U.S. Knew of Homicidal Tendencies of Mahmoudiya Soldier-Killer

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Wed Jan 10, 2007 at 10:57:26 AM EST
Tags: Mahmoudiya, Steven Green (all tags)

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Two of the most publicized atrocities by U.S. soldiers in the War in Iraq have been Haditha and Mahmoudiya.

Today, the Associated Press reports that its own investigation into Mahmoudiya revealed the U.S. was aware PFC Steven Green, who allegedly raped a teenage Iraqi girl and killed her and her family, was known to have homicidal tendencies and a desire to strike out and kill Iraqis three months before the tragic event.

Pfc. Steven D. Green was found to have "homicidal ideations" after seeking help from an Army Combat Stress Team in Iraq on Dec. 21, 2005. Green said he was angry about the war, desperate to avenge the death of comrades and driven to kill Iraqi citizens, according to an investigation by The Associated Press.

The treatment was several small doses of Seroquel a drug to regulate his mood and a directive to get some sleep, according to medical records obtained by the AP. The next day, he returned to duty in the particularly violent stretch of desert in the southern Baghdad suburbs known as the "Triangle of Death."

Green has been charged in federal court in the U.S. since he had been discharged and returned home before the charges were brought. Four of his accomplices are being charged in military proceedings.

Now the Army believes Green and four other soldiers are responsible. One of them has confessed and provided information to prosecutors; in testimony at his court-martial, the soldier identified Green as the ringleader.

If the charges are true, the attack would be among the most horrific instances of criminal behavior by American troops in the nearly four-year-old war. It also would represent a worst-case scenario for the military's much-criticized practice of keeping mentally and emotionally unfit personnel in the killing fields of Iraq.

Last Night in Little Rock had this to say about the Mahmoudiya killings.

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U.S. Knew of Homicidal Tendencies of Mahmoudiya Soldier-Killer | 17 comments (17 topical)

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Speaking of homocidal tendencies (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by scarshapedstar on Wed Jan 10, 2007 at 06:02:30 PM EST

I can think of a few people in the White House who ought to be given anti-psychotics at gunpoint. And at least one of them already gets more than enough sleep.

Tendencies (1.00 / 1) (#2)
by sedipple on Wed Jan 10, 2007 at 11:31:03 AM EST

What is the military, just a bunch of homicidal gung ho maniacs wanting to kill something.

: What utter nonsense and totally offensive... (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by Bill Arnett on Wed Jan 10, 2007 at 12:00:48 PM EST

...to all the fine men and women serving that ARE NOT GETTING THE HELP THEY NEED to deal with mental health issues that are an inevitable consequence of multiple tours in an aggressive and intensive war.
A criticism such as THIS should be SELF-CRITICISM for not speaking up in support of the troops who, although they are in an illegal war in Iraq now, will be standing watch in the future to provide protection for everything America stands for - if bush leaves us any military at all or an America worth standing up for.
Have you called for the atrocities to stop by bringing our troops home?

WHO in the hell (none / 0) (#1)
by Edger on Wed Jan 10, 2007 at 11:09:38 AM EST

ordered this guy back back in, instead of having him home?

Green was found to have "homicidal ideations" after seeking help from an Army Combat Stress Team in Iraq on Dec. 21, 2005. Green said he was angry about the war, desperate to avenge the death of comrades and driven to kill Iraqi citizens...
The treatment was several small doses of Seroquel a drug to regulate his mood and a directive to get some sleep, according to medical records obtained by the AP. The next day, he returned to duty in the particularly violent stretch of desert in the southern Baghdad suburbs known as the "Triangle of Death."

It sounds like someone more than just Green has mental health issues...

Never happen. (none / 0) (#4)
by scribe on Wed Jan 10, 2007 at 11:59:41 AM EST

Ask Jesse Helms (if he's still coherent enough to speak) and his buds who spent so much time decrying the International Criminal Court and blocking it.

