A drunken night in Iraq, a soldier is left behind

This is an incredibly sad story. Apparently Hannah's parents want everyone to hear the story. I thought I'd help them in that endeavor by posting the article here.



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22499062/

and how many other "non-combatant" causalities can be attributed to situations such as this?

"Damon D. Shell, then 25, a one-time high school quarterback on his second tour. According to his MySpace page, his interests included Ohio sports teams, women, beer games and drunken karaoke."

And yet, I cannot bring myself to blame either this young man, or Pfc. McKinney, herself. Both were no doubt, letting off a bit of youthful steam. A large percentage of these young people in Iraq have never had any real responsibility. Just look at Shell's main interests. In Bush's war, anyone qualifies, as long as they are willing. No worries as to if they are mentally fit, have young children, or are mature enough to know what they are doing.

I blame Bush, and no one else for this.

I blame Bush as well!

Pfc. McKinney wanted a better life and thought the military would take her there. She didn't believe they would ever deploy a single mother.

Toward the end of the article, they mention the husband received her death benefit. While they didn't say outright, the innuendo was he was not willing to pass any along to her son. I was very disturbed by that and felt this young women deserved better from her husband.

I still cannot believe we invaded Iraq and are still in Iraq....expesially now that it is common knowledge it was all based on lies. wtf......I don't think I'll ever understand.

General Order #1 over here is no alcohol. Everyone involved in that event broke that rule and several others.
---------------------------------
G.O. #1 reads in part:

2. PROHIBITED ACTIVITES:
a. Purchase, possession, use, or sale of privately owned firearms.....
b. Entrance into a Mosque or other site of Islamic religious significance.....
c. Introduction, purchase, sale, transfer, manufacture, or consumption of any alcoholic beverage within MNC-I AOR.
...
p. Cohabitation of males and females except for lawfully married spouses.
---------------------------------

No matter who else you want to blame, those involved are the ones who broke the rules; rules that were put in place to prevent incidents like this.

If a 20-year old kid ignores a "No driving on the ice" sign, breaks through a fence, and drives a vehicle on a frozen lake and then falls through, I'll be sorry the kid is dead, but I'm not going to blame anybody but the kid.

That's essentially what happened here. The signs are up (General Order #1), the fence is up (alcohol is prohibited and is relatively hard to get ahold of over here), and they chose to ignore the signs and jump the fence. Sorry, but you're on your own once you do that....

certain amount of risk when you engage in illegal (prohibited) behavior and/or activities. Furthermore, I agree if you choose to partake, to a certain degree, you are on your own.

However, I do believe you should suffer the consequences of your actions and I do not believe justice was served. Where, except in a combat zone, is it not a criminal offense, to have your passenger fall out of the vehicle, run over them, and then leave them there?? That is just not right....

Why do I believe, had the tables been turned, and a female driver ran over a male passenger, the outcome would have been different?

However, regardless of idiotic behavior, criminal or not, WE SHOULD NOT EVEN BE THERE!

mvccd1000, in spite of the fact I don't agree with being in Iraq, does not mean I do not respect and sincerely appreciate our military men and women! I thank you! I was raised by an former Marine Sergant...I had boot camp for about 18 years.....

I didn't mean to imply that the driver should not have been punished. If he was more senior than the others involved, he should have been punished even more severely.

I guess my point was in not blaming the military in general, or the fact that the US is here.

Even on that one, I'm a bit of a hypocrite, though, because I feel the same way about illegal aliens. ANY crime they commit is one too many, because they should not be in the US in the first place.

I should find a way to reconcile those disparate beliefs.

I realize that these 20- to 25-year-olds are putatively adults, but where are the commanding officers? If the unit is breaking the rules, going out and drinking when alcohol is forbidden, what is the CO doing? Sitting on my pasty white thousands of miles away, it occurs to me that during the long deployments many of these young adults need some guidance and mentoring. I can't provide it from here, but aren't the troop commanders supposed to be on top of this? Or are they little older than the people they're in charge of, unskilled and inexperienced in providing alternative activities for their troops?

I don't know at all, which is why I pose the questions.

So why are we letting them serve outnumbered with males in the field?

I wouldn't be surprised if Damon D. Jock got spooked and murdered her. :mad:

Why do we let them do anything? They shouldn't be out in public with males, either. Maybe we can just take away all rights and let them wear burqas and stay home.

Putting women in the midst of sex deprived men with little morals, lack of compassion and responsibility is a bad idea. IMO putting women in that environment where they are greatly numbered is like putting a female prisoner in the midst of male prisoners.

Women should NOT serve in those environments where they are subjected to abuse, intimidation and rape UNTIL changes are made and male solders are held accountable for their actions.

Having been both in the military and in college, I'd say you'll find more men with little morals, lack of compassion, and NO concept of responsibility in the college arena than you will in the military.

(The sex-deprived part may have to go to the military side, though.) :)

Would you therefore argue against allowing women to go to college, as well?

* Lets get the word out on this one. I'm sending it to by two Senators and my parents Neo-con chicken hawk friend

I found the same story here: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/iraq/2004108631_iraqnoncombat05.html