Report: Local Marine Killed in Afghanistan by U.S. Contractor

tekisui

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Mar-03-10 01:39 PM
Original message

Report: Local Marine Killed in Afghanistan by U.S. Contractor

Source: South Bend Tribune

New details are emerging about a LaPorte County Marine's death in Afghanistan. The Department of Defense is now reportedly asking questions about his death.

WLS-TV in Chicago is reporting Lance Corporal Josh Birchfield was killed by a private security contractor, hired by the US government and paid by the Pentagon.

WLS says Birchfield's fellow Marines told them the Afghan guards were using opium, and were high when they killed Birchfield.

The TV station says a Pentagon spokesman reportedly released a statement saying seven security guards have been detained for questioning because of Birchfield's death.

http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20100303/News01/100309795/1130

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

sakabatou

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Mar-03-10 01:41 PM
Response to Original message

1. Lemme guess, Blackwater?

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

FreakinDJ

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Mar-03-10 01:42 PM
Response to Original message

2. Hmmm.... the Best Mercenaries Money can buy

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

lpbk2713

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Mar-03-10 01:48 PM
Response to Original message

3. The BushCo Praetorian Guard

I wouldn't want to be around those hired guns.

And I wouldn't turn my back on them if I had to.

My sympathies to the Lance Corporal's family.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

arcadian

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Mar-03-10 01:50 PM
Response to Original message

4. retract my previous statement upon new information

Edited on Wed Mar-03-10 01:56 PM by arcadian

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

shadowrider

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Mar-03-10 01:54 PM
Response to Original message

5. Not quite. The headline is misleading

Edited on Wed Mar-03-10 01:54 PM by shadowrider

I'm not blaming you, it's the actual headline.

From the article:

"WLS says Birchfield's fellow Marines told them the Afghan guards were using opium, and were high when they killed Birchfield."

The AFGHAN guards who killed him were hired for security services by a U.S. contracting company, it wasn't a "U.S. Contractor" (Implying an American).

(I actually read the articles and don't comment based on headline alone)

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

arcadian

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Mar-03-10 01:58 PM
Response to Reply #5

6. I read it as:

Edited on Wed Mar-03-10 01:58 PM by arcadian

The Marines blamed the deaths on high Afghans, but in fact it was US contractors. Not that both groups were one and the same.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

tekisui

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Mar-03-10 02:11 PM
Response to Reply #5

8. I read it all as well.

It was a contractor hired by the US regardless of the nationality.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

shadowrider

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Mar-03-10 02:14 PM
Response to Reply #8

9. I'm not disagreeing with you.

But the headline says "U.S. Contractor" implying an American and not "U.S. Hired Afghan Contractor".

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

EFerrari

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Mar-03-10 01:58 PM
Response to Original message

7. Bring them HOME.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

DU AdBot (1000+ posts)

Sat May 04th 2024, 08:44 PM
Response to Original message

Advertisements [?]

Top

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.