Today I am now 200% certain that the Afghanistan is done. It is over, finished, send the troops home, or maybe for some, off to jail.
By now I am sure many of you, if not all of you, have at least seen the headline about some US Marines urinating on the dead bodies of some poor Afghans.
This sort of "conduct" is beyond disgusting. It is a huge propaganda win for the Taliban and every other group, people, or country that opposes the US.
In war you do not like your enemy, but you sure as hell had best respect that enemy. These damned fools have shown to the world that they have no respect at all for their foe. I cannot understand the sort of "leadership" that allows this to happen. Is there an NCO among these troops? If so, did he ever go to NCO school? Did the NCO or squad leader ever get any leadership training ? Do they no longer teach anything in boot camp about the UCMJ and other rules of war? Has the military gone that far down hill since my days in uniform (1968-72)?
These goddamn idiots need to be brought up on charges for this behavior. Even so, the damage is done. It is one thing to commit so sort of outrage, but to video it is something else entirely. And of course, once they get a photo or three and some video, hat do they do? Why, they post it on the net. How else would any of us ever know that they did this "act"? We would never have known if they had not posted it on the internet. If they had done this and kept quiet, it would still be a very vile, inhuman act, but the world might never know that it happened.
No, I am NOT saying they should have kept it off the net. I AM saying they should have known that this is NOT what one does to an enemy. This is more like the very bad old days of the Mongol hoards and the Huns rampaging across the fields and hills of our distant past. I know that war is very barbaric, but this sort of "act" is not forgivable, no way, no how.
The sad thing is, we have no way of knowing how many times an "act" like this has happened in any of the damn fool wars of choice that the US military is in.
Some will say that in war, all sorts of nasty things happen and that this one is no worse than some other "act" in some other war. That misses the point. The point is that even in war, you have to respect the enemy. You have to have certain standards, morals.
That this happened is so sad. It shows to me that there is no real leadership in the military. At some point in these troops basic training they should have been taught that this sort of thing is a crime. They should have had a basic lecture in the UCMJ and the rules of war.
America claims to be a "Christian" nation. And yet, we turn out troops like these goddamn assholes. Or, maybe I am just too stupid for words and this "act" is OK fine by "American Christian" standards. No matter, I just know for certain that this sort of vile behavior cannot be allowed to happen. Not only do these morons need to answer for their actions, their superiors need to be held to account also.
These damn clowns make me ashamed to have been a Marine. They make me ashamed to be an American.
20 comments:
I am cross posting this.
I have not had the words nor have I been able to post on this.
Yes it needs to be exposed and your post is spot on.
Excellent job my friend.
Good post, Charlie. We all know that only the grunts will face the music and probably walk away to the sound of much 'fog of war' utterances. Armies do dehumanize. Sometimes, as with these barbarians, their job in doing so isn't difficult.
First let me say that I in no way condone this behavior by our troops. That being said, my first feeling was that these guys are scared to death. This is a form of whistling past the graveyard. Basically they don't feel that they've got any backing from a government they know is corrupt and has sent them to a hellish spot to create more hell there; while they hear that everyone is supposed to "support the troops", they know they will be very lucky indeed to still have jobs if and when they are released from military duty; they hear that medical benefits and pensions are under threat. Many probably have families struggling to get by at home. Not one in a hundred would admit it now, but I think internally they are questioning what they're doing and all that doubt and angst is being expressed in ugly ways. And I could be wrong, of course.
RZ,
Thank you my friend. I really appreciate your comments. I am humbled by your choosing this post for use on your site. Thank you.
Tony,
Thank you for your comments.
Yes, us ground pounders got the city jobs and the jet jockeys got the "glory". There is no glory in war. There is only brutality, blood, guts (spilled out of course) and gore amid the noise, sights and smells that stay with you for life. War, the "gift" that keeps on giving.
gesneri,
Great comment.
Yes, they were/are scared. Very much so. Being in a firefight does that to you.That does not excuse their behavior though.
