So does this make your blood boil?

[Boges]

This is not like Abu Ghraib. That was about torture and humiliation of live prisoners.

These guys are dead. Presumably they were trying to kill these soldiers before they died.

It's OK to kill the guys but defiling their bodies is somehow so much worse? I can't judge the mindset of a soldier in combat. And I don't think any of us can unless we have been in similar situations.

I'm not saying it's right. They shouldn't be doing this. But what type of punishment should be served? Of course if it's found that this video is for real.

Edited January 12, 2012 by Boges

[Topaz]

Here's another article on that topic. What do expect from the US soldiers, when they have been brainwashed by the Bush-Cheney gang of the evil Taliban, even though this evil Taliban had visited the White House early in 2001. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/canada-in-afghanistan/Karzai+Taliban+condemn+abuse+video/5984342/story.html

[prairiechickin]

The Taliban deserve zero respect, either in life or death. These assholes throw acid in the faces of little Afgan girls for having the nerve to go to school. They're not soldiers, they're fanatical lunatics from another century. Kill 'em all and piss on every one of 'em for all I care.

[guyser]

We know soldiers have a certain macabre sense of humour, as do Docs, Ambulance drivers et al. We can give them that.

The part that is stupid , as in monumentally stupid , is videotaping it and letting it out.

Taliban wants to kill soldier...soldier does a better job, and to add indsult, pisses on him.

Giant meh....until the tape comes out.

Then I wag a finger and say, 'gonna cost you tons Mr Serviceman"

[Wild Bill]

We know soldiers have a certain macabre sense of humour, as do Docs, Ambulance drivers et al. We can give them that.

The part that is stupid , as in monumentally stupid , is videotaping it and letting it out.

Taliban wants to kill soldier...soldier does a better job, and to add indsult, pisses on him.

Giant meh....until the tape comes out.

Then I wag a finger and say, 'gonna cost you tons Mr Serviceman"

Yeah, it will. Taping was a dumb thing to do. However, the criticism does seem to be rather one-sided. Nobody says boo about atrocities committed by Taliban and other Islamist radicals.

I think that's because when you criticize someone or something in the West someone actually listens and might care about what you think! Taliban types would just snort and ignore you. If you became too much of a pest about it they'd likely shoot you without a second's thought!

There's no fun in being righteous when you don't have an audience.

[bud]

Nobody says boo about atrocities committed by Taliban and other Islamist radicals.

yes wild bill. no one says anything about atrocities committed by taliban and other radicals.

[guyser]

Yeah, it will. Taping was a dumb thing to do. However, the criticism does seem to be rather one-sided. Nobody says boo about atrocities committed by Taliban and other Islamist radicals.

Oh I dont know about that. The armies of both countries have a code of conduct they are too follow.(Can/USA)

The taliban has no code, just conduct. Seeing things like this not only helps the taliban but puts a bad spin on the Americans.

[Guest American Woman]

Here's another article on that topic. What do expect from the US soldiers, when they have been brainwashed by the Bush-Cheney gang of the evil Taliban, even though this evil Taliban had visited the White House early in 2001. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/canada-in-afghanistan/Karzai+Taliban+condemn+abuse+video/5984342/story.html

Canadians troops were in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban, too. Our troops have not been "brainwashed by the Bush-Cheney gang" - they can see for themselves what the Taliban is capable of.

Furthermore, if this video is authentic, it apparently involves 4 marines out of the 20,000 or so marines serving there. It's hardly representative of US troops' behavior.

[bush_cheney2004]

Here's another article on that topic. What do expect from the US soldiers, when they have been brainwashed by the Bush-Cheney gang of the evil Taliban, even though this evil Taliban had visited the White House early in 2001. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/canada-in-afghanistan/Karzai+Taliban+condemn+abuse+video/5984342/story.html

OK...you have earned this: Let's go back to Somalia and Canada's Airborne Regiment, complete with torture and murder photos. So who "brainwashed" them?

