Gurkha sent back to uk after beheading Taliban commander

[suprasam77]

Great story, sorry if it's a repost! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1295617/Gurkha-ordered-UK-beheading-dead-Taliban-fighter.html#ixzz0tzDWF3BZ

 

I'm on the Gurkha's side! Even if he has been reading too much Andy mcnab. (especially Liberation day)

[SupraStar 3000]

Fair play to him.

He was asked for proof and AFAIK the taliban don't wear dogtags so,.. its off with his head.

 

I never go anywhere without my necklace of ears.

[Lbm]

I was doing a gig a few years back at an RAF base near Wolverhampton.

 

In between sets we chilled out in the games room, in the Sgts mess IIRC

 

Anyway, there were about 4 or 5 Ghurkas playing snooker - and my goodness these guys had some presence about them. Scary but friendly

[garethr]

Times change... IIRC that was policy in Malaya in the 50s, so that Military Intelligence could confirm the identity of the dead Communist guerilla.

[TLicense]

Potentially it's a little bit tricky.

 

I've no issue with the chap lopping the blokes head off. IMHO it was a very practical thing to do given the reported situation and mission objectives.

 

The problem comes with how the locals will see it. If they're supportive of the taliban then I could imagine they'll be a little more disgruntled than if they weren't.

However even if they're anti-taliban, if the traditional practice for the Afghans is to return the bodyparts of their enemies, then I can see that in order to keep the civilians happy, then this should also happen.

 

So surely it's just a case of patting the Ghurka on the back for doing his job so diligantly, having a quick gander at the blokes head to make sure he was who they thought, then booting it over the wall of camp Bastion ready for the taliban to come and pick up?

 

Job done, smiles all round.

[Soop Dogg]

I was doing a gig a few years back at an RAF base near Wolverhampton.

 

In between sets we chilled out in the games room, in the Sgts mess IIRC

 

Anyway, there were about 4 or 5 Ghurkas playing snooker - and my goodness these guys had some presence about them. Scary but friendly

 

Cosford? I remember there being lots of Ghurkas there when I trained there in the mid 80's. (Think they were there for something to do with the Joint Services Operational Photography unit) They marched everywhere at 120 paces/min. Mad!

[Attero]

A comment to agree with?

 

This is considered a gross insult to the Muslims of Afghanistan, who bury the entire body of their dead even if parts have to be retrieved.

 

 

Political correctness and the battlefield really don't go together. If they are so concerned about being buried in one piece why do they blow themselves to bits?

[SupraStar 3000]

surely it's just a case of patting the Ghurka on the back for doing his job so diligantly, having a quick gander at the blokes head to make sure he was who they thought, then booting it over the wall of camp Bastion ready for the taliban to come and pick up?

 

Job done, smiles all round.

 

but totally agree.

[Lbm]

Cosford? I remember there being lots of Ghurkas there when I trained there in the mid 80's. (Think they were there for something to do with the Joint Services Operational Photography unit) They marched everywhere at 120 paces/min. Mad!

 

 

Now that does ring a bell. I believe it had/has techy training wing attached there. I've just tried google mapping the place to find the entrance

 

Edit:Just checked my email from ages ago - Yes it was. We've done RAF Odiham and Marham too and somewhere in Hereford.

[Tom S]

send him back and do it again !!

[Matt H]

Tricky one. The guy's obviously taken the decision to do that in order to complete the mission. It's rather an extreme thing to do, but that's war.

 

The problem is we're supposed to be fighting under the terms of the geneva convention, which makes that unacceptable.

 

There's obviously a thin line with this one. It must take something to do that, and even to carry it back and present the decapitated head to the seniors.

[Angarak]

I think the Ghurka showed initiative in a hostile environment where time is of the essence when you're taking incoming fire.

 

DNA would be more conclusive than a picture or description.

[aman00123]

Got to give dues to the Gurkha here, needed a positive ID as he was ordered, ran out of ammo and was under heavy fire so lopped the dead guys head off! Nothing wrong with it, they say that dead taliban fighters need to be buried with all their body parts so just give the head back - sorted!

[Abz]

Didn't know you had rules in war!

[supra steveo]

good drills give the man a VC , this might start putting the fear of god in to them ...............or should i say fear of allah

[dr_jekyll]

i think the guy should have a medal. brilliant. if the locals like to bury the whole body just post it back when id is confirmed , everybodys happy. possibly not the taliban comander

[Guest samurai infidel]

Got to give dues to the Gurkha here, needed a positive ID as he was ordered, ran out of ammo and was under heavy fire so lopped the dead guys head off! Nothing wrong with it, they say that dead taliban fighters need to be buried with all their body parts so just give the head back - sorted!

 

i agree..he was only doing as ordered, and made a decision under fire.

maybe a little extreme,but as already said, they can always give the head back so he can be buried

[DJButler]

Potentially it's a little bit tricky.

 

I've no issue with the chap lopping the blokes head off. IMHO it was a very practical thing to do given the reported situation and mission objectives.

 

The problem comes with how the locals will see it. If they're supportive of the taliban then I could imagine they'll be a little more disgruntled than if they weren't.

However even if they're anti-taliban, if the traditional practice for the Afghans is to return the bodyparts of their enemies, then I can see that in order to keep the civilians happy, then this should also happen.

 

So surely it's just a case of patting the Ghurka on the back for doing his job so diligantly, having a quick gander at the blokes head to make sure he was who they thought, then booting it over the wall of camp Bastion ready for the taliban to come and pick up?

 

Job done, smiles all round.

 

I guess the locals may be expected to see this as "don't f**k with the gurkhas, when we are training you we dont expect to be shot at".

A sentiment i fully agree with.

[TLicense]

It's not the local civilians that are doing the shooting though is it, it's the taliban.

[supra steveo]

to be honest i think its everybody

[DJButler]

It's not the local civilians that are doing the shooting though is it, it's the taliban.

 

If you can tell one from the other they need guys like you in Afghanistan:innocent:

[ivan]

"This is considered a gross insult to the Muslims of Afghanistan, who bury the entire body of their dead even if parts have to be retrieved."

 

And your point is? I think what the Taliban do daily is a gross insult to most civilised societies.

 

 

"I have no doubt that this behaviour would be as strongly condemned by the other members of that regiment, as it would by all soldiers in the British forces."

 

Wrong.

[Supra_Squaddie]

"This is considered a gross insult to the Muslims of Afghanistan, who bury the entire body of their dead even if parts have to be retrieved."

 

And your point is? I think what the Taliban do daily is a gross insult to most civilised societies.

 

 

"I have no doubt that this behaviour would be as strongly condemned by the other members of that regiment, as it would by all soldiers in the British forces."

 

Wrong.

 

I second your 'wrong'!