This Sorrowful Life: An extensive look at 'Marine A' and whether or not the British Justice System is displaced.

Written By George D. Verlander

446 fatal casualties. 446 fallen comrades. 446 families that have lost a father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, son or daughter. 

This number threatens to increase with every second we are at war.

'446' is the number of deaths that have tragically occurred since the British Army first arrived in Afghanistan, over a decade ago now, in October 2001. The most recent fallen hero has been confirmed, Sergeant Major Ian Fisher from Barking, London, who served in the 3rd Battalion, The Mercian Regiment as a Warrant Officer. He was killed on the 5th of November 2013, as a result of a vehicle-bourne suicide attack whilst out on patrol. 

However, it seems that even if you're blessed enough to have the chance to put down your weapon, and return home to the country that you have risked your life for, you're never out of the war-zone. The dangerous life-threatening environment can alter into a political battle, as seen in recent news regarding 'Marine A', and his possible life sentence after killing a Taliban insurgent. 

The event, which took place on 15th September 2011, has recently been discovered and brought to the intention of the British Government and British Judicial System, who now will decide whether or not the 'accused', a Sergeant in the Royal Marines, should be punished for his actions. The 'execution', as some have described it, was in fact taped on film from another soldier's head camera, only known as 'Marine B' - who has since been released of all charges and admitted back to military duty. Although the video itself has been withheld, deemed too disturbing to distribute via news channels, a voice recording has been released that highlights the sequence of events. 

After finding the Taliban insurgent in a field, dying from wounds recieved from an Apache helicopter's gunfire, 'Marine A' proceeds to take out his 9mm pistol. He then shoots the man dead. From the voice recording it is clear that after this 'Marine A' states, "There, shuffle off this mortal coil... It's nothing you wouldn't do to us." The same Marine then follows this up with "Obviously this doesn't go anywhere fellas. I just broke the Geneva convention", to which 'Marine B,’ replies "Roger mate." 

'The Geneva Convention' (1929) was signed at Geneva on July 27th, 1929. Its official name is 'The Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War', which was entered into force on the 19th June 1931. 

http://www.ppu.org.uk/learn/texts/doc_geneva_con.html

The Third Geneva Convention - "Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War" states:

Prisoners of war MUST be: 


-Treated humanely with respect for their persons and their honor.

-Enabled to inform their next of kin and the Central Prisoners of War Agency (ICRC, the International Red Cross) of their capture. 


- Allowed to correspond regularly with relatives and to receive relief parcels. 


- Allowed to keep their clothes, feeding utensils and personal effects. 


- Supplied with adequate food and clothing. 


- Provided with quarters not inferior to those of their captor's troops.

- Given the medical care their state of health demands. 


- Paid for any work they do. 


- Repatriated if certified seriously ill or wounded, (but they must not resume active military duties afterwards).

- Quickly released and repatriated when hostilities cease.

Prisoners of war must NOT be:

- Compelled to give any information other than their name, age, rank and service number.

- Deprived of money or valuables without a receipt (and these must be returned at the time of release). 


- Given individual privileges other than for reasons of health, sex, age, military rank or professional qualifications. 


- Held in close confinement except for breaches of the law, although their liberty can be restricted for security reasons. 


- Compelled to do military work, nor work which is dangerous, unhealthy or degrading.

The actions distributed from 'Marine A' clearly notify a violation in the regulations of this specific convention. Nevertheless, we must examine the facts at our disposal. Firstly, did the accused shoot dead a wounded individual who would have been classed as and therefore become a PoW? Yes. Secondly, would the 'victim', a Taliban insurgent, have tried to and, if given the chance, inflict maximum damage onto British soldiers if presented with the opportunity to do so? Yes. Thirdly, if wounded and if indeed captured, would British Personnel be protected under the very same ‘Geneva Convention’ from an organisation such as the Taliban, an organisation who have in the past video taped and released public executions on not only soldiers, but on innocent journalists and civilians also? Ah. 

Prime Minister David Cameron, along with multiple figures within the British Army, have condoned the event which has been called 'murder.' Today the PM stated, "We should not let that single incident besmirch the incredible work the Royal Marines have done, not only over the decades but over the centuries." 

