Very well said!

We're not talking about some kid growing up in middle-America. We're talking about a kid growing up in poverty, lack of education who was likely bludgeoned with anti-American rhetoric all his life, and he believed what he was told.

Throwing a grenade is a terrrible thing. That he was convinced and corrupted into throwing the grenade by people he trusted is some respects even worse.

F**K YOU U.N., THIS IS A MURDERER, I DON'T CARE HOW OLD HE WAS!!!!!!!!!!!!

The UN (Useless Notions) can kiss my A$$. This criminal, corrupt organization has no room to tell us how to handle our affairs. Their corruption and criminal activity for over 65 years should have NO input to this trial. I don't care that he was only 15 years old. When he makes a statement like this,,,,

,,,the son of a trusted associate of Osama bin Laden — had told a U.S. interrogator that "the proudest moment of his life" was when he hurled the hand grenade that killed Speer.

,,,,he confirms he is a MURDERER.

Regardless of his age, he willingly joined the TERRORIST organization and willfully sought to kill others. He knew what he was doing, no one was holding a gun to his head to throw that grenade. Al-Qaeda and the Taliban use women AND children as human shields and then as "soldiers" in an attempt to make us feel bad when they are caught.

These TERRORISTS brainwash their own children from early ages in the name of their "Jihad" and create the situation that leads to these outcomes. This is NOT our fault, it's theirs. Manipulating the law around a 15 year old when he admits he wanted to kill our soldiers cannot be accepted. We cannot ask how old someone is before we confront them. We have already tied the hands of our brave troops with these STUPID new "Rules of Engagement".

Afghanistan was has become a politicized, publicized, politically correct quagmire for our armed forces. We are restricted in doing what armies do so we don't hurt anyones feeling. F**K THAT!!!!! These people are criminals, fanatical extremists and murderers. They'll just as soon strap a vest of C4 on a child, woman or old person to kill as they would shoot you themselves. I feel NO remorse that this "poor" individual was a child when he killed and blinded 2 of our soldiers. He killed and maimed them WILLINGLY. He knew what he was doing.

"Child soldiers must be treated primarily as victims … The Omar Khadr case will set a precedent that may endanger the status of child soldiers all over the world," he said.

BULLS**T!!!!!

This is the problem with the U.N. and our societies mindset nowadays. Child soldiers are soldies NOT victims. The victims were our dead and blinded soldiers, NOT this TERRORIST. This argument of "mens rea" may have been acceptable in previous wars but not in this one. TERRORISTS will use whatever means they can to hurt and kill our soldiers with no regard to "mens rea". It's time we stand up and show these cowards that we will no longer be victims to their manipulations of our rights.

This punk sat in court reading a soccer magazine claiming,,,

"We're just embarrassing ourselves by being here,"

,,,and reacting in disgust when HE is the murderer. Trying to use the "shame" defense shouldn't even be a concern. We should interrogate and threaten with big black guys, Nazi's and Lady Gaga if that's what it takes to get informaton from these TERRORISTS. This TERRORIST was not shamed or embarrassed when he hurled the grenade, was he? No. He was proud.

Lady Justice is blind to insure that everyone is treated the same under the laws of our land. We need to be blind to the fact that this murderer was 15 but acted like any other adult soldier. He is a criminal, he confessed to it and should be tried, prosecuted and executed as such.

Fred Appl - He was not a 'terrorist' - he was a child soldier, on his ancestral turf, protecting his native homeland from western invaders. Enemy soldiers who kill American soldiers are soldiers, not terrorists. If you classify them as 'terrorists' when they believe they are protecting their homeland, then how do you classify American soldiers who have arrived on their soil and have started to kill everyone they encounter, including women, children and old men?

If you look at the facts objectively, then it seems the definition of 'terrorist' is met by the American soldiers who shoot and bomb everyone, not the villagers who are trying to repel the western invaders who just killed his family.

Considering you same people would say he doesn't have enough sense to drink alcohol or have sex I find your claim that he knows what he is doing spurious. BUT beyond that where is the war crime? He killed a special forces soldier in combat with a grenade. Special forces medics carry guns and participate in combat operations with their units.

The whole case is a joke much like America has become a joke too.

Read the whole article you moron, he used the greande to kill a medic not a combat soldier, big damn difference. That is a war crime in accordance with the Geneva Convention. He admitted to having Al Qaida training and training on how to create IED's, this wasn't some kid who was unintelligent and didn't know what the hell he was doing. If you feel so bad for their country and way of life, move there and get the hell out of this country, we don't need your kind anyway.

