Robert Bales claims his massacre of 16 civilians in Afghanistan is uniquely different from those mass shootings in the US. Agree?

2015-10-22T12:58:50-04:00

“I was so angry at these [Afghani] guys for putting their families in harm's way like that,” he said. “So I blamed them, but I took it out on [the women and children]. I was just raging.” Bales was an army staff sergeant aged 39 on his fourth deployment to a combat zone in 2012.
Military officials said he had been drinking before creeping away from base in the Panjwayi district of southern Kandahar, armed with a pistol, a rifle and a grenade launcher. Witnesses said he opened fire on sleeping families before burning some of dead bodies.
At one point he returned to tell a fellow soldier, “I just shot up some people.”
In the interview he said he been suffering from stress, non-stop anger – caused by guilt at failing to prevent an attack that maimed a friend when Bales was on sentry duty - and was using steroids, when he went into “autopilot” and launched his murderous raid. He said he thinks about his actions again and again.
“I can't take it back,” he said. “If I could, I would. Not just because I'm gonna be in prison for the rest of my life. Because of the cost. No conscious person wants war. No conscious person wants to kill people.”
But he also said he feels he let down his fellow troops.
“I want to say to those guys that I hurt—my guys, the patriot brotherhood—I want them to know I'm sorry,” he said. “I don't want nothing but good things for my soldiers. I hope that in some way they can understand how sorry I am. They're my family, and I love them.”
He also tried to distance himself from other American mass shooters such as James Holmes, who murdered 12 people at midnight screening of Batman film The Dark Knight Rises.
“It wasn't like I was looking to go into a school and open up on a bunch of kids,” he said. “That doesn't make it right. I'm not trying to make it right. I can't make it right. The difference between a soldier and a thug is authority, and I didn't have authority. But it's not the same as walking into a movie theatre and opening up on a bunch of people in a Batman movie.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/11947019/Robert-Bales-says-he-was-on-autopilot-when-he-massacred-16-Afghan-civilians.html

Robert Bales says he was on autopilot when he massacred 16 Afghan civilians

Army sergeant speaks for first time about the rage, stress and steroids that drove him on his 2012 murder spree, killing women and children in Kandahar villages

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 22 at 2015 1:00 PM

2015-10-22T13:00:39-04:00

He was trained to know better

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Oct 22 at 2015 1:10 PM

2015-10-22T13:10:27-04:00

He snapped.

Response by SGT Jeremiah B. made Oct 22 at 2015 1:15 PM

2015-10-22T13:15:06-04:00

He snapped, but he's still trying to justify it all away. Yes, the circumstances were a little different from the stateside shootings, but it's a meaningless difference.

Also note that he apologizes to his fellow soldiers, but he doesn't to the families of the people he murdered. Something tells me he isn't really sorry at all.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 22 at 2015 1:20 PM

2015-10-22T13:20:36-04:00

He was supposed to be one of the "good guys", it's normal that we all want answers and to try to explain this, even him.

Response by SPC David S. made Oct 22 at 2015 2:05 PM

2015-10-22T14:05:26-04:00

I think he is searching for reasoning in what he did. However I would like to know if he was on Mafloquine. He might have a better case with this defense approach. This plus roids plus any other mental health issues could be a toxic mix.

http://www.drugs.com/cdi/mefloquine.html

Mefloquine: Indications, Side Effects, Warnings - Drugs.com

Easy to read patient leaflet for mefloquine. Includes indications, proper use, special instructions, precautions, and possible side effects.

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Oct 22 at 2015 3:46 PM

2015-10-22T15:46:31-04:00

He was in Afghanistan AND he was drinking AND was on steroids... Well, damn... o_O

Response by PO1 Tony Holland made Oct 22 at 2015 7:08 PM

2015-10-22T19:08:28-04:00

Maybe he should have pled affluenza ( Not to make light of what happened, but more to expose the hypocrisy of the injustice system )

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 22 at 2015 10:43 PM

2015-10-22T22:43:06-04:00

This MF'er...
Calm...
This guy trying to make excuses...
I will not forgive him. I will not forget just how much dishonor he foisted upon each and every one of us through his terrible actions. He is right where he should be, for a very long time.
If I get a chance, I want to visit the villages he decimated to do what I can to recover our Army's honor. I would ask them if there is anything they'd like to say to Bales, and deliver that message personally, if they'd let me.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Oct 23 at 2015 12:52 PM