OK, there were atrocities committed in Vietnam just as in the current wars of choice. Actually, every war has had its share of atrocities. War IS an atrocity. Still, you have to respect your enemy. Even old Sun Tzu says so.The enemy gets dehumanized more than enough in boot camp. I went through that in 68.
This is not the worst to get reported. Just a few weeks ago there were articles about the troops collecting fingers or ears or other "parts". There were supposedly some who collected ears in the Vietnam war also. Maybe the fire bases Iw as at with 5th Marine Regiment were "out of it" as I never knew of anybody who had such a collection. If I had seen any such collection that memory would be burned into my brain along with all the other memories of that war.
I am not so sure that the troops feel the government isn't supporting them very much. No doubt some may think so. I cannot speak for them. The public says they support them but still think the wars need to end.
I support the troops by wanting the wars to end now and bring ALL the trips home, not twosome base in that area, but out of Iraq and/or afghanistan.
The mess at Fallujah was bad enough, with the white phosphorus and all. This incident just pushed me over the top as it were.
IF the troops are starting to think they have been screwed by the government, than I say that is good. They didn't realize what they were getting into when they enlisted. That you can take to your safe zone. I would have said you can take it to the bank, but not now after seeing how the banksters have done us all in.
It is shameful and a true national disgrace the way the troops have been and continue to be mistreated once they come home. Those with serious, life changing wounds get it even worse. I DO have great compassion for them all. I try my best to help them any way I can and will always do so. I do not disrespect the troops, not even those in the video.
What I do reject is any justification for what they did in the video. This sort of thing always happens in a war. It does not however, justify such actions.
This is very hard for me to explain. Ket me just say that if you have ever been in a war, as part of one of the fighting forces or as a civilian bystander/reporter, then you know what I mean and have been trying to explain here. If you have no personal experience of war, then I doubt I can get you to understand my feelings on this. War is the sort of thing that really does make "You had to have been there" a true statement. Those who have been there know what those who never went can never know.
My real, deepest wish about any war is that we never fight another one. War destroys, period.
Lets please keep in mind that these guys are Marine Snipers.
Not your ordinary run of the mill grunt.
They went through major discipline training.
They went through heavy mental tests before they would qualify as a sniper.
I very much doubt these guys were thinking about their military benefits when they looked through their scope.
Snipers are generally despised among their other comrades.
They see it as a cowardly [MOS} profession.
Sort of like Mc Cain when he dropped the bombs over Nam.
No mano o mano glory there.
RZ,
Thank you for the information. I verified the unit on the net this afternoon. They were from a sniper unit with 3rd battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment out of Camp LeJeune, North Carolina.
I see where "cousin" Leon has made the usual "we are so sorry. We promise we won't do it again. It was just a couple (4 or5) of "bad apples". In short, he gave the usual total bovine excrement speech designed to cover the rear areas of the higher ranking generals and of course the Secretary of Defense.
I want this to be clear on my view of this "incident". The urinating on the dead bodies is beyond disgusting, and I did a tour in Vietnam 1970-71, so I know what happens in a war zone. This urination is just the final straw as I said in the post. The dead bodies that these clowns urinated on is THE outrage. The fact that since the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, the USA has created something over 4 Million refugees. hat number includes both those who fled their home country and those who are internally displaced. "We" have also killed well over 100,000 human beings in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those deaths are the true outrage, this "incident" is just the latest straw that has been piled on since the first US troops hit Afghan soil after the 9/11 attacks.
This urination is a wake up call people. We need to occupy the whole country. We need to stand up together and in one voice shout ENOUGH!!!!
Enough of all the damn fool wars of choice. Enough of the endless wars for endless profits for the "too big to jail" banksters and their pals in the war industries. Enough of the lies that have placed the burden of a failed economic policy and financial deregulation on the working class and the poor to pay the bill that these morons have run up.
ENOUGH!
I believe there are things you know about war that I don't, Charlie, and I hope I don't learn them, for being in a war is the only way to do that. My own experience was not to go to Viet Nam. To avoid the war. My brother went and we're different to this day. I've never spoken with him about Viet Nam.
