There was ample coverage of the loss of a US F-15 fighter jet over Libya Tuesday, and it always came with reassurances that the crew was safe. Less safe, however, were the Libyan civilians who came to the aid of one of the crew.
That’s because the civilians who met the plane’s weapons officer and offered him fruit juice while he waited to be rescued were attacked by US Marines during the brief ground incursion meant to rescue the crew. Some of the reports suggest the Marines arrived in a V-22 Osprey attack helicopter and opened fire on the crowd with it.
Six Libyan civilians were shot in the attack, including a young boy who local hospital officials say may lose his leg. The weapons officer had been found in a sheep field and was met by the civilians, who were backers of the anti-Gadhafi rebellion.
The incident is news not just for the tragic outcome, but because despite the explicit UN prohibition on “occupation troops” being spun as a broad prohibition on ground troops, US Marines were indeed on the ground, in Libya, in a field full of sheep.
The pilot was initially picked up by rebel soldiers, who the Marines reported treated him “with dignity and respect” before handing him over to the troops. It does not appear there was any incident with regards to him. The Marines have yet to comment on the shootings in the recovery of the weapons officer.
The F-15 was flying out of Italy at the time of the crash, and officials are blaming a system malfunction. It is the first aircraft reported lost since the US and France started the Libyan War on Saturday. An F-15E Strike Eagle costs approximately $31 million.
Since neither I nor my elected Congressional representatives voted on a declaration of war against Libya, I hereby request that my share of the $31 million cost of the downed aircraft be returned to me immediately; the same applies to my share of the costs associated with the President's illegal venture. Since the President has taken it upon himself to order the military forces of the United States into combat without authorization he should be required to pay the associated costs himself, and deal with each and every family member personally.
Gonna happen? Highly unlikely.
Bravo John! I couldn't agree more. Though, I would go even further and say that Obama, these Marines, and anyone else associated with this should be charged with crimes. After all, if I, the average citizen either intentionally or accidentally killed and/or wounded six people, I would be in jail under the law.
"Since neither I nor my elected Congressional representatives voted on a declaration of war against Libya, I hereby request that my share of the $31 million cost of the downed aircraft be returned to me immediately; the same applies to my share of the costs associated with the President's illegal venture."
John, please write those exact words to your Congress critters and Obammie while yer at it. I'm sure they will all I'm sure they will all get a good laugh (at our expense, of course).
*sigh*……
Even when the locals want to celebrate with us, we send in some cowboys to open fire. Unbelievable.
Equally unbelievable is that antiwar.com made this the lead story. Ghadafi's shelling Misrata and this gets top billing???
at least the yanks don't discriminate they will kill civilians anywhere no matter who they are. If they are kids all the better. Just when will therse moronic thuggish vermin f***k off back to America.
I am an Aussie and I know the Aussie and Brits are no better. Special forces are just hired killers. They join because they like to kill, it is all they are good for. They are vermin too !
I speak to military personnel at recruitment expo's and ask them about the real issues.About the murder of civilians and why military personnel should never be allowed to escape punishment. What I get is blank looks and then the gutless bastards walk away and try to con another teenager into becoming a kid killer.
And to any viewers who are looking for people to denounce as enemies of the great Yankee coalition of thugs – f***k you too !
Comment by John 358.
This is what america/britain is all about kill destroy rape slake their thirst for other nations blood. Now we can understand why Iran must aquire a nuclear deterrant to avoid what happened in Iraq and now Libya most countries will use every means to do so.Pity those hapless citizens of Libya.
you sick,sob…our military is there to stop the arabs from killing their own people…if you cant see this…your seriously delusional. poor citizens duh arabs have always pulled this shit on their own people and around the world. where have you been on your anus? the arabs bombed us we retailiated.duh remember sept.11.911. they bomb their own people you dumb ass. you pity theese arab people…who tries constantly to attack us? duh the muslums wake up dummy. there are no innocent citizens in the arab wars…they can be innocent citizens today and kill one of our military personal or their own people tomorrow. nobody knows with those people. i am proud to be an american,i was born here. but surprise…surprise…i am an arab. and those people over there get just what they wanted…war
"Since the US and France started the Libyan war on Sunday". What you meant to relay Mr. Ditz, I presume, " since the US and France intervened in the Libyan civil war", which began, and has roots more distant than Sunday.
"The Perfect Parable for Intervention: Nobody did anything wrong. Not many dead."
-Bill Jones
Many many of such 'incidents' can be expected to follow, same as in Iraq and Afghanstan. However it is nice to know that the victims will surely receive an apology from Obama.
Remember Planet Earth. This is how America goes about “saving” civilians. This was the “reason” given for this intervention right? To “save” civilians? What a load of fucking bullsh-t.
(Edited.)
OOPS!!! Well, we were TRYING to do the right thing. (Were'nt we???) http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b98_1282408807
Please correct your article. the V22 osprey is not an attack helicopter. it is a transport tilt-rotor with a machine gun position on the ramp.
my son is a us marine combat unit hardened in the war in afganistan. i am proud of my son. remember kent state and our troops shot and killed students? no difference other than johnson got away with it. if my son lands in libya and has to fight he is combat ready and will do his job. look at everytime you smoke a joint or smoke crack or do mexican drugs here…mexico drug lords are committing genicide on a daily basis here and in mexico…and are getting away with it. thousands are dying in both countrys…where is the united nations to stop the slaughter of innocent people and children in mexico? so when you decide to get high on mexican drug lords drugs here…hay your causing thousands to die in mexico…fleeing their own slaughter by mexican drug lords and your money supports the drug lords the money and the means to slaughter mexicans. duhhhhh!!!!!
if the rebels in libya were truly conducting a peace protest…why and where did they get their arms? a true peace protest does not end up in a civil war. the rebels had to of planned to start a civil war…and have plans of how to carry out those plans in order to of gotten as far as they did in a few days. egypt did not start a civil war…the protesters held the peace. and they won. both sides in libya got what they wanted…a no-fly zone…bombs and missles dropped on them. they got the reality of what they wanted. the horrors of war!!! i just wish theese stupid arabs stop causing all this on all their people in the middle east and around the world. i dont feel sorry for them.
befor you cry for the innocent citizens of libya,iraq or afganistan remember one thing…an innocent victem can easily become the enemy tomorrow. unless you have been in any of theese wars or any war…you should keep your faces shut coz you dont know what our military men and women fight. or join the military so you can live what they do. an anti-war supporter is a coward. my husband was in viet nam…he doesnt talk about it,but i see the difference in his health and body today. as i will see it in my son,when he comes home from libya. and im proud of my son,one of the few,the proud a marine!!! i would be ashamed of any of my children if they were anti-war protesters.