Foreigner, I guess we could use that same analogy on Okinawa, and on Iwo Jima. Yep, just plain ole folks defending the homeland. These are the same good ole boys that murder and butcher people, such as doctors and defensless healthcare providers, in the name of WHAT? If perhaps you're living within the continental limits of the US I would suggest you decidewhere your loyalties lie and select a residence accordingly. In the interim, this young man is going to have an opportunity to present his case to the world and be judged accordingly. This is a process that is FOREIGN, to his culture.

Then of course if he is perhaps found guilty, we can stone is butt to death.

Hey Mark Thomas, are you talking about a kid in North Minneapolis???? Or maybe, perhaps, Washington, DC.

Why are people calling it murder? If the soldier had killed him it'd be a guy doing his job, so why is him killing a soldier, during a war, a crime? I honestly don't get the distinction being made here.

GirouxRA
Read the whole article you moron, he used the greande to kill a medic not a combat soldier, big damn difference. That is a war crime in accordance with the Geneva Convention. He admitted to having Al Qaida training and training on how to create IED's, this wasn't some kid who was unintelligent and didn't know what the hell he was doing. If you feel so bad for their country and way of life, move there and get the hell out of this country, we don't need your kind anyway.

Yeah your mom is a moron you sap. If you knew anything about the special forces you would know that their medics are ARMED special forces soldiers. Notice the picture in this link and the machine gun each of the Special Forces medics are carrying you stupid fool.

http://www.americanspecialops.com/photos/special-forces/special-forces-medics.php

Actually its the ignorant clowns like you that need to get the hell out of my country while you are turning us into a third world cesspool with your ethically bankrupt policies. What is the difference between YOU and the Taliban killing kids?

This 'child' is not the same as the young children who have been conscripted into service in various counties in Africa. This 'child' was a willful volunteer participating in hostile actions against US forces. He has not made any claims of having been forced to do any of it. In fact, this 'child' has bragged about killing US servicemen and planting IEDs. He threw a grenade, blowing up a US Medic, in clear view of many witnesses and without any prompting from anyone else. He deserves to be treated like any other combatant on a battlefield, in a POW camp, or anywhere else. And just for the record, willfully and intentionally killing medical personnel who are wearing the red cross on their helmet and equipment and not participating in hostile acts, is a war crime. Therefor, this 'child' should be prosecuted as a war criminal, not coddled as some poor unfortunate kid.

The UN official making the comments is basing them on what has occurred, and continues to occur in some African countries. In those instances very young children, some as young as 10 or 11 years old, are conscripted into service and forced to either fight for or be killed by those conscripting them. This is definitely not the case with this Canadian and the UN official is speaking without any clear understanding of the situation and the differences between this case and the cases in Africa. He needs to shut his mouth and try and learn a little more before he speaks again.

Ben Raines: If you read any account of this action you will find that the Americans started the attack after getting information that this compound was sheltering insurgent forces. A 4-hour battle ensued, including air strikes by the American forces. The so-called murder occurred when the US Army forces finally entered the compound. So it wasn't a unprovoked attack on the Army soldiers. It was a perfectly normal act by a soldier whose position was being over-run by enemy forces. The actions of both sides were perfectly normal and certainly not war crimes. What I don't get is why the charge of murder for a normal act of self-defense in battle?

If you read the rules set forth in the Geneva Conventions of 1949, you will see that the Taliban itself does not meet any of the criteria required of a lawful combatant force. The young man, in fact, appears to meet every one of the criteria describing an unlawful comabatant. By those rules, he could very well have been shot on the spot, but the U.S. forces chose not to take that option. What did happen to him also satisfied the rules set forth at that time.

For the edification of those who might ask, were our nation being invaded by a hostile military force, I would take up arms against them, hopefully as part of an organized militia unit, and do my best to repel them. I would not, however be a willing member of any unit that treats its nation's population as the Taliban and Al Queda treat the people of the Middle East. As soldiers, our role is to serve our nation, not to rule it.

Terry H-1988645

My point exactly.This kid meets every criteria describing an unlawful combatant. He is not protected under Geneve Rules.

Problem with most people posting is they spout their opinions by rote. The more they repeat it the more they believe it...facts are immaterial and only confuse them. They don't want to do critical thinking and research.

No uniform = terrorist

The US soldiers had been shooting at him and the men he was with for hours, so why is it called murder when he fights back by throwing a grenade?

American soldiers have a VERY strict DO NOT FIRE UNLESS FIRED UPON order. Amercans Do NOT drive into a little village and shoot the place up, therefore its assumed they were fired upon first. Hes lucky they didnt just finish him off when they saw him breathing. Oh yeah and american soldiers follow the Geneva Convention...they dont

Ben Raines.....

