Marine 'a' Out In A Couple Of Weeks

[-Talbot-]

http://news.sky.com/story/marine-a-alexander-blackman-could-be-out-of-jail-within-weeks-10816338

Surely even for those who don't support Alexander Blackman must agree he has been in prison long enough.

[douglas9401]

Yup.

[Islay]

He sentence was reduce to 7 years does that mean he gets an automatic get out of jail card?

[Barmaid]

I think it means that as he has served half of the sentence, he should be released pdq. Albeit no doubt he will be on licence for the rest of the sentence. I cant remember how the licence period operates, perhaps New Judge can explain.

[ummmm]

Good. I'm glad, I think he's suffered enough.

[Islay]

Seriously Ummm? He still retains a substantial responsibility for the deliberate killing!

[andy-hughes]

If he is released under the sentencing structure, then that is appropriate, and indicates that the legal system believes he has served his appropriate punishment - as personally, do I.

[andy-hughes]

Islay - //Seriously Ummm? He still retains a substantial responsibility for the deliberate killing! //

I am sure that fact will remain with him for the rest of his life.

[naomi24]

Yes.

[ummmm]

I can't condone what he done but he did it to someone trying to kill him/them under circumstances I can't comprehend. He's been punished enough. Not only has he had to live with the mental torture of the horror of war but been imprisoned too.

[emmie]

he has, and will undoubtedly have to live with actions for the rest of his life.

[trt]

## Seriously Ummm? He still retains a substantial responsibility for the deliberate killing! ##

Nah Islay, he put the bloke/terrorist out of pain, and made his rendezvous with the 39 Virgins that much quicker!

Nice Chap.

[andy-hughes]

trt - Flippant comments like that are really not appropriate on a thread dealing with a difficult legal and moral issue - maybe you should save your humour for other places.

[ChillDoubt]

What trt said.
He gave someone the coup design grace when moments before the insurgent had been trying to kill him, adding to the tally of Royal Marines he'd already maimed and injured on that tour.
Sgt Blackman won't lose any more sleep over him and nor should he.

[ChillDoubt]

Coup de grace, not design!

[andy-hughes]

ChillDoubt - //Sgt Blackman won't lose any more sleep over him and nor should he. //

As I understand it, Sgt Blackman is a marine, not a killing machine, and as a human being, I am sure he will think about that man and the situation in which he died, from now until he himself passes away - and as a husband and father, and therefore because he is a thinking sentient feeling individual, I would suggest he would not wish not to do so.

[naomi24]

ChillDoubt, // Sgt Blackman won't lose any more sleep over him and nor should he.//

I agree. I hope he doesn't.

[jackthehat]

It's a shame that he couldn't be let out now with the paperwork/admin to follow...

[Baldric]

I agree that what he did was not right, but what was he expected to do with a badly wounded enemy soldier, who had been shot up by an Apache Helicoptor so would not be in the best of health. The Front Line is always a bit short of Operating Theatres and comfortable hospital beds, and to be fair at the time his job was to neutralise the threat from the enemy, and I did read that the guy was still armed with a grenade.
Good Luck to Sergeant Blackman.

[ChillDoubt]

As I understand it, Sgt Blackman is a marine, not a killing machine,
-------------
It's patently obvious you have absolutely no idea about the ethos and mindset of Royal Marines, but especially those used literally as live bait to lure insurgents into firefights in order to confront them head on.
These are Royal Marines in a counter insurgency operation, not the Boy Scouts on a jamboree.
As I've advised you before, watch the Panorama programme from 2 weeks ago.
It may give you some insight into the minds of Royal Marines on ops.
But I doubt you'll watch it because the truth hurts...

[andy-hughes]

Baldric - I am of the opinion that shooting unconscious insurgents dead - armed with grenades or not, is not in the marine training manual, nor is looking to save on Allied medical resources.

I think that the various debates on this subject have concluded that Sergeant Blackman acted the way he did because of the combination of the circumstances, and the unbearable mental stress he was subjected to at the time.

Hopefully he can focus on moving forward with his life, and as I understand it, a continued military career, if that is what he wants to do.