Incidents.

This is coolbert:

I want to juxtapose two incidents that occurred just the last few days in Fallujah. These two incidents in the most graphic terms illustrate the difference between the forces of "good" , the U.S., and the forces of "evil", the jihadists.

The two incidents in question are the shooting of the wounded jihadi prisoner by a U.S. Marine and the finding of the terribly and grotesquely mutilated body of a "western woman" who was being held hostage by the jihadi terrorists.

As regards the first incident, the shooting of the wounded jihadist, it does appear to be true. This shooting was caught on video and audio. This entire incident has raised a world wide stir, especially in the Arabic world.

What was this Marine thinking and doing?

Apparently, the Marine doing the shooting was under the belief that this individual wounded jihadi was shamming. Faking his wounds so as to get the drop on the Marine. This sort of stuff does happen. And the Laws of Land Warfare and the common practices and customs of war are quite clear on this matter. If the man is shamming, the Marine CAN protect himself and shoot to kill. If the man is merely wounded, the Marine cannot shoot.

It seems this Marine did reasonably believe the jihadi was shamming, and was within his rights to shoot.

It was later found the jihadi was NOT shamming, was wounded, but this was of course after the fact. The Marine has been taken into custody and an investigation if forthcoming. Listening to the tape of the incident, it sounds to me as if the Marine did act reasonably, did fear for his life, thought the jihadi was shamming, and did act in good faith.

WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT HERE IS WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE MIND OF THE MARINE JUST PRIOR TO PULLING THE TRIGGER. DID THE MARINE IN A CASUAL AND BRUTAL MANNER EXECUTE A WOUNDED PRISONER OR DID HE HAVE A REASONABLE SUSPICION THE JIHADI WAS SHAMMING? I BELIEVE THE LATTER TO BE TRUE!

And now an investigation will be held. The Marine maybe completely exonerated. But what is important is that an investigation is being held. The killing of wounded prisoners is not something that is tolerated. The forces of "good" are at work here.

This second incident, the murder and subsequent grotesque mutilation of this "western woman", is something of an entirely different nature.

The descriptions of what happened to this woman, a hostage, are most horrific. Throat slit, limbs severed, disemboweled, and face disfigured. Body left to be found by the U.S. troops.

This is the act of the jihadis that can only be described as inhuman, depraved, cold-blooded, and the sign of an extremely disturbed, malevolently evil mind at work. To take a woman hostage in the first place is bad enough. Typical terrorist activity to be deplored. Killing the woman is yet another thing. To mutilate and disfigure the dead body in such a manner is far beyond the pale of reasonable human experience. The forces of "evil" are at work here.

Consider the two incidents and the mentality at work in both. One is an almost spontaneous act during the heat of battle. The second is an act of cold-blooded sadistic savagery.

Consider further what will be the response in the Muslim world to this grotesque and obscene act of murdering the "western woman"? Will the mullahs of Iran want to do an investigation? Will the jihadis themselves exact justice on the perpetrators? Will the Arab "street" hang their heads in shame? MY guess is, NO! Emphatically so!

It would seem to me that in the Islamic world, those persons who consider themselves "moderates", persons of "good will", "reformers", or just the average Muslim in the "street", should place close attention to this act of barbarity.

This is a sign that something is awfully, incredibly, terribly wrong!! Among their fellow co-religionists are persons of the most EVIL nature. As witnessed by what was done to the "western woman". The entire Islamic world needs to stand up in response to this barbarism and say very loudly, "STOP, STOP!!!!"

These malevolently evil "muslims" who perpetrated this atrocity are a danger to not only "western women", but to the average Muslim themselves. Voices need to be heard. MODERATE MUSLIMS NEED TO ACT, AND NOW. THESE VILLAINS ARE A DANGER TO EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE MODERATES THEMSELVES!!!!!

Will they speak and be heard??? My guess is, NO!

coolbert.