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A medic testifying in the trial of Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher – who is accused of killing an injured ISIS prisoner of war in Iraq – shocked trial observers when he testified Thursday that he was responsible for the Islamic militant's death, not Gallagher.

SEAL Team Seven Medic Corey Scott, during cross-examination in the courtroom at Naval Base San Diego, revealed he killed the fighter by asphyxiation after holding his thumb over a breathing tube that had been inserted into the militant's mouth. He also testified that Gallagher stabbed the fighter, but did not kill him.

“Did Chief Gallagher kill this terrorist?” Gallagher's attorney Timothy Parlatore then asked Scott, according to Fox News' Jonathan Hunt.

"No," he replied.

Gallagher, 40, previously pleaded not guilty to premeditated murder and aggravated assault charges stemming from the alleged killing and other alleged instances of firing sniper rounds at civilians in Iraq in 2017.

Gallagher was undergoing a medical screening at Camp Pendleton and was in the process of transitioning to a non-combat advisory role for the Navy SEALs when he was taken into custody in September 2018, his brother Sean said. Gallagher had planned to retire in the spring.

Throughout his 19 years of service, Gallagher earned the Bronze Star with V for Valor twice, a Meritorious Unit commendation and a trio of Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals, among other recognitions and decorations.

He fought in Iraq and Afghanistan several times, reaching the status of what Sean Gallagher described as a “modern-day war hero.”

It was during Gallagher’s final combat deployment, in 2017, that he's alleged to have committed war crimes. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service launched an investigation into Gallagher in April 2018.

Investigators previously have alleged that, while a teen ISIS fighter was receiving medical treatment from SEAL medics, Gallagher walked up and stabbed him in his neck and side with a knife, killing the terrorist. Then, they say, he posed for photographs with the fighter’s body, holding his head in one hand and his blade in the other.

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An absolutely great thing to happen, in my opinion.  A SEAL with immunity from prosecution says he did it which sets up the other SEAL to be freed.  Couldn't have happened to a better prosecutor either.  

What I thought of when I heard about this was how (and it was portrayed in the movie) Desmond Doss, the 7th Day Adventist medical assistant, who refused to carry a gun in World War II and was the first conscientious objector to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor, saved countless numbers of American soldiers and wounded as well as a few Japaneese wounded soldiers in that conflict.  As portrayed in the movie the soldiers who were at the bottom of the cliff who testified about Desmond Doss saving at least three Japaneese wounded soldiers who were said to have died of their wounds (all of them) when they reached the bottom of the hill.  

We instill in our soldiers to kill the enemy and today though we are going to consider a life's sentence for doing exactly what they were taught and ordered to do.  I'm not trying to justify the killing of anyone but when you politicize war you do a great injustice to our men and women who volunteer to put their lives on the line and put at risk our own Nation.  I've never seen war, up close and personal, nor do I care to unless I had to or to defend our Nation and freedoms.  The last thing our military and soldiers need is some pencil pusher, who never has, themselves, seen or experienced combat judge and stand in judgement of someone who has and is at risk of dying due to ongoing combat.

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