I'm not sure what army you were in that always follows the Geneva Convention, but it wasn't an American army. As my drill instructor once said; 'You are now a professional killer'. Remember, Americans are human also, and we kill innocent people (civilians) as we deem necessary to accomplish our objective. Sure we try to be humane when it comes to women and children, but either of these can kill you as well as a man. And, the tons of bombs we drop don't just kill soldiers.

I'm proud to be an American, but not to the point I believe we do no wrong, especially when it comes to them or us. War is hell, for everyone involved.

you said it Bob
i still remember my drill instructor saying the same damn thing to every one of us when we got out of basic training because that was their job to make trained professional killers and i still have that inbedded in me today eventhough i left the military in 1970 and am now 63 but to this day i could kill if need be with absolutely no emotions.

vietnam vet

same here

bullsh!t

Ben has no f'ing idea

Ben is obviosly having issues with his sexuality. See a shrink Ben you are a freakshow

We're also ignoring the CAT, which prohibits the use of confessions extracted under torture or duress.

Bin Ladin did a great job helping us destroy American values.

You're reading the wrong treaty. Clinton signed the Children in Armed Conflict treaty in 2000.

thats just for recruitment.............. and they only made it 15 years old so the United States would sign it....

@skrekk - What Clinton signed in 2000 was the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution A/RES/54/263 of 25 May 2000 entry into force 12 February 2002, which in brief states - the States Parties must take all feasible measures to ensure that members of their armed forces who have not reached the age of 18 years do not take direct part in hostilities (Art. 1); compulsory recruitment into the armed forces of persons under 18 years of age is prohibited (Art. 2);the States Parties shall raise the minimum age for voluntary recruitment from 15 years. This rule does not apply to military academies (Art. 3); armed groups distinct from the national armed forces should not, under any circumstances, recruit (whether on a compulsory or voluntary basis) or use in hostilities persons under the age of 18 years, and the States Parties must take legal measures to prohibit and criminalize such practices (Art. 4). In plain english it says memebrs of armed forces under 18 should be kept out of armed conflict, and with the exception of military acadamies no recruiting cn be done on persons under the age of 18. However the Additional Protocols of 1977 state; children who take direct part in international armed conflict are recognized as combatants and in the event of their capture are entitled to prisoner-of-war status under GCIII. The Additional Protocols provide that child combatants under 15 are entitled to privileged treatment in that they continue to benefit from the special protection accorded to children by international humanitarian law (Art. 77, para. 3 API and Art. 4, para. 3d APII). This law is still in effect and will be unless it is revised, the one that Clinton signed does not overturn this, all it is, is an amendment to laws that have been in place for years, it doesn't make the older laws any less valid.

So its a war crime if a U.S soldier but if an American kills an insurgent , a civilian or whoever as long as they are Muslim it is all right? By the way there have been many cases of U.S. planes dropping bombs on innocent civilians including a wedding so it isn't just human shields. Maybe the pilots who dropped bombs on Canadian soldiers should have been tried for war crimes. I can see you live up to your profile name - you are a clown.

hey specialk, you think he is innocent and the soldiers are guility. next time you see a soldier be sure to thank them for your right to say whatever you want. They are the ones the fight and die for the freedom.

i bet you are the type of person that if the 13 year old neighbor boy poisoned your dog you would want them shot.

no specialk,

It's a war crime to use civilians at a human shield like these cowardly Muslim Extremists do. It's also a war crime to enlist children to do their dirty work.

Who is putting the civilian Muslim in harms way? Isn't it the coward who shoots from a hospital or a school assuming that the other guy won't shoot back?

When a bomb is intentionally dropped on a wedding party with full knowledge that only civilians are there is a war crime. Just like Mad Mohamed exploding himself in a market place where people are trying to get food.

But it's not a war crime if they dropped a bomb with the intent of killing a bunch of murdering jihadists. That's why they do investigations when these sort of things happen. To make sure the intent was there. I

I may be bobo the clown but you're Special K.

U.S forces bombed the shelter that he and four others were fighting from. Someone in the shelter through a grenade and killed a U.S. soldier. How can he be charged with commiting a war crime when the U.S. soldiers who killed those in the shelter are not?

proudamerican-3745 you are an idiot. My original comment which bobo responded to was how can the United States justify charging a person with war crimes when he was just doing the same thing that U.S. forces were doing. In a battle the people on opposing sides try to kill each other. Why is it a war cime when someone is successful in killing a U.S. soldier who is trying to kill them but it is justifiable when a U.S. soldier kills an insurgent?

