tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156536327610779049.post1454302301421046889..comments2024-02-23T11:23:45.971-05:00Comments on Lost Motorcyclist: Robert Semrau Found Guilty of Killing TalibanLost Motorcyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08873504561959138792noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156536327610779049.post-29025552333226781032011-01-03T06:04:03.591-05:002011-01-03T06:04:03.591-05:00Although I was not surprised that the weight of op...Although I was not surprised that the weight of opinion in reader comments came down in support of Captain Semrau, I was rather taken aback by the accusations that anyone who was at all critical of Semrau's actions was, at the very least an 'academic' and most likely a 'libtard' (or worse).<br /><br />The only thing that separates a disciplined military force from a bunch of thugs is the rulebook. And according to all the rulebooks, once a combatant is <i>hors de combat</i>, he is to be treated as a prisoner of war. 'Mercy killing' is not a defense in law. <br /><br />Whether ISAF force members could expect reciprocal treatment from the Taliban is immaterial. One can't help but speculate that those readers who accuse some of us being 'libtards' would take the diametrically opposite view to 'mercy killing' were an injured Canadian Forces member to be dispatched by a Talib.<br /><br />But, in the final analysis, this is a single incident in a larger war; an incident that had to be addressed simply because it was raised as an issue. No doubt, much more egregious, but unreported, crimes have been committed during the Afghan occupation; such is the nature of war.Madeyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02593933575568389288noreply@blogger.com