Soldier accused in Afghan shooting spree identified as Staff Sgt. Robert Bales

[Twana Blevins]

Washington Post

By Craig Whitlock, Mary Pat Flaherty and Carol D. Leonnig, Updated: Friday, March 16, 6:04 PM

SEATTLE — The Army soldier who allegedly killed 16 Afghan villagers in a shooting spree was identified Friday as Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, according to a U.S. official.

The suspect was being flown to a U.S. military prison Friday to await possible criminal charges, the Pentagon said earlier in the day.

read the rest and watch video here.

[Steven G. Elliott]

What can be done to help this HERO and his family?

[Twana Blevins]

We're working on that. Will let you know shortly.

[robert macinness]

Put our Generals on trail

[Old Glory]

I do not have a Washington Post scription and don't want to sign in for one posting if someone would like to post this feel free.       The pressures that were put on so few:  first;  the amount of soldiers deployed was lower than what the commanders on the ground ask for,  second; rules of engagement was ridiculus for a war zone, third;  the amount of deployments per soldier was unexceptable  and last but most important ANNOUNCING PULL OUT DATE put our soldiers in great danger.  I feel all of these decisions were made for political reasons to advance a political career and that blame will never be shown on the legislators that play such games. Out of respect for our soldiers I HAVE NEVER spoken out until the war is over and our guys are home. MY UTMOST RESPECT TO EACH & EVER ONE OF THE U.S. of A TROOPS and their families, Please forgive me. This story reads much more deeper for me.

[Patti King]

Thanks Old Glory-all those conditions I have been thinking about ever since I heard this story.  It goes much deeper as you say and now all the good the soldier has done before this, all the sacrifices he made will be forgotten. I don't condone what he did, but I look at what happened with the Koran burning and our soldiers that were assasinated...just seems like their more apologies for the Koran burning than the outrage over our men being killed. 

I'm hearing things all over the internet that there seems to be outrage amoung returning troops over the guy in the white house. I just hope it changes in november.

[Old Glory]

@Patti With tears in my eyes, I can totally confirm to u  and my up bringing  that I will never forget what sacrifice each and every soldiers has done for ME!!

[Marvin Green]

Please don't take this the wrong way, because if I could I would be over there with them, but I hope they are outraged and they tell everyone that will listen what has been done to them.  Also, on a rather selfish note, we could use the reinforcements here.

[Brian A. Rich]

All those who approved of disarming our troops in a war zone for ANY reason whatsoever should be court martialed under the UCMJ for dereliction of duty and that INCLUDES the CIC if he had a single thing to do with it and in that capacity, he likely DID. The time is coming when WE will all decide enough has been enough. What happens after that remains to be seen but, it will decide what mannner of country we will live in and it is my hope that we will throw out ALL those who do not belong here or who are inimical to us; all this under the rule of OUR law and the Amendments to the Constitution REQUIRED to once again make America, AMERICA! Theodore Roosevelt made allusion to the fact in 1908 that we cannot exist as and that there is no such thing as a hyphenated American. He was right then and he is right historically NOW.

[Patti King]

AMEN!

[Harry Riley]

As Twana said, I also want to stand shoulder to shoulder with Staff Sergeant Bales with moral support as well as financial support toward his legal fees.

When we have firm information on his legal team we will offer PFA members the opportunity to support SSG Bales as mentioned above.

We have heard and read the accusations and regret women and children being killed,but we don't know the trail of events, nor do we really know anything about extenuating circumstances surrounding SSG Bales activities.  This report mentions another item I was not aware of and that is he lost part of his foot in Iraq action, in addition to the traumatic brain inujury...

Please pray for SSG Bales and his family.......

 

 

[Harry Riley]

I posted the following on PFA a few days ago...and later sent it to my newspaper and they published it on Thursday(yesterday).  The reaction from readers was overwhelmingly positive...........

 

Editor,

Is anyone surprised a soldier broke and reportedly went on a rampage in Afghanistan and killed a number of civilians, so it's reported.

I want to say "I am extremely proud of the Staff Sergeant  accused of killing civilians" in Afghanistan, not for what he is accused of but for what he is and was willing to endure as a warrior. He is but one that has paid an horrendous price in defense of America under failed leadership.

Who can wonder why this soldier broke?  We have a bunch of arm-chair jockey's in Washington that think nothing of sending our military in harms way for decades, little to no break between deployments, contributing to devastating family separation, and then without thought come down on them when they crack.  The soldier in question had been to Iraq three times, suffered traumatic brain injury during one of his Iraq tours......and the military sends him into the mayhem of Afghanistan and now Defense Secretary Panetta talks about the death penalty for the soldier...he should not even have been in Afghanistan...what is wrong?   It's the leadership from the White House and the Generals that are killing Americans and also killing innocent civilians in Afghanistan.

I think what we should be doing is finding the best possible legal defense team in America to defend the Staff Sergeant and supporting his family....how many times have I written, screamed, that the politicians in Washington were simply using our warriors as cannon fodder for personal political purposes. Politicians are the enemy, not a single, lone soldier suffering from incompetent leadership.

If anybody should go to jail, it should start with Obama and the rest of the despicable, cowardly chain of military command...the abuse of our military is beyond shameful, it's criminal.

 

[Brian A. Rich]

Well expressed and a benchmark piece for solidarity in support of SSGT BALES.; not for the killings of which he is accused, but for the repeated abuses of a soldier beyond his ability to cope with multiple assignments in places treacherous to one's health, both physical and mental with little monitoring to ensure effective service. The act may have been carried out by SSGT Bales; the responsibility lies with the Obama administration and his career oriented unconcionable commanders and we must do all we can to see that such atrocities are not ever repeated because the command staff doesn't percieve it's enlisted personnel to be anything but expendable. If this sounds like an indictment, let it stand until we know more particulars. In my opinion, this never should have happened though such things do; in EVERY war, some are just not publicized as this was, likely to further discredit all our HONORABLE troops as opposed to all our dishonorable political so-called leaders, who hide behind their elitist positions and a duplicitous media, for protection.