In On Special Forces, Snipers and the ROE's, we met SF Troopers Master Sergeant Troy Anderson and Captain Dave Staffel, who are awaiting charges of premeditated murder for their sniping of Tango Nowab Buntangyar, who was on a "kill-or-capture" list. Although two subsequent investigations cleared the soldiers, recently promoted Gen. Frank Kearney chose to pursue charges anyway.
You might remember Gen. Kearney from this little incident.
At issue seems to be whether or not Buntangyar was in control of the Afghan forces who were present.The same Afghan forces who positively identified him for the sniper.
The charge sheet, which was filled out by a sergeant first class, was “as sloppy a job as I’ve ever seen,” Overholt said.
Capt. Jason Denney, a prosecutor, conceded there was “procedural strangeness” in the case, but he suggested the charges be dismissed and brought again.
Another prosecutor, Capt. Christopher Harry, said the case comes down to “a question of degree” and whether the coalition forces had “a sufficient level of control” over the man before he was killed. Source.
According to U.S. Army Special Forces Command spokesman Maj. Clarence Counts, the decision to take the matter to trial should be made within two weeks.
If they, for some unfathomable reason, decide to charge these two men with murder, we might as well pack up our troops and leave Afghanistan, because our effort there will have been lost, once again, by extremely poor leadershipand politicians who have never seen a battlefield.
These men were doing their jobs. Give them a good pat on the back, buy them a round, then send them out to do it again.
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SF Troopers Master Sergeant Troy Anderson and Captain Dave Staffel were expendible, and they knew it.
Few are willing to sacrifice, but they did. No medals, citations or other awards could distinguish their dedicated patriotism for their Country. Valhalla Brothers. I raise my glass to toast thee.
Posted by: Don Hart | September 22, 2007 at 02:16 PM
Expendable? These men aren't expendable, the are some of the finest soldiers in the best trained and best lead Army that ever patrolled the Earth. Had they died in battle, serving their nation, I would agree that they knew - and accepted - their choice to give their lives if necessary. But these guys did their jobs well and are being hung out to dry by politicians and Chairborne Commandos who are not on the ground or, in most cases, even in theater. They should not be sacrificed to gain votes or promotions or the "good will" of the Afghan people. If that's why we're sending our men and women over there, and into Iraq, then we've already lost, betrayed, once again, by politics, rather than principle or patriotism.
Posted by: Mike | September 22, 2007 at 04:26 PM
FRIGGIN PATHETIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AGREE MIKE , IF WE,RE GONNA GET THE LADS TO DO A JOB, THEN HANG EM OUT TO DRY, WE MIGHT AS WELL CATCH THE NEXT C17 HOME!!!!!!! THIS IS PURE BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OUR LADS IN AFGHANISTAN WENT THROUGH THE SAME THING IN 02 IN AFGHANISTAN. THEY WERE IN THE HILLS IN TORA BORA IN 02 WITH THE 101ST .THEY ENED UP GREASEING A PILE OF TERRORISTS. THESE LADS WERE MEMBERS OF 2d BATTALION P.P.C.L.I. THEY LEFT SOME NOTES ON THE DEAD BODIES OF THE DIRTBAGS. ONE WAS A DEATH CERTIFICATE WHICH READ;THIS IS A DEATH CERTIFICATE. PLEASE FILL OUT THIS ONE , FOR THIS DEAD MAN. THE OTHER ONE IS FOR YOU!!!!. WELL WHEN THE PUKE SOAKED BRASS HEARD ABOUT IT, THERE WERE A BUNCH OF INVESTIGATIONS, AND THE CAREERS OF THIS SNIPER TEAM WAS FINISHED. THIS IS THE SAME SNIPER PLATOON THAT BROKE THE RECORD F0R THE LONGEST KILL. NONE OF EM ARE LEFT IN THE ARMY, THEY ALL QUIT. DON,T BLAME EM EITHER. THERES ALWAYS A DESK PUKE (NON COMBAT OFFICERS) WHO WILL SCREW THINGS UP!!!!!!!!!!! I NEVER GOT ALONG WITH MILITARY ACADEMY GRADUATES, BUT I THINK MUSTANG OFFICERS (EX ENLISTED) MADE THE BEST OFFICERS. AT LEAST THEY HAD A LICK OF SENSE, NOT LIKE THE OTHERS WHO ARE SO GO BY THE BOOK THAT THEY ARE STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: PALADIN | September 23, 2007 at 07:41 PM
This whole incident just makes my blood boil. Out of control lawyers have ruined the US civilian government, and now they go after soldiers and Marines in combat! It won't be long before the remaining true Americans will have to start JAG and NCIS hunts in this country and kill the vermin before they can get at our men!
Posted by: Gwen AT | September 25, 2007 at 04:49 AM
By the reasoning employed by higher command here we should have prosecuted the pilots who shot down Yamamoto during WW2
Posted by: John Miska | October 03, 2007 at 06:53 AM