They wanted to "prevent politically motivated prosecutions of 'murcan soljers in furrin' lanz."

Of course, one could easily say those blockers knew exactly what the Rethugs were going to do (if not in Iraq, then somewhere) and just wanted to insulate their political buddies from the prospect of trials for their war crimes.

And, the SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) between the US and Iraq probably reads something like "keep your Iraqi hands off our soldiers".

if he's still coherent enough to speak... (none / 0) (#6)
by desertswine on Wed Jan 10, 2007 at 01:03:32 PM EST

I'd guess not.

From Wiki.etc...

On April 2, 2006, Helms's wife of 63 years, Dorothy Jane "Dot" Coble Helms, announced that he is afflicted with multi-infarct dementia and had been moved to a convalescent facility near their Raleigh home. Mrs. Helms said that she visits him daily, and that he has some moments of lucidity.

: and I was just taking a gratuitous swipe (none / 0) (#7)
by scribe on Wed Jan 10, 2007 at 01:22:35 PM EST

at Jesse, not knowing he was by now, in fact, usually and actually incoherent.
I mean, instead of taking policy positions and making arguments that only made him look that way.

i'd have to go back and check (none / 0) (#9)
by cpinva on Wed Jan 10, 2007 at 11:52:45 PM EST

but i believe pfc green had those problems, long before he ever enlisted. again, if memory serves, he was only allowed in because the army lowered its academic, physical and psychological standards, to enable it to meet its recruiting quotas.

i have to wonder how many other pfc greens there are currently serving, just waiting for an opportunity to explode?

don't forget the other 3 deaths from this (none / 0) (#10)
by TheOtherWA on Thu Jan 11, 2007 at 01:17:30 PM EST

NYTimes

The two soldiers were identified Monday as Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, 23, of Houston, and Pfc. Thomas L. Tucker, 25, of Madras, Ore. A third soldier, Specialist David J. Babineau, 25, of Springfield, Mass., was killed when insurgents attacked the three at a traffic checkpoint.

The deaths of these three servicemen, and the torture of two of them, was revenge for the murder of the Iraqi family. All because someone let Green into the Army, and someone else sent him back into the field after knowing he was unstable.

Steven Green and killings (none / 0) (#11)
by SoleahKirsnerova on Fri Jan 19, 2007 at 05:05:34 PM EST

The fact that he tried to tell the army how he was feeling and that he was angry and had those feelings that he did, the homisidal ideations really showed he'd been shoved full of feelings there that he didn't want, he said it was to avenge comrades, who cares what they say or some say that he said before he went to Iraq, he 'want's to kill them all' that was at a time of no pressure, it's not fair to not listen to him when he was really trying to say he couldn't handle it or no, that he didn't like what he was seeing and experiencing around him NO ONE HERE ON THE OUTSIDE REALLY realizes that! that is really messed up - how would anyone out here like to feel a bunch of whatever he did from life before hand which could be or is sad, and then go to the army and then try to express him self but he was really stuck there and YEAH PEOPLE GET ANGY AND VIOLENT WHEN NO ONE LISTENS TO THEM AND WHEN THEY ARE STUCK WITH PRESSURE AND THEIR (SORRY) FRIEND'S HEADS GETTING BLOWN OFF EVERYDAY -- THAT IS REALLY SAD AND SUCKS!! POOR GREEN.. he can't be if it has to be completely helf accountable for that to his life because he was SCREAMING FOR HELP BEFORE THAT AND WHATEVER THEY ALL DID -- BUT WE ALL SHOULD GO EXPERIENCE WHAT THEY HAVE OR DID IN THE TRIANGLE OF WHERE THEY WERE - DEATH OR AT LEAST read those newspaper and online articles before anyone or body goes do judge because THAT DOES MESS UP A PERSON'S PSYCH AND THEIR INNER INHABITIONS AND HE KNOWS THAT NOW- THAT REALLY MUST SUCK AND BE HURTFUL TO KNOW YOU TRIED, OR HE TRIED AND NO ONE REALLY LISTENED, THE ARMY THE COUNSELORS THE PSCHOLOGISTS WHO I DOUBT THEY TALKED TO OR HE, DIDN'T CARE... I BET PEOPLE really forgot what it's like TO NOT HAVE A VOICE and to have their feelings hurt in the middle of that place in iraq when they go thinking about Steven Green.. talk about rape? i could say a lot or analize that too, he must have felt raped... poor guy ... really
and no one does blame bush enough for now even sending 20,000 ??? who cares so to speak -- i bet that's why Steven Green looks like he came as a sign like who's really going to care enough?

