US Soldier Pleads Guilty to Iraq Rape and Murders

At one point, the judge asked Barker why he had decided with the other soldiers to commit the rape and murders.

"I hated Iraqis, your honor," Barker said. "They can smile at you, then shoot you in your face without even thinking about it."
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Unlike American troops who smile at you, rape and murder you and then slaughter your family.

And this is how Barker's lawyer tried to explain these soldiers actions:

Sheldon told reporters during a news conference following the hearing that Barker took responsibility for his actions, but he also said the U.S. Army was to blame for the way the war in Iraq was being fought.

"The United States Army did not … put enough soldiers on the checkpoints," Sheldon said. "It's very important that the public knows that this type of thing can happen again if the Army doesn't take measures to put enough troops on the front line in the war against terrorism, the war in Iraq."

Wrong.

What's 'important to know' is that when soldiers are taught to hate the 'enemy', massacres like this happen. This isn't about not having enough troops. This is about a culture of hatred and indifference to human life. What these soldiers did was cold-blooded, pre-meditated and calculated. They knew this family posed no threat to them and willfully chose to terrorize and execute them. There could have been 1 million troops in Iraq at the time and it wouldn't have made one bit of difference in this situation.

These were war crimes and if the US hadn't opted out of the International Criminal Court, these soldiers would have been tried in The Hague but Bush feels it's necessary to 'protect' US soldiers from that type of prosecution. How can he possibly think that these types of rapists and murderers deserve protection? And just how many cases like this have happened in Iraq that we don't even know about? We certainly do know that Barker isn't the only soldier in Iraq who hates Iraqis so much that truly innocent people are subjected to the ultimate penalty just because of their nationality as this family was.

Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.
- Ernest Hemingway

Update: Barker was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday.

Barker showed no reaction when the sentence was read. After the court-martial concluded, Barker went outside to smoke a cigarette as a military bailiff watched over him.

Barker grinned but made no remarks as reporters passed by.

"grinned"...