has there recently been a larger than normal influx of these folks? Did Free Republic spring a leak or something? **kaylasdad99** and **smartini** : > [@](#): > > Having thrown Iraq into such disarray, however, my country cannot now morally abandon the Iraqis to deal with it alone. and > [@](#): > > We are now in for the long haul An admirable position to take, for certain, but I think the situation is a bit of a catch 22. Your presence is precipitating the situation which makes your presence necessary. Iraq is reaching the point where anyone who agrees to work with the Americans in any way is going to be targeted by a growing number of angry Iraqis. While I agree with you two’s notion that the US should help the Iraqis (not only for their sake, but also since failed states are terrorist breeding grounds) it’s almost impossible to do while you have troops there. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearts-minds-update-shooting-wounded-prisoners-in-a-mosque/274974/229 "2004-11-19T05:12:16Z")
> [@furt](#): > > I just figured I couldn’t handle him. You posted this four hours ago and I just now got it. :smack: Good one. You made me laugh. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearts-minds-update-shooting-wounded-prisoners-in-a-mosque/274974/230 "2004-11-19T06:46:58Z")
> [@Nietzsche](#): > > While I agree with you two’s notion that the US should help the Iraqis (not only for their sake, but also since failed states are terrorist breeding grounds) it’s almost impossible to do while you have troops there. Agreed. In my view (stated elsewhere in this forum, several months ago), the only ethical path we have is to turn the task of stabilization and reconstruction over to a third party, heretofore uninvolved in the so-called “coalition of the willing,” and give them a big ol’ blank check, by way of reparations to the Iraqi people. I have absolutely no hope that this path will be embarked upon by my country. It galls. ---
**Author:** ![Roseworm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df788c/32.png) [@Roseworm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roseworm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearts-minds-update-shooting-wounded-prisoners-in-a-mosque/274974/231 "2004-11-22T07:58:31Z")
Here is an excellent examination of the issue: [http://slate.msn.com/id/2109904](http://slate.msn.com/id/2109904)? As far as I know, Slate does _not_ have a right-wing slant. Exonerate the Marine, I say. On a philosophical note, I would like to add this: All human beings make choices. And all of our choices have consequences - large or small. The man who was killed did not have to become an insurgent. He did not have to stay in Fallujah to fight US Marines. He did not have to use a mosque as a defensive position (a big no-no under the Geneva Convention, by the way). But he freely chose to do all those things. And on the fatal day, all those choices led him to a confrontation with a particular US Marine - tired and battle-hardened after five days of urban combat, embittered from losing buddies to insurgent dirty tricks, shot in the face the day before by a wounded insurgent…in short, not feeling particularly charitable toward the enemy. And the Marine made a choice of his own. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearts-minds-update-shooting-wounded-prisoners-in-a-mosque/274974.md?page=11)