He is being charged with war crimes because he is an unlawful combatant according to the IHL. And as such, is under jurisdiction of the country that holds him. And according to our laws, he is being charged with war crimes.

OMG Bobo you knew that he is an unlawful combatant according to the IHL? So many posters don't have a clue. Wow! there is intelligent discussion here and not just half-truths and imaginary facts buried in the emotional regurditation of liberal media bias.

We don't know that's what he said or tought.

That's the interrogator's story, and we know they have an agenda to cover their behinds.

And we know that radical muslims have an agenda to blow up our behinds. Stick a bullet in his head.

That's why child soldiers need to be rehabilitated, to undo all that brainwashing that had been done to them at a young age.

or..... how bout instead of rehabilitation.....

...

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wait for it...

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We execute his useless ass, and feed his corpse to wild pigs?

Some of our own soldiers seem to just as much pleasure in doing their jobs

Sounds like you are talking about Bush and Cheney. Worthless humans

Captain, You can always find a bad apple. I'm sure we have at least a couple soldiers that just want to kill people. If they violate international laws, then they should be tried and punished.

Linda.... Really? You've got nothing better to do than complain about people that aren't in power anymore?

According to the interrogator, which I think is suspect at best.

Non-muslim: Don't take it so personally that in war our enemies want to kill us and are proud when they accomplish that goal. i have it on good authority that most US soldiers feel the same way about their enemies. It doesn't make the soldiers on either side "murderous scumbags".

to hell with the rest of the world

Good thinking.

to hell with the rest of the world...

Great thinking. It isn't bad enough we have half the world hating us right now, lets get them all to hate us. And don't forget to buy back America from China, who was so gracious to buy our debts in order to have 2 Gulf Wars. Stop thinking the rest of the U.S. is down to your pathetic level of thinking!

He didn't up and fly himself to war. He was brought over by his parents along with his other siblings. They lived with Osama and his older brothers went to training camps. He was too young to join with them. When he was older his father then sent him to be an interpreter and that's where he was picked up and brought to Gitmo.

ok how do we stop adults from manipulating child as weapons? when is it ok for a child to kill and be killed? why do people look the other way when they see a child abused in this fashion? who do we hold accountable and can we hold that person in place of the child's? what happens to that child when everyone walks away? ya' ok , this is someone else's problem...is that the easy way to deal with it?

To be clear, as a child he should not be sentenced to death. But the world needs to know that hiding behind children is not acceptable.

Trillian

I hear what you are saying but you must realize we are talking about a cultural mindset thousands of years old. They are carrying on blood fueds for nearly as long.Because someone 500 years ago killed a goat that belonged to their family or a great great great fouth MALE cousin was killed by a member of another tribe, they have to even the score. The women and girls, raped, honor killed (murdered by their own family) or starved to death because the men of their house were killed is inmaterial.. I swear I think a goat has higher standings in a man's eye over there then a woman. Childern, especially male children, are disposible if the end justifies the means.

Uh, I think the jihadists are killing a lot more casualties than than the invading forces are. I think a better analogy would be:

How would you feel if the U.S. was invaded by thousands of uniformed Afghans after a massive bombing campaign and thousands of American casualties. And the religious right Christian fighters are bombing the markets, recruiting your children into doing their dirty work, using your churches, hospitals and schools with civilians in them as a base of operations, killing other U.S. citizens for not believing their way is the only way, killing your police officers and medics for trying to keep the peace. And the Afghans capture one of these religious zealots that happened to be 15 years old and from Saudi Arabia. How would you feel about that boy being tried by Islamic court?

I can't speak for the rest of the people in the U.S., but I would hope that he and all the other religious zealots would burn in hell for the rest of eternity for all the murders they have done. It is in no way supporting the Afghan invaders but it would seem that the medicine is worse than the cure.

Hey, Einstein (Bobo) - The U.S. has killed eight million innocent civilians around the world, since WWII (Red Cross and U.N. figures), and the Afghan and Iraq civilians die 100 to 1 compared to our soldiers. What's worse, we've been doing it for ISRAEL, who owns us! - How do you feel about that?

Paul-1389326

The U.S. has killed eight million innocent civilians around the world, since WWII (Red Cross and U.N. figures),...

If you make such outlandish claims post your source with links. I think you are WAY off on your figures.

