I appreciate my career in the Army was a long time ago - but I hear reports that this guy is 38 and only a SSG. I don’t know what his career field is but the reports keep mentioning Special Ops (Civil Affairs I think) - to be just an E-6 at his age and be a veteran of several tours in a Combat Area indicates, to me, this guy had career problems prior to this incident.
I don’t think that Afgani’s will remember (or maybe even know) that some 3,000 men, women, and children were killed on 9/11 in the US - by people directed from their country.
That doesn’t, however, excuse this guys action - I hope they throw the book at him.
For what its worth here are a few details that may answer some questions:
16 March 2012 Last updated at 22:53 GMT
Afghanistan killings suspect: Staff Sergeant Robert Bales
The US Army staff sergeant who allegedly killed 16 Afghans in an early morning rampage has been named as Staff Sergeant Robert Bales.
Even before he was named by US officials, a few details of his life had trickled out.
He was on his fourth deployment to combat zones and had been injured twice on previous tours of duty.
His lawyer, John Henry Browne, told reporters on Thursday that his 38-year-old client was on his way back to a military prison in the US after being moved from Afghanistan to Kuwait. He has not yet been charged.
At the time of speaking, Staff Sergeant Bales had not yet been publicly named.
He was described as a father of two who has served in the US Army for 11 years after enlisting in 2001. According to Mr Browne, the children are aged three and four.
Sergeant Bales is based out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state and is a member of the 3rd Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry.
His deployment with that unit to Afghanistan in December came after three prior combat tours in Iraq.
During his time in Iraq, he was injured twice - a concussion after his vehicle hit a roadside bomb and a combat injury that led to the loss of part of his foot.
According to several US reports, he had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI), and received treatment at Lewis-McChord before being cleared to resume duty.
Mr Browne said that he had met with the family on Wednesday at Lewis-McChord, describing them as "totally shocked". The family has been moved to the base for safety reasons.
According to the lawyer, Sergeant Bales had lived in Washington state near Lewis-McChord for his entire military career. He was originally from the Midwest, working in a "blue-collar" job. He enlisted one week after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Mr Browne has been retained by the soldier's family. He has previously represented a number of high-profile clients including serial killer Ted Bundy and a teenage thief known as the Barefoot Bandit.
'Snapped'
Sergeant Bales stands accused of killing the Afghan villagers in three homes in three different locations in Panjwai district, Kandahar province. The victims were mostly women and children, killed in the early hours of 11 March.
According to reports, he allegedly walked off a base known as Camp Belambay to the nearby villages. Some of the bodies had been set on fire.
He returned to the base and surrendered his weapon.
An anonymous US official confirmed to the New York Times that the soldier had been drinking alcohol the evening before the attack.
"When it all comes out, it will be a combination of stress, alcohol and domestic issues - he just snapped," the US military official said.
Alcohol use in a combat zone is a violation of military rules, and any officers who were drinking with him will face disciplinary action.
Mr Browne pushed back against suggestions of marital and alcohol problems, saying the soldier had "a very healthy marriage".
According to the family, Sergeant Bales saw a friend's leg blown off the day before the shootings, Mr Browne said. The incident reportedly affected all the soldiers at the base, but the sergeant was standing next to the man when he was injured.
This incident has not been otherwise confirmed.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-17403836