On Monday 29 October 2007 23:42:01 Cleveland, Kyle E. wrote:
> Linda, I think your politics are showing.  I don't believe this fellow was
> a veteran of any current conflict.  The article referred to a 'brief army
> stint'.  I do believe the Guardian was trying to capitalize on his military
> service and subliminally link his military service to his crime without
> having to outright establish the connection--but that's typical of yellow
> journalism, both liberal and conservative.  PTSD may tear a mind down, but
> it doesn't turn whole groups of vets into cold-hearted brutes.  How many
> vets do you know?  How many have you talked to about their experiences--or
> are you just repeating what you've been told by the proponents of a
> particular political agenda?
>
> War is brutal to soldier and civilian alike, but you can't make sweeping
> generalizations about post-bellum behavior.  If your prediction were based
> in fact, we would have never recovered from the second World War.  My
> father, who served in two conflicts, Korea and Vietnam, would have taken
> out his war-generated angst on his family, right?  A retired US Marine
> Lieutenant Colonel, he is the kindest, most gentle man I've ever known.
>
> War is supposed to be brutal, violent.  It is such an admission of failure
> and is testimony to the true nature of humankind.  The military is a blunt
> instrument--a hammer, where everything is a nail.  But nobody wants war
> less than the best soldier.
>
> Three years is harsh?  In most US states this would be conspiracy to
> manslaughter and would have received 10-15 with parole at 7.  I highly
> doubt that castigation from his neighbors is going to enhance his
> contrition.
>
> Kyle Cleveland

Hi Kyle,

You're right, I don't think this guy was in the army long - doubt if he 
actually did any real service. 

He was drunk & stoned  and lived in a very high unemployment area - 
Hartlepool - (Trivia: This is the town where it is claimed the residents hung 
a monkey during the Napoleonic Wars mistaking it for a French spy, and, 
perhaps even more bizarrely, voted the local football team's mascot ("H'Angus 
the Monkey") to be mayor in 2002 on a single policy platform "Free bananas 
for all school children")!!!

I don't think it would be classed as manslaughter since the woman's death was 
not linked to his action, the failure to call medical attention would have 
contributed to it, but there were a whole bunch of people who did that!!

Must stop now - got to watch Brett Favre (and we get Monday Night Football 
free over here).

Cheers

Deri

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