Unfortunately civilian casualties are considered collateral damage and is nothing new in war. Our men are not blowing up markets full of women and childern shooping for their evening meals. Our troops do not use women, childern and old men as human shields. Our men do not set up motars, anti-aircraft instalations and rocket launching pads in the middle of residential homes. Our men to do not strap bombs to animals and use them as walking bombs. Our men do not saw off the heads of their captives and broadcast the murder on the internet and Arab world news. Our men do not mow down crowds of childern seeking to get a piece of candy from a small military patrol in the hope of killing a single soldier.

Yes, we do have a soldier now and then leave the reservation and do things that violate the Geneva Convention and American law. But unless you have walked the walk and been in their combat bootsyou have no right to paint all American soldiers with the same brush.

he was born in Canada, he is Canadian...you can never take that away from people, even if they were forced into fighting you fag.

No. He is right. My friend was born in Germany but that doesnt mean hes german. he was born to American parents. And that boy was not forced. He was indoctrinated since birth. Therefore his parents ensured that he would one day make the choice to kill any "infidels" that he could. He is NOT a Canadian. He is an Afghanni....

Todd,

Well said. Thank you and I wish more Americans felt the same way about their country and the people who have allegiance to other countries. If they do not want to live and protect our country and it's society, then leave and never return.

As a side note..... I love your country. Canada is not only beautiful, but the people are fantastically friendly and helpful. Sure am glad you're our friends!

I understand you completely...I feel the same way about the American turncoats who convert to Islam and then become radicalized. Stop calling them Americans, they forfeited their rights and protection under our laws when they chose alligence to the radical clerics and imans. A 15 cent bullet in the middle of their forehead solves the problem.

If we treated our POW's like they treat our men and women, combantant and non-combatants, we would have no need for Gitmo. Of course we would be more humane and oferf them a blindfold made of a pair of clean ladies undies. I recommend they use the lacy ones, better to see the bullet coming at them. We're too humane to use a rusty, dull knife like they use.

.... so you're saying that it was honorable for him to throw a grenade and kill a medic?

The medic was an armed special forces soldier as are all medics with that unit. They carry guns and they carry out combat. This is the most unjust thing I have seen in this country yet.

charles kuchar #16

when we invade their country, it is honorable to defend their rights.

They invaded ours - DON'T FORGET 911. And they were training others to committ more acts of terror. Don't start nothing there won't be nothing.

Khadr was shot twice in the back. He was threatened with rape while he was held at Baghram, according to the testimony of his first interrogator.

Then the US hid exculpatory evidence, as was revealed just before this trial started. Two Gitmo prosecutors have quit because of the unjust handling of Khadr's case.

Hey jackass, the medic was travelling with a group of Delta soldeirs who had just blew up the hut he was in. The grenade was thrown at them and unfortunately someone was killed. The only proof that he was the one who threw the grenade was that he was the only surviving person in the hut who was not executed by one of the Delta soldiers and confessions that were obtained by torturing a 15 year old.

Special K is correct. However the first report said that there was two still alive Omar and another who was then shot. The second report was adjusted to make Omar the only survivor.

The delta force soldiers attacked the hut for a reason. The fact that there were KNOWN Al Qaida guerrillas operating out of it.

Delta force medics carry guns and use those guns in combat. This charge is utterly unjust. For this child to have been held in Guantanamo Bay this long is outrageous.

http://www.americanspecialops.com/photos/special-forces/special-forces-medics.php

Damn straight a medic needs a gun in that place. Those ragheads have no respect for the red cross on their helmets..They see it as a convenient target to line the crosshairs up on. Do you really want our medics to go unarmed in such a place? Would YOU go unarmed in such a place? After all you aren't at war with them you should be just fine.

No, but the adults in his life do, it just that the double standard that "I'll let my child be a weapon and there are no consequences" seems to be the status quo in other countries and that needs to stop. There seems to be this disconnect between “I’ll save myself by giving my child to be raised as gang member/terrorist” and “doing something about the state of your own country”

Also, there is a difference between "brain washed and didn't want to do this" and "satan on my shoulder mentalities".

And I sympathize with those whose children are taken from them...

I am disgusted to be in a country that is perpetrating such a injustice on a this child. Not only is he being prosecuted in an illegal court but the charges are for killing an armed person that had just carried out an attack on the child with the Delta unit he was assigned to.

This medic carried a M-4

you are an Idiot!..I was was in Nam...

I would never have served with a traitor like you!

You kill the enemy..not baby him!

Excuse me, when I was 15 I wanted to be pregnant, and married. I knew what I was doing. I cannot blame some one else for the bad decision I made. Having a kid at 16, and being married. Bad decision,but I knew what I was doing. Didn't turn out the way I planned. At least I accept responsiblity for what I did. Gets back to the old saying suffering the consequences of your actions...Time to stop making excuses for bad behavior.