I think we all remember the shit storm that Iraq Abu Ghraib started and it's effect. I can only imagine as this story spreads what the backlash will be.
CNN Video:
(AP) JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Despite the array of prescription drugs he was taking, an Army soldier's videotaped statement describing how he and his colleagues randomly killed three Afghan civilians appeared to be a reliable account, an investigator testified Monday at a hearing into one of the most serious war-crimes cases to emerge from the Afghan war.
Cpl. Jeremy Morlock of Wasilla, Alaska, is among five Stryker soldiers charged with premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit premeditated murder. In interviews with Army investigators, he described a plot led by Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs to randomly kill civilians while on patrol in Kandahar Province.
Prosecutors have also alleged that members of the platoon mutilated Afghan corpses and even collected fingers and other body parts, and that some posed for photos with Afghan corpses.
The Army is strictly controlling access to several grisly photos of U.S. soldiers holding up Afghan corpses, images that were uncovered as part of an investigation into alleged war crimes.
Earlier this month, Army prosecutors at Joint Base Lewis-McChord turned over the photos to a military representative of civilian attorneys representing five soldiers accused of murdering three Afghan civilians and other crimes.
But an Army commander decided the photos should not be released. In an unusual move, prosecutors then demanded defense representatives at the base return the computer disk containing the photos, according to attorneys involved in the case.
The decision reflects concern among the Army's senior leadership that publication of such evidence could anger Afghan civilians at a time the United States is trying to win support for a counterinsurgency campaign against the Taliban.
there are many many similar instances like this. only difference most of those events dont make it back to us or to the news. but dont worry, every afghan civilian killed only strengthens the insurgency's recruitment pool and reserves and their willingness to fight. its a self defeating act.
So sick, but at the same time you have to think if the combination of drugs and extended periods of time in warzones completely desensitizes someone. It is still inexcusable though.
Clearly, the hashish is to blame. The thing that's not mentioned here is that the father of one of the soldiers (who knew about what was going on) attempted to report this to the higher ups, but these didn't really do anything with the information. The father didn't press the issue, because his son was scared shitless of these killers and asked him to back off. Anyway, I think I got that from TheRealNews : + Show Spoiler +
I love how the attorney almost can't suppress a dumbstruck grin after being asked that single moronic "question".
On September 28 2010 09:28 Diuqil wrote: Wow. My respect for U.S Soldiers gets lower and lower every day.
Because all U.S. soldiers must be just like these ones. Generalizing is fun.
When you hear of so many story's like these, you think I'm going to like them? Then the Afghans are the ones getting called terrorists when they are trying to protect their people.
On September 28 2010 09:41 wadadde wrote: Clearly, the hashish is to blame. The thing that's not mentioned here is that the father of one of the soldiers (who knew about what was going on) attempted to report this to the higher ups, but these didn't really do anything with the information. The father didn't press the issue, because his son was scared shitless of these killers and asked him to back off. Anyway, I think I got that from TheRealNews : + Show Spoiler +
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL6fpUWLgOQ
I love how the attorney almost can't suppress a dumbstruck grin after being asked that single moronic "question".
You won't go apeshit and kill people because of hashish. These people are mentally ill.
On September 28 2010 09:28 Diuqil wrote: Wow. My respect for U.S Soldiers gets lower and lower every day.
Because all U.S. soldiers must be just like these ones. Generalizing is fun.
When you hear of so many story's like these, you think I'm going to like them?
By all means, disrespect the ones responsible. But you generalizing that all U.S. troops are scumbags is the same brand of discrimination that these war-criminals use to generalize that all Arabs are terrorists.
On September 28 2010 09:34 Kezzer wrote: So sick, but at the same time you have to think if the combination of drugs and extended periods of time in warzones completely desensitizes someone. It is still inexcusable though.
Yea, i agree. Although, this is inexcusable, this isn't a reflection of all US Soldiers. Don't generalize. With that being said, I still think the situation is extremely messed up right now.
Sure, its bad, but is anyone really shocked at this? How could you be?
Over a million US troops have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in a hostile war situation. Some of them are bound to be crazy or break under the pressure. They are all carrying enough weapons to kill hundreds of people, so when someone does have a meltdown its extremely likely to be serious.
We should do all we can to prevent event like this occurring, but to be honest they are completely inevitable in a situation such as this and shouldn't lower your respect for soldiers of either side any more than some wacko shooting people in a mall lowers your respect for the rest of the public.
Do you think the military is made up of people in the top 10% of their class in high school or the bottom 10%?
People are not nice. The world is not a nice place. Worse shit than this happens everywhere in the world. That doesn't make it excusable, but it happens. I am willing to tolerate, to a certain extent, a violation of my morals to ensure that I can keep on living my comfortable life.
Does valuing myself, my family, and my friends, and my countrymen over strangers make me a bad person? Possibly, but it doesn't bother me much as long as I just compartmentalize it.
On September 28 2010 09:28 Diuqil wrote: Wow. My respect for U.S Soldiers gets lower and lower every day.
Because all U.S. soldiers must be just like these ones. Generalizing is fun.
When you hear of so many story's like these, you think I'm going to like them?
By all means, disrespect the ones responsible. But you generalizing that all U.S. troops are scumbags is the same brand of discrimination that these war-criminals use to generalize that all Arabs are terrorists.
I'm not disrespecting nobody. I'm not calling the soldiers "baby killers." Okay, let me rephrase my comment then.
"My respect for MOST U.S. soldiers gets lower and lower every day"
On September 28 2010 09:28 Diuqil wrote: Wow. My respect for U.S Soldiers gets lower and lower every day.
Because all U.S. soldiers must be just like these ones. Generalizing is fun.
When you hear of so many story's like these, you think I'm going to like them?
By all means, disrespect the ones responsible. But you generalizing that all U.S. troops are scumbags is the same brand of discrimination that these war-criminals use to generalize that all Arabs are terrorists.
I'm not disrespecting nobody. I'm not calling the soldiers "baby killers." Okay, let me rephrase my comment then.
"My respect for MOST U.S. soldiers gets lower and lower every day"
But MOST soldiers are not doing anything remotely like the incident described in the OP, so what is lowering your respect?
On September 28 2010 09:45 sob3k wrote: Sure, its bad, but is anyone really shocked at this? How could you be?
Over a million US troops have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in a hostile war situation. Some of them are bound to be crazy or break under the pressure. They are all carrying enough weapons to kill hundreds of people, so when someone does have a meltdown its extremely likely to be serious.
We should do all we can to prevent event like this occurring, but to be honest they are completely inevitable in a situation such as this and shouldn't lower your respect for soldiers of either side any more than some wacko shooting people in a mall lowers your respect for the rest of the public.
On September 28 2010 09:45 sikyon wrote: Do you think the military is made up of people in the top 10% of their class in high school or the bottom 10%?
People are not nice. The world is not a nice place. Worse shit than this happens everywhere in the world. That doesn't make it excusable, but it happens. I am willing to tolerate, to a certain extent, a violation of my morals to ensure that I can keep on living my comfortable life.
Does valuing myself, my family, and my friends, and my countrymen over strangers make me a bad person? Possibly, but it doesn't bother me much as long as I just compartmentalize it.
Great. So the implied message is that wars like this one keep you safe and wealthy. How delightfully insightful. I would say that ranking the lives of strangers based on whether they're part of your imaginary club makes you a real dick indeed. Many people are dicks, probably most of them. I do find it dishonest to put friends and family in the same category as countrymen, even if you really feel that way. There's a real and extremely crucial difference between people you've a personal connection to and ones you don't.
EPT