steven green and killings (none / 0) (#12)
by SoleahKirsnerova on Fri Jan 19, 2007 at 05:19:31 PM EST

Regarding that Steven Green tried to have someone listen to what he was saying is what I mean - not "help"
because he didn't need help as much as to leave the war and have someone actually listen to someone saying they don't like seeing the people's around them heads blown off and body parts including (their friends of the past...
i bet he's still hurt by it
AND NO ONE CARES
the couselors didn't talk to him enough maybe he needed that.. listen is the right word
but has anyone heard of that in the army, a friend or someone to talk to him? he sounded like one in a certain newspaper article if anyone would actually read them and listen, like a fun loving or whatever guy with a jive to him - maybe he could have used someone to talk to HIS WHOLE life...
by saying i doubt he even talked to a psycholigist i meant that they weren't trained enough .. that's what i mean and meant by that
AND THAT IS WHY HE WAS ANGRY
AND NOW HE'S GETTING BLAMED FOR IT
BECAUSE
NO ONE LISTENED TO HIM
AND MAYBE HE'D EVEN THINK "THEM - LIKE AS IN ANYONE IN THE WAR
and that they should think about the counselors, army people and jugdes
how WOULD THEY LIKE IT TO BE THERE IN THE TRIANGLE OF DEATH AMIDST BLOOD SPRAYING ON HIS FACE FROM HIS GUY HE WAS JUST TALKING TO A SECOND AGO AND FRIEND
I BET HE WAS ALSO THINKING ABOUT THAT, STEVEN GREEN, NOW AND THIS WHOLE TIME THROUGH
THAT IS SO NOT FAIR

steven green and killings (none / 0) (#13)
by SoleahKirsnerova on Fri Jan 19, 2007 at 05:31:28 PM EST

i really do mean, steven green, poor guy

steven green and killings (none / 0) (#14)
by SoleahKirsnerova on Fri Jan 19, 2007 at 05:32:23 PM EST

steven green, poor guy

Steven green and ? (none / 0) (#15)
by SoleahKirsnerova on Mon Jan 22, 2007 at 02:32:25 PM EST

I am sure a lot of people don't actually think about what it is like to experience a friend's death... and Steven Green had a lot of them, and also just more people around him!
I know what it is like because after living in a different state and town then my past friends and home, and coming back to visit, I almost caught one of my best guy friends right before he killed himself, after 3 years of living somewhere else and it happened just right then At that time! He, Steven Green can say, "yeah it happened right in front of me" and he could say that a lot, since a lot of people died in front of him... I understand... and sounds silly, but I am also his astrological sign, which I don't put much on but I can see that maybe he is sensitive or emotional and likes his freedom, because I'm that way too. I also flipped out on a lot of people as I rushed back to the town I live in again now where my good friend killed himself - so I recognize something like the feeling or energy around him in those pictures, which also looks like when you know you did something wrong, but maybe he couldn't help it, because he was in iraq in a war surrounded by those people, because I have got so mad and finally stood up for myself or just simply came out and over the edge when my friend died. But it is not fair because that is a senstive time period and he's got too much more if he's been egged on and complimented for killing too and all of that sort of thing... poor guy.
Plus no I know what it's like to feel seperate from people since it's like all us old friends act or just don't like each other anymore, but we do, I'm almost a loner but I don't like it, and it hurts, I think I would have thought it was funny if like an excerpt, if I saw him turn the volume up over and over again 'til people left because that is cute and funny

steven green ? (none / 0) (#16)
by SoleahKirsnerova on Mon Jan 22, 2007 at 02:58:18 PM EST

