Robert Bales - Asshole of the Week | The Jackal

17 Mar 2012

Robert Bales - Asshole of the Week


Yesterday, Fox News reported:

U.S. military sources tell Fox News the American soldier accused of killing 16 Afghan civilians last weekend is Staff Sgt. Robert Bales.

He has arrived at the maximum-security military prison at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, Fox News confirms.

Military officials have declined to identify the suspect publicly, insisting that it is usual procedure to keep a suspect's identity secret until he is officially charged. They have maintained that stance even after a hearing for the detained soldier Tuesday found probable cause to continue holding him, and he was sent from Afghanistan to a detention facility in Kuwait.

On 11 March, Robert Bales and possibly a number of other soldiers went on a rampage in Afghanistan, murdering 16 Afghan civilians, including 9 children and burning many of their bodies in a most disgraceful act of barbarism. But what is strange is that the American legal system does not classify a killing as “murder” until after a trial verdict or plea deal has been reached.

I don't particularly care if he suffered a head trauma, PTSD or that he was serving his fourth tour of duty and was a highly decorated soldier, he is a murderer through and through. But like most of the people (and I struggle with calling them that) who commit atrocities in the name of their country, Bales will likely disappear without justice being done.

Thanks to nut jobs like Robert Bales, my contempt for the US led war in Afghanistan could not be greater. He is most deserving of an Asshole award, and much more besides.