Rules Of Engagement Page #9

Colonel Hodges would have you

believe that this crowd was armed.

He would also have you believe

that there is a videotape...

proving this to be true.

There is no tape

exonerating Colonel Childers.

There is no evidence

exonerating Colonel Childers!

Is Colonel Childers a man capable of

killing defenseless, unarmed people?

Is he capable of ordering

the execution...

of innocent

men and women?

Is he capable of executing

P.O.W.s with his own hand?

Unfortunately,

we have shown that he is.

You have heard the sad testimony

of Colonel Cao...

who witnessed Colonel Childers'

barbarism firsthand.

You've even heard

Colonel Childers' own admission...

that his desire was to "waste"

them, regardless of who they were.

Now, we are faced

with the difficult prospect...

of convicting

one of our own.

None of us wants to do this,

but you've heard the facts,

and it is unavoidable.

Colonel Terry Childers ordered

the senseless slaughter...

of a peaceful crowd!

Now, as marines,

we do not get the luxury

of covering up our mistakes.

We must air them,

there by ensuring

that they never happen again.

Thank you.

That's sovereign

United States territory...

as much as if it were

in Ohio or Maryland.

Colonel Childers didn't

volunteer to go over there.

He was ordered to go there because

he was the best man for the job.

We armed him.

We trained him.

We sent him over there to risk

his life to save other Americans.

And then ask him

not to return fire?

There are over 300 bullet holes

in this building.

Colonel Childers didn't open fire.

He returned fire.

And he waited until after three

of his marines were dead...

and another lay

mortally wounded.

He waited until he was

personally under heavy fire.

He waited until he saw

that crowd holding weapons.

Only then did he order

his men to return fire.

Under the rules of engagement,

a civilian pointing a weapon...

is no longer a civilian,

and the use of deadly force

is authorized...

in order to save lives.

It's not murder.

It's combat.

Colonel Childers is

the only man alive...

who was in a position

to see that crowd.

But the camera on the embassy

roof had the same point of view.

The government

would have you believe...

there's no tape

from that camera.

I have shown you that that tape was

delivered to the State Department.

Do you believe that tape

got up and walked out...

of the State Department

on its own?

By not producing that tape,

the national security advisor,

Mr. Sokal, has brought dishonor

into this court.

Without that tape, I cannot show

you that the crowd fired first...

and that Colonel Childers

is innocent.

But without that tape,

they cannot prove...

beyond a reasonable doubt

that he's guilty!

Here's my case.

He's all I've got.

Thirty-two years of service,

thirty-two years of heroism

as a United States Marine.

Regardless of

what you decide here,

Colonel Childers' career

as a marine is over.

He will never again

command men in combat.

The ambassador and his family

are alive today because of him.

And I know how

the ambassador feels,

because Colonel Childers

saved my life too.

I'm alive today because of him.

My son is sitting in

this courtroom because of him.

I'm alive today,

and I have a son,

because of the heroism

of Colonel Childers.

To ask this man to risk his life

for his country,

to ask this man to watch

his marines die in his arms...

and call it murder

when he's defending himself,

call it murder for firing back

when fired upon...

To call it murder for saving

the lives of his countrymen...

under the most extreme

of circumstances, that's, uh...

My fellow Marines,

that's hanging him out to dry.

It's worse than leaving him

woundedon a battlefield.

That is something

you do not do...

if you are

a United States Marine.

And it is something that I pray

to God you won't do here either.

- What'd you think?

- You're pretty good.

Yeah. Yeah.

Dad, you were awesome.

Thanks, son.

I'm very glad that I don't

have to sit on that panel, son.

You made it

awful tough on them.

- 15,000 to 25,000...

- Excuse me.

I said no interruptions.

I'm sorry, Mr. Sokal.

It's very important.

Send him in.

Can we pick this up

after lunch, gentlemen?

Absolutely.

Close the door.

What is it, Colonel?

No matter what happens

to Terry Childers tomorrow,

I'm not going to leave

thisjob until I find out...

what happened to that tape.

- Good.

Think it'll ever turn up?

No.

I don't either.

Well, then there's nothing more

for us to talk about, is there?

You ever had a pissed-off

marine on your ass?

Is that a threat?

Oh, yes, sir.

All rise.

Has the panel

reached a verdict?

We have, sir.

Colonel Terry L. Childers, this

court-martial finds as follows.

On the charge

of breach of peace,

the court finds

the defendantguilty.

On the charge of conduct

unbecoming an officer,

the court finds

the defendant not guilty.

On the charge of murder,

the court finds

the defendant not guilty.

This court-martial

is adjourned.

Sentencing will be conducted

at a time to be determined.

Thank you.

- I need one more favor.

- Yeah.

Teach me how to fly-fish.

You are well aware that I know

sh*t about fly-fishing.

Oh.

Colonel.

You realize in light of

Colonel Cao's testimony,

we'll be pushing for charges

on the Ca Lu incident.

That was 30 years ago.

You're going to have

a hard time finding witnesses.

I thought maybe

you'd be willing to testify.

I'll make you a deal.

If you can tell me right now

what the life expectancy was...

for a second lieutenant dropped

into a hot L.Z. in Vietnam in 1968,

I'll tell you everything

I remember about Ca Lu.

- One week.

- Negative.

Sixteen minutes, Major.

Sixteen f***ing minutes.

And that's all I remember.

Sir.

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