'Marine A' will be sentenced on December 6th, 2013. The Royal Marines Sergeant could possibly be facing a life sentence if found guilty of these so called ‘war crimes.’

Should 'Marine A' receive a prison sentence? For some it is a highly grey area. Do I personally condone this incident? I know I do not support any form of murder. But there is something about this case, which doesn't resonate the term 'murder.' The statement given by 'Marine A' after he shoots the Taliban insurgent "There, shuffle off this mortal coil... It's nothing you wouldn't do to us” I can’t help but concur, and can't understand anyone who begins to disagree. 

To those individuals within our own society who believe that 'Marine A' was wrong to kill this human being, you do have a point. Perhaps we should have taken the 'victim' captive, even though on the voice recording you can clearly hear all present at the scene refuse to waste their medical supplies on the dying man. Perhaps we should of saved his life, brought him back to a barrack, taken tax payers hard-earned income to ensure that this danger's life span is preserved by providing him with shelter, food and any other necessities, patched him up, sent him on his way, only to later be responsible for another death that our army would suffer.

On the other hand, perhaps 'Marine A' was doing what he felt morally right. He put the man out of his misery.  Are we so naive to believe that this is the first Taliban insurgent to be killed by our armed forces, even if they could of become a PoW? 

Our country is at war, and has been for far too long. People die every day out there, whether you're guilty or innocent, it doesn't matter as soon as a bullet's in you. We all bleed the same way. But I ask, what would you have done in a position such as the one 'Marine A' found himself in? 

What would you have done, if you was out there in that war zone, fearful to tread the very ground underneath, due to the cowardly tactics used by the Taliban, who plant unseen IED's that could tear your life away from you at a moments notice. 

What would you have done, if you had seen brothers-in-arms killed over the course of months and years, and personally seen the enemy take their limbs and hang them from trees to taunt you? 

What would you have done, if you was a battle-hardened soldier such as 'Marine A', who has served countless tours of Afghanistan, and who may be psychologically damaged due to the sheer ungodly things experienced on the battlefield?

What would you have done, whilst you wonder what the purpose of this war really is and why you are really here, knowing that in the near future, if you’re lucky to go home, that the very same place you have been trying to civilize is more than likely going to slip back into a dystopia. 

Now, what would you have done? 

I personally feel disgusted to come from a country that is represented by people who have turned their backs on this brave man, known as 'Marine A', and that this story has been brought into the limelight so near Remembrance Sunday. Tomorrow should be a day when we honor every serviceman or woman that have bravely gone to war for us, especially the glorious dead who never returned. We are so focused on this story at the present time that we also have seemed to forget about the two monsters that murdered Drummer Lee Rigby in May of this year, who was trying to receive donations for the ‘Help For Heroes’ campaign in Woolwich. Why have they not yet been sentenced? Why has this specific case been brought forward before theirs? Shouldn't we instead be trying to rid our country of the very same evil that our soldier's overseas are bravely striving to protect us from?

Is this controversial? To me, not really, it's just a simple view of mine. Any individual willing to go to war for this god-forsaken county is a Hero. It seems to me that the government have just used 'Marine A' to cover their own backs, willing to sacrifice this soldier to make an example out of him.

In conclusion, there is in fact a small part of me that does believe 'Marine A' should go to jail. At least in jail this Hero will have a roof over his head, a daily source of food and four walls surrounding him, so that he is protected from the harsh reality of society and how the British Government and Justice System treat servicemen/women after they return home from war. At least he won't be homeless. Homeless amongst thousands of other veterans in our country who are left crippled with post-traumatic stress, which should be the main concern of our attention. Instead we ignore them, we walk past their sleeping bags on the streets, and we dehumanize them from existence. 

Sadly, this is the honest truth. We would rather spend our time and money on witch-hunts in order to backstab the very best people we have to offer from this country. 

Give him a medal, not a prison sentence.

Let him remain a Hero within this sorrowful life. 

If you agree with this article please follow the link below and support this page. He fought for us, now we need to fight for him. 

https://www.facebook.com/freemrinea?notif_t=fbpage_fan_invite

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Follow the link below to the official petition to free Marine A and sign it to show your support. Thank you. https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/56810