NationStates Jolt Archive

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4400811.stm

I don't hear any of the people who criticize US soldiers as being "trigger happy" criticizing UN soldiers.

I get it. If you have UN authorization, you can kill anyone you like, and it's fine.

meh...the world will forget about the UN doing something wrong to an unarmed civilian....but there are still waves from when that marine shot the wounded insurgent and killed him when he moved for a weapon.

glad it wasnt a US Marine.

Where's the author of "world's greatest military's" now?

UN soldiers are soldiers. They do the same sorts of stupid things that everyone else does. It's a sign of the weakness of the UN peacekeeping department.
Since all UN soldiers come from their home countries, and really only recieve that training, they are often totally wrong for where they're sent (e.g. Belgians in Rwanda).
The difference is that UN peacekeepers are generally invited, as opposed to US soldiers. Thus, the US soldiers are subjected to higher scrutiny.

The difference is that UN peacekeepers are generally invited, as opposed to US soldiers. Thus, the US soldiers are subjected to higher scrutiny.

That's morally bogus. It's either shooting an unarmed civilian or it isn't.

I don't hear any of the people who criticize US soldiers as being "trigger happy" criticizing UN soldiers.

I get it. If you have UN authorization, you can kill anyone you like, and it's fine.

I don't hear any of the people who criticise UN soldiers as being "trigger happy" criticising US soldiers.

I get it. If you have US government authorisation, you can kill anyone you like, and it's fine.

Compared to similar Anti-American threads, I'm pretty sure this one won't attract 25% of the attention.

Too bad RB is above cheap sensationalism. An attention-whorrish title and opening post goes a long way in creating multipage threads here on NS. ;)

While tragic it's quite difficult to make an absolute judgement on the situation that took place. I'm not defending the south african soldier, just as I would never defend any US soldier that shot dead a civillian.

Without knowing more of the situation, I will merely point out that if you have a nervous soldier in the middle of a food riot it's possible that he might panic and shoot someone. Just as you might have an american infantryman on a roadblock in iraq opening fire on a car as it refuses to slow down as it approaches the checkpoint.

I don't hear any of the people who criticize US soldiers as being "trigger happy" criticizing UN soldiers.

I get it. If you have UN authorization, you can kill anyone you like, and it's fine.

Actually, it is in a poor country in Africa, and we all know no one really cares what happens there...

You know what is sad? Some of you will think I really believe that. :(

I will merely point out that if you have a nervous soldier in the middle of a food riot it's possible that he might panic and shoot someone. Just as you might have an american infantryman on a roadblock in iraq opening fire on a car as it refuses to slow down as it approaches the checkpoint.
That is the biggest crap argument I've heard in a while. It's SOP to fire at incoming unknown cars which don't adhere to the warnings. I wasn't aware it was SOP to shoot at people you know are civilians.

That's morally bogus. It's either shooting an unarmed civilian or it isn't.

Oh, I didn't say it was right. But, since the UN troops are helping with food distribution, and they are actually wanted there, when they shoot someone it doesn't stick in the public mind, because the mission's intent was good. Whereas when an American soldier does it in a war that people don't support, they use it to back their case.

Without knowing more of the situation, I will merely point out that if you have a nervous soldier in the middle of a food riot it's possible that he might panic and shoot someone. Just as you might have an american infantryman on a roadblock in iraq opening fire on a car as it refuses to slow down as it approaches the checkpoint.


Food Riot- means people are after the food(just guess here), since there was no mention of the crowd possessing weapons.

Checkpoint in Iraq- with suicide bombers, car bombs, sniper-fire.....


somehow I don't see the similarity...

The similarity is the mindset of the soldier, if they think they're being attacked they'll fight back. It isn't rational, it isn't right, but it is a possibility that isn't ruled out by the article.

As I said I'm not condoning the action, merely stating that many of the facts of the case appear to be absent.