How about some remorse for shooting an unarmed man in Fairfax?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/19/AR2010031904618.html

THE OTHER day, National Public Radio carried a report about a Marine patrol in Kandahar, Afghanistan, that was involved in the tragic killing of a civilian. The report reminded us of another civilian tragically killed closer to home, in Fairfax County: David A. Masters, a 52-year-old man with a history of bipolar disorder who was slain by a county police officer in broad daylight. While the two incidents are distant in place and circumstance, they each produced a terrible outcome and raise a similar question: What does decency demand in the event of a wrongful shooting?

In Afghanistan, NPR’s Corey Flintoff recounted the recent experience of Marines who were approaching a desert farmstead when they saw a man on a roof. The man was ordered to stand still, but apparently he didn’t understand the order. The Marines say that he made a turning motion, as though reaching for a weapon. They shot and killed him. It turned out that the man was a farmer and unarmed.

The next day, the Marines returned with their commander to pay their respects and apologize to the community and the family. They frankly admitted that the shooting was a mistake, and they paid the family restitution. In fact, there was nothing very unusual in this; U.S. soldiers and Marines regularly acknowledge and apologize for wrongful shootings in battle zones.

Which brings us to the Masters case. Mr. Masters was behind the wheel of his vehicle on Route 1 on Nov. 13 when police ordered him to stop. He had apparently stolen some flowers from a planter at an office building. For whatever reason, he didn’t obey the order and began rolling slowly away. One of the three police officers on the scene, mistakenly thinking another officer had been hit by the vehicle, opened fire, killing Mr. Masters.

In both incidents, a suspect disobeyed an order, made a wrong move and was killed, though he turned out to have been no threat at all. While the Marines did the honorable thing by acknowledging their mistake and making amends, Fairfax police have done nothing of the kind — no expression of remorse, no acknowledgment of mistake, misfortune or wrongful result.

More than four months have passed since Mr. Masters’s senseless death. The still-unnamed policeman who shot him was cleared in a criminal inquiry almost two months ago. Since then the police have conducted an internal inquiry to determine if he should face administrative sanctions, which could range from nothing to dismissal. Even within the constraints of liability law, simple decency suggests that the police should be able to express regret short of admitting guilt. That, at a minimum, would be the right and honorable thing.

Echoing similar sentiments of the puppet Iraqi government, the puppet Afghanistan government wishes that occupation troops had to abide by increased rules that protect civilian lives.  These puppet governments are between a rock and a hard place because the American government has very little interest in restraining occupying forces in any way. 

Afghan Govt demands new rules of engagement

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/26/2346361.htm?section=world

Afghanistan is demanding a renegotiation of the rules for international troops in the country after 90 people were killed in US-led attacks on Friday.

The Afghan Cabinet wants to review the “limits of authority and responsibilities” of international troops after 90 people, including 50 children, were killed in the air strikes in Herat.

A Government statement says air strikes on civilian targets, unilateral searches of homes, and illegal detentions of Afghan civilians must be stopped.

About 70,000 foreign troops from 40 countries, including Australia, are in Afghanistan.

The country’s Government wants them to be accountable under rules consistent with Afghan and international law.

The coalition forces say 30 militants were killed in the Herat air raids but they are investigating the incident.

Australia has about 1,000 troops serving in Afghanistan.