Boston Marathon Bombings

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From what I have heard they finally caught the ones responsible... if so this is good news... my prayerz are still going out to those that were affected directly by this in hopes that they recover the best that they can.

 

Does anyone else find the media coverage of this capture to be just a little bit too euphoric? The joy and celebrations seem a little misplaced, more akin to a sporting victory than a serious piece of criminal investigation.

 

I agree.
But then again, that's media for you these days.

 

My confidence that they would get these guys was always pretty high. While the explosives used in the bombing weren't all that different from the IEDs you hear about being used in Iraq and Afghanistan, it's a lot more difficult for would-be terrosists in the US to simply blend in and find friendly places for refuge. The other big point is that at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, there were tons of video cameras, not to mention the number of people with cell/smart phones taking pictures and video. You know someone got a picture of these guys.

But the more I hear about the suspect - especially the younger one - the less sense all of this makes. The older brother didn't immigrate to the US until he was well into his teens, and had taken trips in the past year to Chechnya. It is possible he fell in with some radical Islamists groups. But the younger brother immigrated here when he was 8. He hasn't been back since then. He's lived here for 11 years, and essentially grew up here. He should be fully Americanized. His family lived in Chechnya and then later in Kazakhstan (or one of those old USSR satellite states - it could just as easily be Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, or Turkmenistan - they're all in the area of Asia west of China, but I honestly don't know which one is which without looking at a map). Anyway, Russian and Krygyz (sp? What do you call someone who is from Krgyzstan?) officials have openly distanced themselves from this family. Basically saying - he hasn't lived here in over a decade, he's not our crazy guy he's your crazy guy now.

But it just doesn't make sense. This guy went to high school and college here. He played sports, he had friends, he was charismatic and got along with most people he met. Everyone who has been interviewed that knew him has stated that if he held strong political or religious beliefs that would drive him to take these actions, he kept it completely hidden from them. I heard a theory floated around that it was the older brother that may have convinced him to do this, and as more information becomes available, I'm at least considering this plausible.

Not that any of this absolves him of his actions. He should be charged to the fullest extent of the law, and be subject to the death penalty if he's convicted. Although I have to admit, I don't like the idea that they may classify him as an "enemy combatant". He committed a terrorist act, but he is a US citizen. (And don't get me started on the whole enemy combatant status - I still feel it's a completely made up term - there are already rules on the book from the Geneva convention that classify everyone in war as either a member of the military or a civilian. People taking park in guerilla warfare without official military status are judged as civilians. There was no need for a new term.)

 

Guerillas have no protected status and can be summarily tried and executed. Historically they lack protection as either civilians or lawfully categorized prisoners of war.

"12. Guerrillas,--Guerrilla war exists where after the defeat and capture of the main part of the enemy forces, the occupation of the enemy territory, and the downfall of the enemy government, the routed remnant of the defeated army carry on the hostilities by guerrilla tactics. Technically, such persons are not lawful belligerents. Two reasons are given for this view:
(1,)there are no longer the forces of two states in the field, and (2) there is no longer in progress a contention between armed 30forces ."
http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/pdf/law-of-land-warfare_7.pdf

"Persons, such as guerrillas and partisans, who take up arms and commit hostile acts without having complied with the conditions prescribed by the laws of war for recognition as belligerents (see GPW, art. 4; par. 61 herein), are, when captured by the injured party, not entitled to be treated as prisoners of war and may be tried and sentenced to execution or imprisonment."
http://ac-support.europe.umuc.edu/~nstanton/Ch3.htm#s2

Nonetheless, recent legal precedent suggests that our government perceives terrorists (who basically, according to the standards of the Laws of Land Warfare, are spies, sabateurs, and/or guerillas) as a different breed, and has granted them different protections. See http://hnn.us/node/51617 for a very interesting discussion.

 

Everyday for the rest of Joker's life, a nail from a nailgun to a different nerve in his body = Justice!

Joker taking a hundred shots from a pellet gun every day = Justice!

50 monitors in Joker's cell showing filming of the dead and injured victims playing non-stop, everyday = Justice!

 

I think it would hit Joker closer to where he lives to know that people are going about their daily routines unaffected by his silly antics. e.g. he doesn't matter. Unfortunately we made a very big deal about it in many ways, so he already has his 'reward' as it were.

Also it looks like Joker was kind of an Igor to the other dude, so I'm not sure how much traction we can get with revenge or justice. Igor didn't have a Master Plan of Evil, he was just happy to serve his master and rob graves and receive the occasional doggy treat and pat on the head for his loyalty.

Hopefully the other dude is on day 6 of eternity of getting hot pokers stuck into him.

 

@dogsoldier - sorry if I seemed to imply that it was a good thing to be considered a civilian if you're taking part in attacks on enemy troops. As you correctly point out, the opposite is almost always true, as official soldiers are not (typically) summarily executed upon capture. Taking part if guerilla warfare brings with it all of the risks that any other solider would take in going into battle, but none of the potential benefits if you are captured. So I still think it's fine and dandy to treat "enemy combatants" as civilians when it comes to war.