2015-10-23T12:52:17-04:00

He's wrong. Just like those that committed acts of sheer cowardice here in America with mass shootings, he made a conscious decision. It was the WRONG one, and giving excuses does not excuse the behavior. He didn't go after those who did the wrongs, but rather family members who had nothing to do with what had happened. He did this in their sleep, so they had no way to defend or try to help themselves. As with the other cases here in the US, one word comes to mind and that's COWARDICE. We ALL get mad and upset in battle. NO ONE likes to see one of their own hurt, but our discipline tells us who to direct our rage on, and even limits how far we take it. Inmate you are a COWARD, and hurt those families in ways you shouldn't, but along with that, you hurt the trust in us, and whether we stay one more day or ten more years, this and others misdeeds will dog us.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 23 at 2015 1:44 PM

2015-10-23T13:44:09-04:00

Fuck him. Countless others have been other the same situations as him and countless more have been in it worse. I don't care what it is that is claimed "PTSD" "disassociation" it doesn't release him of his actions anymore than being impaired by alcohol releases you of responsibility of a dui

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 23 at 2015 7:28 PM

2015-10-23T19:28:06-04:00

I've got an indiscriminate needle for him.

Response by SGT Tommy Silvas made Oct 23 at 2015 7:51 PM

2015-10-23T19:51:52-04:00

there is no excuse for what he did , he slaughtered women and children, there is no excuse for that

Response by SPC Kortney Kistler made Oct 24 at 2015 11:07 AM

2015-10-24T11:07:09-04:00

I am in no way condoning the slaughter that he perpetrated, but I can understand the direction he came from.

He blamed them as a people for not stepping up and taking action or responsibility for what is going on over their. He is right to blame them. I blame them. I still do.

I want every OIF/OEF vet on here to take a good long think on how their attitude changes in a public situation where muslims are present. Walking in to a restaurant or passing by a group on the street, I bet a lot of you have a heightened sense of awareness in those situations. Some people it's deep down, others not so much. It will take a lifetime to get over those feelings. Some people handle them better than others.

Response by SFC David Davenport made Oct 24 at 2015 11:23 AM

2015-10-24T11:23:58-04:00

Murder is murder regardless of where it occurs and who is killed. While death in combat or war is largely unavoidable his actions were mass murder. I have no sympathy for him. If anything I feel saddened for the loss of the families involved, including his family, and that we as a society now have to deal with him.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 24 at 2015 2:08 PM

2015-10-24T14:08:43-04:00

Sounds to me like he doesn't want to take full responsibility for his actions.

Response by MAJ Brent Nielsen made Oct 25 at 2015 12:10 PM

2015-10-25T12:10:02-04:00

How in the great blue fcuk did he get a fourth tour? I know Rangers and SOFs get lots of deployments, but no soldier should get assigned four tours of combat. That's criminal negligence on the part of DOD.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 25 at 2015 2:38 PM

2015-10-25T14:38:08-04:00

He was wrong the court martial validated it at no point did I ever believe it would be right to kill unarmed women and children

Response by SPC Marcell Gill made Oct 25 at 2015 3:51 PM

2015-10-25T15:51:30-04:00

The war is wrong to begin with

Response by SrA Conrad Lewis made Oct 25 at 2015 7:14 PM

2015-10-25T19:14:20-04:00

I'm positive this is not the only person to do this. Wake up it's a fucking war. War drives man to do not only what he is trained for but gives him a God like mentality the military instills in every single one of us. Is he crazy and completely guilty? YES. Am I surprised this happened. Fuck no!

Response by SMSgt Gary Calhoun made Oct 25 at 2015 7:25 PM

2015-10-25T19:25:02-04:00

SSG Bales - I get it. Point is you went after those that couldn't defend themselves. OPFOR - got it, - combatants, but non-combatants - no bueno. As a society...we are better than that. So are you...

Response by PO1 Howard Doll made Oct 26 at 2015 12:50 AM

2015-10-26T00:50:36-04:00

He tarnished the brother/sisterhood the moment he pulled the trigger. This man ought to be sent to Gitmo, and let the terrorist prisoners deal with him.

I do not accept his justification, nor his apology. He has no honor.

Response by SGT Timothy Frasier made Oct 26 at 2015 10:32 AM

2015-10-26T10:32:20-04:00

Blame it on the rebel flag!!!!!!