Looking back on Viet Nam, as I did when the invasion of Iraq occurred, it became apparent to me that I had somehow chalked Viet Nam up as something I had outgrown, I was a teenager at the time, and that I had subconsciously assumed that our nation had 'outgrown' with me. That it was a terrible mistake that would not be repeated.
Iraq put the lie to that. And as Iraq and Afghanistan and Lebanon and Gaza and Yemen and Somalia and Libya and Iran ... as they all wore on I began to contemplate our national history, and the realization of what our nation really is began to dawn upon me.
Mark Twain was a great writer, a great 'humorist', a great American who died with a broken heart. He forbade the publication of his autobiographical writings for one hundred years after his death and those years have just run out and his autobiographical works are now being published.
Read The Greatest Victory Ever Achieved by the Soldiers of the United States part 1, and part 2.
One hundred years later Kurt Vonnegut died of the same broken heart.
I remember the stories about Woodrow Wilson, the college-president President. Murderous imperialist sonofabitch is what he was, I know now. Just like Barack Obama. Just like Andrew Jackson.
Everything I thought I knew was and is wrong. I can accept it all now. I have to, don't I. The Germans had to and the Israelis will have to, too. Have to accept it and atone for it. Atone... at one. We have to rejoin the human race... not the one that murders then pisses on its victims, the one that aspires to an honorable life, a natural life, a life among brothers and sisters, grateful for and solicitous toward the continued well-being of the graceful abundance dealt us for free by our miraculous planet.
We have to stop being the damn, vicious fools that we have been first. As soon as possible. Certainly before we start a nuclear war, or let Israel start a nuclear war with Iran.
We have to so it, somehow. Our 'leaders' are frauds, all of them, following the carrots held out to them by the banksters and other corporate criminals, not thinking or caring about the disaster that's coming as sure the sun is rising the day after tomorrow.
Then we have humbly to pick up the pieces.
JFL
Well said.
"..grateful for and solicitous toward the continued well-being of the graceful abundance dealt us for free by our miraculous planet." Well said, JFL. Actually many things you said. You too, Charlie. Thank you for the thoughtful dialogue on what is going on. Something sorely lacking these days.
I agree with the title of this post and I think returning home and paying the going rate for Opium is our best choice.
Damn fool wars of choice! Well put!
Peace.
My nephew has just been deployed to Afghanistan. I think the actions of these fools really puts him at greater risk.
I have nothing to add to the excellent comments, but (on an entirely different matter) I wonder if your readers have seen this on the possibility of a false flag operation on Iran??
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/220979.html
It is written by a Marine officer who seems to have a good idea of what is going on. But--then again--who knows for sure.
Mike W
Thanks for the link its up.
If Iran is attacked all of our troops in the region will be in danger.
We are having major missile defense drills in Israel, more troops laying over in Kuwait, more naval forces in/going to the gulf.
I fear that this time it may be more than sabre rattling.
Bibi had a chat with O, Camreron went to Riyadh.
Seem that they are circling the wagons.
Russia has warned us NOT to attack Iran, as it would be an encroachment upon them.
Beware of false flags.
It's testimony to the depravity of 'our' government over the past decade+ that none of us can dismiss out of hand the possibility of our own navy sinking one of our ships in order to start a war with Iran.
That's what I mean when I say that it's up to us, literally... everyone 'above' us in the chain of command, as it were, is utterly corrupted.
There's news now of the Israelis' having made their terrorist squads in Iran appear to be CIA. Washington is shocked! And outraged! Bullshit. They knew and looked the other way... or they helped!
US/Israeli terrorism… the ‘good’ terrorists. The most recent stuff is at the bottom.
There seems to be no way that these bastards cannot know how dangerous their plans are at this time, and how vanishingly small any possible benefit would be if it were all to go, somehow, according to 'pipe-dream'.
