Four years on and ITV are so right to use this particular time to highlight the shocking disdain that the family of Terry Lloyd and his film crew have been shown by US authorities since they were killed by US forces. The BBC covers the story HERE.
In the past I have received criticism from some Liberal Democrats by suggesting that the Americans have done anything wrong, even in the case of Lance Corporal Matty Hull, but the evidence is clear to see in this case. Chunks of video footage have even been deleted by the US with 15 minutes of key evidence mysteriously edited out of the tapes the US did eventually produce that showed Terry Lloyds death. The US servicemen named by ITV news admitted they did not even know there had been an enquiry in to his death, such is the lack of interest from the US. However, the inquest does bring up one serious question, and that is to do with uneven laws between the US and the UK.
If the USA wants to extradite a UK citizen, they are able to do so without us really having a chance to defend ourselves in the UK. This has been shown with the extradition of the Nat West four. But when it is in reverse, as it is in the case where the Coroner in to Terry Lloyd's death argued that the UK should extradite the US soldiers and they should face trial, the UK has no power to request their extradition. The UK's relationship is hardly one of equals, but surely that shouldn't be reflected in our laws too. I wonder what would happen if a UK soldier killed an American journalist ?
1 comment:
Well people may have a point about anti-Americanism - if the media devoted a fraction of the column inches to condemning the Shia and Sunni terrorists who are killing and constantly attacking British soldiers that they have to this incident then you can be damn sure our soldiers wouldnt be feeling so let down and alienated.
I suspect if your hypothetical scenario did occur then the Americans would shrug their shoulders regretfully and accept that it was an accident and that such things happen in wartime. Its only the British that seem to have this peculiar notion that warfare is a precise science where nothing ever ever goes wrong.
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