Response by SPC Richard Walsh made Oct 26 at 2015 11:33 PM

2015-10-26T23:33:39-04:00

Everyone has a breaking point and this man's chain of command failed him by allowing this to happen what ever happened to evaluation of troops daily to insure they are physically and mentally fit for duty haven't heard anyone say anything about that how many veterans are lost every day because someone didn't follow up when they ets. What he did was wrong and should never happened if proper supervision was in place chances are this soldier would have gotten proper treatment and pulled from duty and people would still be alive .

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2015 7:38 PM

2015-10-27T19:38:54-04:00

I call BS... He says he is different because he didn't have authority? I think he had more authority. He was there to protect those people. How is it different than walking into the theater? Idiot...

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2015 10:44 PM

2015-10-27T22:44:35-04:00

The common factor with him and the other mass murders is that most are on SSRI'S. (Prozac, Depecote, etc.)

He is wrong but he lost most of his feet on an IED attack, and other heath issues he should not have been back in a combat zone so soon if at all.

Response by SSgt Sean Hollingsworth made Oct 28 at 2015 8:28 PM

2015-10-28T20:28:38-04:00

I served in all US theatre's of combat from Panama 89' to 2012. At no point as infantry or SF did I ever have the urge to indiscriminately kill unarmed citizens. His story is BS, I volunteer to stick the needle in him. He betrayed every brother in arms.

Response by SFC Lisa Hirst made Oct 28 at 2015 9:03 PM

2015-10-28T21:03:48-04:00

He was drinking taking steroids and had signs of PTSD. Still should be held accountable for his actions, only one of the above would have changed my opinion. But the drinking and taking steroids is a big ass nogo

Response by Sgt Robert Brooks made Oct 28 at 2015 11:43 PM

2015-10-28T23:43:35-04:00

This is different than the US shooters. The US shooters don't hunt and kill people for a living we do. There's a fine line we have to walk and everyone knows it. We can't kill everyone but sometimes we want to. I'm not sticking up for him, but he is different than the Batman and school shooters. We are trained to take life and they are not.

Response by Cpl James Sullivan made Oct 29 at 2015 6:52 AM

2015-10-29T06:52:50-04:00

The authority thing is total BS. He was a Staff Sgt. He was trusted as a leader of men. He is an authority figure himself. This guy deserves to rot in prison the rest of his life. We were all under extreme stress over there. This guy was on the Kandahar Air Base in 2012?!?!? It was like a normal base!!! The had restaurants and electronic stores!! There was a Ruby Tuesdays!! You weren't on a tiny, 15 man patrol base going out on 2-3 patrols a day. Have fun dying in prison... You don't deserve to be called a soldier, marine, sailor or airman.

Response by MAJ David Kline made Oct 29 at 2015 8:00 AM

2015-10-29T08:00:00-04:00

This is a tough one. Don't know that I can answer this. 4 deployments, endless day and weeks being shot at and seeing Soldiers maimed. I understand how a person could snap. But he snapped way before he killed those people. The alcohol and steroid use could have been an indicator.

He is paying for his crime but I believe it's harsh for folks to pass judgement on him without having experienced what he did. Every man has a breaking point. His was obviously lower than others. The chain of command had a responsibility in this as well.

Just my two pennies.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 29 at 2015 8:15 AM

2015-10-29T08:15:20-04:00

I think everyone here is missing the point. He is responsible for his actions and knows that it was wrong. That's not being debated. He's trying to say that he's not the same as the mass shooters from here in America. On paper he is but in reality he's not. He didn't actively seek out to destroy these people because he didn't like something about them. He lost control of himself and failed to regain control. That's what he was saying. I'm not saying I think he's telling the truth because let's be honest, if you drink before something like this happens then is probably pre meditated but he couldn't bring himself to do it sober so he had to drink and steroids helps with getting a rush a bit. Plus he set out with a pistol, rifle and grenade launcher which is only ever acceptable if you're going to an objective or possibly on patrol but not going all Rambo. I think he planned to cause pain and suffering to someone, maybe not who actually suffered and died but someone. He deserves what punishment lies ahead either way because whether it was pre mediated or alcohol/drug and PTSD influenced, he had the ability to handle it much differently and he didn't so he was wrong

Response by MSG Douglas Tolliver made Oct 29 at 2015 9:07 AM

2015-10-29T09:07:16-04:00

I had forgotten about him until this post, thanks, now I have to forget about him again. He may be sorry now but where was the voice of reason when he was on sentry duty and not being actively engaged by the enemy? He is where he needs to be and he's right, he can't take it back.

