Monday, February 11, 2008

Someone tell the media that the term is "murder"

Today, the US military announced: "DIYALA PROVINCE, Iraq -- A Multi-National Divison -- North Soldier was killed Feb. 10 when the Soldier's vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device. Two MND-N Soldiers were wounded and were evacuated to a Coalition Force medical facility for treatment." So on the 11th day of the month, 16 US service members have thus far been announced dead. And the total since the start of the illegal war is currently 3960 which is 40 from the 4,000 mark. It is truly amazing how little attention this has gotten. By contrast, note the wasted time over 'counting' delegates by independent media. ('Counting' because even when the state's Democrat party states they've awarded none and won't until days from now, outlets like The Nation insist upon passing off predictions as facts. Here's a fact for The Nation, we're 40 away from the 4,000 mark. Trying paying attention to that for a second instead of your lousy gas bagging.)

Evan Vela was a member of the kill teams in Iraq. Yesterday he was sentenced in the murder of Genei Nesir Khudair al-Janabi. Friday and Saturday, the court-martial heard testimony. It was murder and before anyone gets in a tizzy over that or points out the US media's reluctance to use the term "murder," note that the US military is using that term.

M-NF's announcement on the verdict:

Sgt. Evan Vela was found guilty Feb. 10 on one specification of unpremeditated murder during a general courts martial at Camp Liberty Courthouse.
Vela, a Soldier in 1st Battalion, 501st Airborne, was on trial for the murder of an Iraqi man as part of operations May 11 in Jurf as Sakhr.
Vela was found guilty under Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice for conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline -- wrongfully placing an AK-47 on the remains of a deceased person.
He was also found guilty under UCMJ Article 107 for making a false official statement.
The proceedings are currently in the sentencing phase.

From M-NF's announcement of the sentencing:

Sgt. Evan Vela was sentenced Feb. 10 in a general court-martial at Camp Liberty Courthouse.
Vela was sentenced to 10 years confinement. He was also sentenced to a reduction in rank to E1, forfeiture of all pay and allowances and a dishonorable discharge from the Army.
Vela, a 24-year-old Soldier in 1st Battalion, 501st Airborne, was on trial for the murder of an Iraqi man during operations May 11, 2007 in Jurf as Sakhr, Iraq.
Vela was found guilty on one specification of unpremeditated murder.
In addition, Vela was found guilty under Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice for conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline (wrongfully placing an AK-47 on the remains of a deceased).
He was also found guilty under UCMJ Article 107 for making a false official statement.

The next step in the process is an automatic appeal. Solomon Moore's "G.I. Gets 10-Year Sentence in Killing of Unarmed Iraqi" (New York Times) reports:

The ranger, Sgt. Evan Vela, has already served 225 days in American military detention in Kuwait and will receive a dishonorable discharge. He will be transferred to an American military prison in the United States. The government had sought a prison term of at least 15 years, and Sergeant Vela could have received a life sentence. His lawyer said the family would appeal.
Sergeant Vela, of Idaho, slumped in his chair as he heard the verdict, and his wife, Alyssa Carnahan, broke down in tears.
The eight-member military panel deliberated for three hours before reaching the verdicts on the third day of the court-martial. The murder trial was the third related to the killing of Genei Nesir Khudair al-Janabi, a taxi driver and farmer who stumbled, with his son Mustafa, 17, into Sergeant Vela's sniper hide-out.

In the Los Angeles Times, Ned Parker offers "Army sniper gets 10 years for killing Iraqi:"

Vela, who had faced a maximum life sentence, was convicted earlier in the day of murder, making a false statement and planting a weapon in relation to the May 11 killing. The Army withheld his pay and benefits over the death of the Iraqi, who had stumbled into the hide-out of Vela's five-man sniper team. Vela, 24, will receive a dishonorable discharge.
[. . .]
Outside the courthouse, the brother of Ghani Naser Janabi, the man killed by Vela, rejoiced at the ruling. "It is proof that my brother is not guilty. It was the sergeant," Fadl Janabi said.

Parker goes on and offer this:

The three sniper cases raised serious questions about practices used in Iraq. Hearings revealed that the sniper unit had planted weapons on bodies to shore up the legitimacy of shootings and had sought approval to start a baiting program in which they would plant weapons and then shoot any Iraqi who picked them up. It remains unclear whether it was put in action.

No, it wasn't just planting weapons. The program planted any number of things and because they were all "US property," if touched, whomever touched them could be shot. It's amazing to watch how previously reported details fall away from the story.

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