Australian soldier sentenced to hang in Afghanistan

[danarhea]

A former Australian soldier has been sentenced to death in Afghanistan for shooting dead an Afghan colleague then trying to blame the killling on the Taliban, Times Online reported.


Robert Langdon, 38, who was working as a security contractor for the US-based firm Four Horsemen, was found guilty last October of killing the security guard, known as Karim, by shooting him four times in the head and body. The verdict was upheld by the Afghan Appeals Court last week.

This incident again supports my argument that, when fighting a war, you should do it, not with civilian mercenaries, but with soldiers, who have a chain of command they must answer to.

IMHO, Australia can scream all they want about the death sentence, but the killer deserved the sentence he got. He murdered a colleague, and then attempted to cover it up by making it look like the Taliban had killed him. If he had committed this crime in America, he would have gotten the same sentence. Had he been in the military, he would also have had to answer for his crime, by way of court martial.

Just because people go to a country to fight doesn't exempt them from obeying the laws of that nation. The killer, Robert Langdon, should have thought about that before committing murder.

Article is here.


Another article is here.

 

[apdst]

This incident again supports my argument that, when fighting a war, you should do it, not with civilian mercenaries, but with soldiers, who have a chain of command they must answer to.

IMHO, Australia can scream all they want about the death sentence, but the killer deserved the sentence he got. He murdered a colleague, and then attempted to cover it up by making it look like the Taliban had killed him. If he had committed this crime in America, he would have gotten the same sentence. Had he been in the military, he would also have had to answer for his crime, by way of court martial.

Just because people go to a country to fight doesn't exempt them from obeying the laws of that nation. The killer, Robert Langdon, should have thought about that before committing murder.

Article is here.

A soldier, with a chain of command wouldn't have gotten the death penalty.

 

[digsbe]

I think that soldiers should not be held to Afghan law, but to military law. In this instance I agree with you though, this man was in Afghanistan and murdered someone and thus should pay for his crime under the Afghan court. However, if a soldier were to do this they should only answer to the military, the Afghan court can make appeals or talk with the military, but a military court should have jurisdiction over military personnel. As for US soldiers following Afghan laws... I don't think so, what if in Afghanistan they had laws against religious worship or forced people to follow Sharia? US soldiers shouldn't have to obey that.

 

[danarhea]

A soldier, with a chain of command wouldn't have gotten the death penalty.

No, he wouldn't have. Langdon should have joined the military, instead of a mercenary outfit like "The Four Horsemen". But he made his decision, to go civilian, and also to commit murder, and now he will suffer the consequences for his bad decisions.

 

[apdst]

No, he wouldn't have. Langdon should have joined the military, instead of a mercenary outfit like "The Four Horsemen". But he made his decision, to go civilian, and also to commit murder, and now he will suffer the consequences for his bad decisions.

That's my point, his punishment wouldn't have been as severe were he in the service. Sounds like he's getting what he deserves.

 

[danarhea]

Another point: I don't like it that the source referred to this butthead as a soldier. He was a mercenary. There is a big difference, and his using the term "soldier" is an insult to soldiers.

 

[mikeey]

If the Australian soldier was America would he still Hang,i dont think so,the American goverment would have not let this happen,and i quite agree.

many American soldiers has lost there lives for defending your country,and i hope you will defend Australian soldier,there must be something else that made him do that.

dont let that happen.

mikeey.

PS.As i will always support America,come what may.

 

[AgentM]

Another point: I don't like it that the source referred to this butthead as a soldier. He was a mercenary. There is a big difference, and his using the term "soldier" is an insult to soldiers.

I agree, he's a mercenary, and a murdering bastard. I have no sympathy for him. Let him hang, he falls under Afghan sovereignty without the protection of a military behind him.

 

[mikeey]

Afghan sovereignty Agentm,what does that mean,pure rubbish they the Afghan
only want to kill Ameriacans no dout about that,they ****-in- hate us,so to stick up for this
kind gentle guy,you must love these maggots that kill our soldiers,fuc- the whole lot,also who
was he,could have been Taliban y not, or just kidding u guys on he loved
American people whitch i do not believe,all probs rotten to the core he was.

mikeey

 

[AgentM]

Afghan sovereignty Agentm,what does that mean,pure rubbish they the Afghan
only want to kill Ameriacans no dout about that,they ****-in- hate us,so to stick up for this
kind gentle guy,you must love these maggots that kill our soldiers,fuc- the whole lot,also who
was he,could have been Taliban y not, or just kidding u guys on he loved
American people whitch i do not believe,all probs rotten to the core he was.

mikeey

What?? You do realize that not all Afghans are Taliban, and that some are fighting with us, right, right? I somehow doubt you do, your ignorance is amusing sir. Have a good day.

 

[Ikari]

If the Australian soldier was America would he still Hang,i dont think so,the American goverment would have not let this happen,and i quite agree.

Not to one of our soldiers, no. And if this guy was an Australian soldier, chances are he wouldn't be hanged either. But he was a mercenary for a US mercenary company, and they don't get the same protections as actual military service men. Mercenaries are mercenaries and they should know the score. They're basically a form of government sanctioned pirate, and pirates sometimes die violent deaths.