Which indicates that they just do not care. Their own personal wealth and comfort is sufficient reward for them to sell us all... that's all of us in America, in Israel, in Iran and Iraq and in the whole of the Middle East... and in the world once someone, somewhere lets the nukes fly... down the drain.
Thank you all for the outstanding comments. I am just blown away by you all. John, excellent comments and the links are great.
Mike, I fear for your nephew. This latest "incident" WILL put every US/NATO person in extra danger. This is another reason I get so pissed at the morons who lead the country. They go off to foreign places with NO understanding of the culture they are getting into. The Pashtun have a long history of "honor killings" and their ideas of revenge are foreign to US?European mind set. This urinating "incident" is just more reason for them to get back at every US/NATO person they come across. IF, and it is a very big if, we had taken the time to get to know where we were going, maybe it could have been better. Actually, this is another war that never should have happened.
The "hunt" for bin-Laden should never have involved a full on invasion.
Again, thank you all for your excellent comments.
John,
I agree that the zionist entity allowing their covert clowns passing themselves off as CIA is very worrying. Of course Gobomber and the entire government of the US will never utter a word of negativity over it. "We" have been sold out my friend. The US is the clown who does as the zionist entity wished us to do.
We the people are screwed, our own government has no thought or care about us, they live to please their masters and that is not "we the people".
Gov. Perry: Urinating on Dead Afghans Not a Crime
' “These kids made a mistake,” insisted Perry, adding that “to call it a criminal act is over the top.” '
The race to the bottom among contenders for the Republicrat half of the duopol nomination continues.
I certainly agree that 'this is another war that never should have happened. The "hunt" for bin-Laden should never have involved a full on invasion.'
In fact bin Laden seemed surprised by 9/11.
Although he eventually 'took credit' for it, it was as Noam Chomsky put it, "like me taking credit for winning the Boston Marathon".
There was no investigation of 9/11 because it would have turned up the agents who actually ran the Saudis who died 'for the cause". My bet is Mossad, because the CIA didn't and doesn't have the competence to run such a false flag operation.
Never forget the 'dancing Israelis'... just in town to 'document the event'.
Sometimes it's so difficult to paper over the obvious that you have to use a full on invasion to cover it.
The secret is to do a crime so heinous, so 'unimaginable', so destructive to the 'exceptional' narrative that the general populace becomes your accomplice in the cover-up.
John,
Yes I saw that where Perry said it wasn't "that bad". What morons we have running to be president. All I can say is I am disgusted beyond belief. How can such a clown be considered as being capable of holding any public office?
Yes, the "dancing Israelis" is one that has never been really answered by the US government. No doubt it never will be. Now we see where they send their spies out to recruit terrorists but say that they are CIA. With friends like that. Well, this is what happens when they allow some people to do anything at all with no accountability.
Well, one fewer voice of unreason, Charlie...
' Rick Perry has withdrawn from the race for the Republican US presidential nomination and endorsed Newt Gingrich as the best man to take on Barack Obama in November's election.'
...still too many more in contention
I saw a comment on the pissing 'soldiers' this morning... from a right-wing site.
This is why people appreciate Ron Paul for his stance on aggressive American warfare. He's the only candidate for POTUS from either wing of the sprawling Duopol Mansion speaking the truth about America's degeneration into a worldwide aggressor... just like Germany or Japan sixty years ago.
They say Hitler was elected... he was not, he was appointed by Hindenberg... but the USA looks to elect an avowed aggressor in 2012. All the Duopols embrace aggression.
I'll vote for Rocky Anderson if I have the chance, or Ron Paul, or I'll write someone in ... but we really have to face facts : it's very unlikely that we're going to have a worthy POTUS in office for the next four years.
Which is all the more reason to fight tooth and nail to Occupy the House, District by District over the next two elections, and forward...
In fact I think that Rocky Anderson, who's created his own Justice Party, ought to be working hard for Justice Party candidates in every district... to the point of recruiting them in the course of his stumping for POTUS.
The House has been ineffective because it's been bought. But that's where the power lies. We need to Occupy the House and to seize power.
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