Response by Pvt Andre Havard made Oct 29 at 2015 9:12 AM

2015-10-29T09:12:54-04:00

I'm so sick of adults blaming their actions on everything and everyone but who is really to blame themselves!!!
He is a murder that killed innocent families that included Women and children same as the equally sick civilian mass murders here at home.
Taking steroids in a combat zone isn't too smart knowing their effect on one mood but that was his choice same as go on a killing rampage.
I pray for his victims and that he truly repent for his senseless murders..

Response by SFC Erich Orrick made Oct 29 at 2015 10:51 AM

2015-10-29T10:51:00-04:00

Agree. He is paying for his crime that's for Sure but there is a huge difference in the things that led to this event and the petty bs that leads to movie shootings. On one hand we send these guys to do the nations bidding and when they break they are shunned. On the other hand we can't understand it because few of you have been in his shoes to even try to understand the pressure and effects of actual combat versus what some of you experienced being deployed. There is no excuse for his actions but there should be a better understanding of why it went down.

Response by SSG Todd Halverson made Oct 29 at 2015 11:52 AM

2015-10-29T11:52:45-04:00

What he did was so wrong. He was a coward for going after defenseless villagers while they slept. That is just like someone stateside walking into a school and killing kids. Trying to blame the steroids, PTSD, or going on autopilot is just the way a coward tries to justify what he did and move the blame for his action somewhere else. If he was feeling so overwhelmed, he should have talked to someone about it. I know being an NCO it is hard to take care of yourself because your main concern is for the troops.
Besides taking steroids, why was he drinking alcohol. Last I checked that was not allowed by SMs while deployed to a combat zone.
His explanations are just his way to try and make himself feel better about his murderous acts.

Response by SGT Joe Garcia made Oct 29 at 2015 1:10 PM

2015-10-29T13:10:33-04:00

He is equally responsible for his actions. No matter the situation, country and the state of mind at the time, it does not justify a massacre. The fact that he is one of our brothers should not blind us of his criminal actions. God bless his soul

Response by SGT Adam Shankle made Oct 30 at 2015 7:06 AM

2015-10-30T07:06:18-04:00

The one thing I can say is that Bales said it best in that there is no justification to his actions. However, how many people are diagnosed with PTSD after 1 event? This guy spent 37 months in 7 years in country as an infantryman. There is not a person to blame, and you know Chris Kyle did the same, although it messed him up too. The actions of Bales are disgusting and a disgrace to our uniform- but I cannot bad mouth him. I never walked a day in his shoes. I didn't see what he did. How is it we allow a normal civilian that was "bullied" plea insanity, but won't allow a veteran clearly dealing with severe PTSD to do the same? Men and women kill their own children and claim work stress... Just think about that for a moment. I am by no means defending this guy, but I do feel badly about the situations he has to live with.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 30 at 2015 9:13 AM

2015-10-30T09:13:52-04:00

Probably got steroids from the foreign soldiers (polish use nonstop downrange)

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 30 at 2015 9:16 AM

2015-10-30T09:16:24-04:00

Probably got the steroids from foreign military... polish used like crazy over there

Response by SPC Mathew Brady made Oct 30 at 2015 11:03 AM

2015-10-30T11:03:04-04:00

Absolutely nothing can make up for what he did, he dishonored his family, unit, and country. We were all put under mass stress as infantryman on multiple tours however it will never justify what he did. He violated the warrior ethos and what greater slap in the face to your soldiers and country is there than that?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 31 at 2015 5:05 AM

2015-10-31T05:05:43-04:00

He saying all of this to cover his ass. You murdered people and you got what you deserve.

Response by PVT Shannon Barrett-Boullion made Nov 15 at 2015 4:32 PM

2015-11-15T16:32:33-05:00

I'm so sick of guys like this one saying ptsd induced "autopilot" somehow makes him not entirey responsible fuckouttahere are u really trying to suggest that ptsd is a disorder that makes one incapable of discerning righand wrong? bullshit you know what does make that difficult? Booze and steroids he negated any forward progress his unit or any other had made n that oa and now well the fallout that came from all of the insurgents that he converted and he their sl wasnt around to take care of them either guys a dick makes it hard to convicne folks were not what talib says we r when ssg roid rage stsrts smoking civilians