 

[Manc Skipper]

Not to one of our soldiers, no. And if this guy was an Australian soldier, chances are he wouldn't be hanged either. But he was a mercenary for a US mercenary company, and they don't get the same protections as actual military service men. Mercenaries are mercenaries and they should know the score. They're basically a form of government sanctioned pirate, and pirates sometimes die violent deaths.

They don't get the same protections as they used to in Iraq under the previous administration. Blackwater running amok killed that golden goose.

 

[Ikari]

They don't get the same protections as they used to in Iraq under the previous administration. Blackwater running amok killed that golden goose.

Well I think the real point is that we shouldn't use mercenaries. We use them because we want to get around rules and restrictions; but those rules and restrictions are mostly there for a reason. We use these private merc sources (and even though Blackwater ****ed up some ****, we still use many mercs) to free us from the restrictions of war. They are nothing more than violent thugs hired on to kill. Mercenaries, pirates...same lot. While the US Congress can issue letters of reprisal, we should be somewhat careful in how we use it (and something tells me, these guys are not authorized under such a letter). It sucks for this merc, I really don't agree with the death penalty at all; but I guess it's the whole "live by the sword, die by the sword" sort of thing.

 

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

As far as I know, the UCMJ still authorizes hanging as punishment for certain crimes, so saying that he wouldn't be hung if he was an American soldier isn't necessarily true.

So a murderer gets hung, who cares?

We're supposed to have higher standards than the Taliban and the Australians, too.

 

[AgentM]

As far as I know, the UCMJ still authorizes hanging as punishment for certain crimes, so saying that he wouldn't be hung if he was an American soldier isn't necessarily true.

So a murderer gets hung, who cares?

We're supposed to have higher standards than the Taliban and the Australians, too.

Why would you have higher standards than the Aussies?

 

[Ikari]

Why would you have higher standards than the Aussies?

Because we're super ****ing awesome, that's why! Who else could bring democracy and freedom to the world!

*coughs*

 

[danarhea]

If the Australian soldier mercenary was America would he still Hang,i dont think so,the American goverment would have not let this happen,and i quite agree.

many American soldiers has lost there lives for defending your country,and i hope you will defend Australian soldier mercenary,there must be something else that made him do that.

dont let that happen.

mikeey.

PS.As i will always support America,come what may.

There, fixed it for you.

 

[Vader]

No, he wouldn't have. Langdon should have joined the military, instead of a mercenary outfit like "The Four Horsemen". But he made his decision, to go civilian, and also to commit murder, and now he will suffer the consequences for his bad decisions.

Most of those mercenaries are former military. In fact, military experience is a prerequisite to being hired by such a company.

Honestly, I do not believe the Afghans (or any Islamic country) is capable of conducting a fair, impartial, trial... especially where non-citizen is involved.

That being said ... I do not like the idea of coalition soliders being subject to the kangaroo courts of a silly islamic theocracy.

 

[Morality Games]

Most of those mercenaries are former military. In fact, military experience is a prerequisite to being hired by such a company.

Honestly, I do not believe the Afghans (or any Islamic country) is capable of conducting a fair, impartial, trial... especially where non-citizen is involved.

That being said ... I do not like the idea of coalition soliders being subject to the kangaroo courts of a silly islamic theocracy.

At some point sovereignty has to be worth something. It has been the gravitating constant of international relations since primordial times. Completely fair trials are virtually impossible in war time anyway, since there is too much group solidarity one way or another for the outcome to be impartially deliberated.

 

[danarhea]

Most of those mercenaries are former military. In fact, military experience is a prerequisite to being hired by such a company.

Honestly, I do not believe the Afghans (or any Islamic country) is capable of conducting a fair, impartial, trial... especially where non-citizen is involved.

That being said ... I do not like the idea of coalition soliders being subject to the kangaroo courts of a silly islamic theocracy.

They might have been former soldiers, but now they are civilians, and answerable to no military chain of command. This is the problem. And, as much as you might want to call this a kangaroo court, it does not change the fact that this scumbag committed a murder, and tried to cover it up. He is merely reaping what he sowed. Let the Afghans fry his ass. finally, let's get this straight. He was not a coalition soldier, he was a mercenary.

 

[Manc Skipper]

Because we're super ****ing awesome, that's why! Who else could bring democracy and freedom to the world!

*coughs*

That's a big improvement on the Dmockrisy n' Freem exports we got used to....:rofl

 

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

Why would you have higher standards than the Aussies?

Because I'm not an Aussie, I'm an American.

I define the standards.

 

[bicycleman]

Another point: I don't like it that the source referred to this butthead as a soldier. He was a mercenary. There is a big difference, and his using the term "soldier" is an insult to soldiers.

If this man were fighting for Afghanistan, then he would be a mercenary. Since he was not, he is merely a security contractor.

 

[AgentM]

Because I'm not an Aussie, I'm an American.

I define the standards.

Yes, America totally has the world convinced on it's higher standards for everything and innate superiority. /sarcasm

 

[MSgt]

Well I think the real point is that we shouldn't use mercenaries. We use them because we want to get around rules and restrictions...

No we damn don't. We use them because our politicians, who have never served, find it in themselevs to dictate what our military should look like and when they need greater numbers to slaughter on their behalf they have to resort to the civilian sector for hire.

Blackwater is a result of Republican/Democratic draw down following the Berlin Wall destruction. "Our wars are over" ring a bell?