Well, the charges are still unproven, but the evidence is strong that after a member of their unit was killed, 12 troops then:

entered homes and shot and killed 15 members of two families, including a 3-year-old girl

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002199897
Most likely happened along with much more we dont know about. The troops are probably hallucinating from war fatigue at this point.

Its worn me out just reading about it day in day out.  

its a stupid situation where in one day the guy your helping turn on his electric is thanking you and the next he is shooting at you.

would mess my head up

[were loosening up on swearing around here, but the f-word is still verboten. -Max]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1174682,00.html

From last November, a similar massacre.

Similar ?  it seems to be the same one.

Its the USMC SOPs that are to blame & the general warfighting attitude that causes these sorts of things to escalate.

seems to be a case of blast everyone in sight as soon as an IED goes off - was an article in the economist citing similar concerns re: civillans getting popped off regularly about a year ago. They even shoot at civilian cars just for trying to overtake thier convoys "in case they are suicide bombers" - this has also led to them shooting at british land rovers (civilian & on occassions military with union jacks flying) "because they looked suspicious". -

Also on telic 2 the US marines came though basrah province - the brits wouldnt let them anywhere near the city yet they still killed more iraqis in 2 weeks than the british had in 6 months in the same area.

completely different attitude & completely different rules of engagement - they are faced with counter insurgency ops and they are still in warfighting mode - the iraqis on the ground see the difference & generally dont like the whole shoot first ask questions later attitude.

Unlike UK troops very few of the US ones have ever been trained in peacekeeping roles so they dont know how to act. In many cases they end up stressed out of their minds with a very high pulse rate. Its been suggested that people in that sort of situation can act as if they are partially autistic.

or they may just be gun happy.

Its probable that both happens depending on the situation and soldiers involved, what is obvious is that the Americans need to change their training to include peacekeeping roles.

Ours Soldiers experience isnt just limited to the UK though, we go all around the globe to help out commonwealth countries and then theres the UN work.

With the Americans you have to include their entire world outlook and home life.