After experiencing a friend's death, but not right in front of me mind you, it's not that I "finally stood up for myeself," but that someone or something got a little too close to me in a way, because I didn't appreciate feelings or something that before that I used to flirt with, that used to be okay or more normal, that is a sensitive moment which stretches, and it is a touchy subject.. as is his freedom, being a taurus, which I only give quality to or something after hearing that Steven Green is too, because I understand, it is the same thing.
Plus I bet people should understand the or a need and want for intimacy in any way - especially when you're being told you can't leave the army, and any guy his age could just go drinking with his buddies instead to feel someone touch him... again i say it's not fair and poor guy.. a guy, a male

steven green ? (none / 0) (#17)
by SoleahKirsnerova on Mon Jan 22, 2007 at 03:18:59 PM EST

and what I used to "flirt with" OR that was more normal just like he could have flirted with the army or military or be used to it right before he accidentally went over the edge... it is obvious he was a senstive person before he joined the military
he could have just thought he had to
for some reason
but he ALWAYS was been pumped full - like a strong stream and current a warm blanket a cloud which fills and surrounds the brain and the skin on his head, of the army and military's ideals, ideas and motivations while he was there and maybe even before that, everyone hears, go make everything right in a way, obviously clear your name too, if he thought he had to, from being so called rude in a town which could have just not known he was trying to make friends or talk to people right before he got his feelings hurt if he did and then think okay so I might have to shelter that, but it is kind of obvious you get made fun of if you don't stand up for yourself or protect yourself because that really is true - or (join the army) because it was supposed to help doing drugs or something which so many people have dipped into or something like that
the army should just make it easier to get out.. some people don't even kill ants and are friends with those who would

Steven Green ? (none / 0) (#18)
by SoleahKirsnerova on Fri Jan 26, 2007 at 02:56:26 PM EST

Some people and guys tend to be a little sexual and that is actually really natural, some regular groups of people in regular life between normal regular friends, or people who want to still keep in touch or be friends, do things derived from competition and to make themselves, each other look bigger, like packs of wolves or other animals and hierarchy... friends do it to each other, and aquaintances... and people do it to "play the vibe," to have fun. In bars for per say, it's flirting, guys with girls and girls with guys.... or even just the way we dress, girls that is, and that is why we survive! We have kids even that way! So if you put guys in the army, and surround them with guys killing each other and guns and pain...
First Steven Green stated, maybe like frustrated "I feel like blank the iraqs," was it killing? But he was saying it was upsetting or anger filled because he saw is friends get killed... they said right in front of him a "informant" or a person like that, and iraqi male, walked up and since they were relaxed, pulled a pistol and killed two guys in front of him and Steven Green's condition worsened... but why don't people care about him for that, because he was expressing that he was freaking out about it and because of it and caged up in the army and that is what the puppy was about which is sad but who cares if they are going to drive people to near insanity like that because they don't listen to the 21 year old who needs to be following his sensitivity and has sensitive human animal instincts, and so do his male peers around him in the war, "play the vibe" want to tease females and follow their human instinct... animal/ teasing or what keeps the human species alive, the mating game... to say the least...
and they are in a place where they see, in iraq, all the killing and shooting and that is why they don't like them, and have natural what should be obvious reasons to not like the iraqs, I'd get angry too...
or at least doesn't that make sense, poor guys have to be immeresed in a world a town a country with the eyes of iraqi men and their guns to really not like because they KILL THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM AND their friends or peers
and a guy, like i might, in that situation, or could, gets frustrated... i feel like he must have and what they could defend, but who cars right? because of the iraqs - males and regular iraqs... and if an iraqi did that here, they'd be praised in iraq... it would only be a big deal here not there