Tuesday, December 11, 2007

War is Hell


General William Tecumseh Sherman had it right when he said war is hell.


You train a soldier to be a killer and then expect him to instantly turn that off when the situation warrants it. Yes, I know thousands of soldiers do that, but in the heat of battle it must be a tough thing to do.


We'll see how it plays out.


Soldier's murder hearing to open

Scott Huddleston: Express-News
A hearing in the case of a San Antonio soldier charged in the death of a civilian in Iraq is set to begin today at Fort Hood.

Sgt. Leonardo Treviño, 30, is charged with premeditated murder, attempted murder, assault and obstruction of justice in connection with actions in June.

Army officials have not commented on the case. But a "charge sheet" released by the Army, through a Freedom of Information Act request submitted by the San Antonio Express-News, details charges pending against him.

Treviño, a sniper with Fort Hood's 1st Cavalry Division, is accused of shooting two detained civilians, one fatally, and of assaulting another who was lying on a floor on June 24 in Muqdadiyah, Iraq.

The victim in each allegation is described only as "a male detainee of apparent Middle Eastern descent whose name is unknown." Treviño is accused of kicking one of them, while wearing combat boots, "with a force and means likely to produce death or grievous bodily harm."