Edited January 12, 2012 by bush_cheney2004

[DogOnPorch]

OK...you have earned this: Let's go back to Somalia and Canada's Airborne Regiment, complete with torture and murder photos. So who "brainwashed" them?

Hey you know the game: Raining fire down on Charlie = WRONG; Chopping off the arms of children given smallpox shots = ZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

[bush_cheney2004]

Hey you know the game: Raining fire down on Charlie = WRONG; Chopping off the arms of children given smallpox shots = ZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

Taliban didn't have any problem with severing Mr. Pearl's head on video. I don't think peeing on corpses meets that standard. Hell, gang bangers pee on living persons...after knocking them out! Talibanski's need to spend some time in Compton.

[DogOnPorch]

Taliban didn't have any problem with severing Mr. Pearl's head on video. I don't think peeing on corpses meets that standard. Hell, gang bangers pee on living persons...after knocking them out! Talibanski's need to spend some time in Compton.

Well...you know...it's only an atrocity if you evil Yankees do it.

Meanwhile...yes...not many outraged comments on the beheading videos which have continued and grown in number since Pearl's brutal murder/execution. I believe it would be against forum rules least we be offended by the violence perpetrated by the enemy.

But if the Headline says:

US Marines Step On Bug

...you know someone will make a thread about it here.

[bush_cheney2004]

But if the Headline says:

US Marines Step On Bug

...you know someone will make a thread about it here.

Hey, didn't we have a "Marine throws puppy over cliff" thread a while back? Damn Marines can't catch a break. Good thing camcorders and smart phones weren't invented in time for General Custer's last stand and subsequent mutilations of the corpses.

[Guest American Woman]

Taliban didn't have any problem with severing Mr. Pearl's head on video.

Ain't that the truth.

I swear, the people that fall all over their 'outrage' are playing right into their hands. That's their best ammunition. Pit one portion of their enemy against the other, and just sit back and watch .....

[Rick]

Save the feigned outrage, is anyone really surprised at that behaviour?

I mean, come on, keep in mind who it is....

And apparently they've identified two of the jarheads....

[DogOnPorch]

Save the feigned outrage, is anyone really surprised at that behaviour?

I mean, come on, keep in mind who it is....

And apparently they've identified two of the jarheads....

The outraged better not watch that one scene in The Pacific where Snafu is trying to land pebbles inside the dead Japanese soldier's skull.

Splip...splop...splash...splish...

[Rick]

If there were a 'like' button DoP, I'd have used it on your post.

[eyeball]

It's hardly representative of US troops' behavior.

All the same your rather offhand dismissal of this must be fairly representative of most Americans thoughts about this. You're generally regarded as a lefty in the U.S. aren't you? I mean, unabashed righties down your way are likely pissing themselves laughing over this.

Do you think there will or should be any public pressure or protests for leniency or even a pardon for these troopers?

[bush_cheney2004]

Do you think there will or should be any public pressure or protests for leniency or even a pardon for these troopers?

Nope...nothing either way. It isn't that big a deal save for the politics. My own infant use to pee on me and I was still alive!

[The_Squid]

"The Taliban does it" is not a legitimate excuse to commit atrocities or other acts that are not allowable by the Geneva convention.

Plus shit like this gets more soldiers killed. It doesn't help at all with respect to fighting an insurgance. Recruiting poster material for more extremists.

[bush_cheney2004]

Plus shit like this gets more soldiers killed. It doesn't help at all with respect to fighting an insurgance. Recruiting poster material for more extremists.

Oh sure...now they are really mad pissed off! LOL!

Edited January 13, 2012 by bush_cheney2004

[cybercoma]

Stay classy, USA! Way to stoop to the level of those you condemn. So much for that moral high-road.

[Shady]

This story gets a big meh, like another poster already stated. There's a reason why war is a pretty bad thing. This is just another reminder. Like it or not, this type of thing goes on in every conflict. Hell, some of the things I've read about Allied soldiers doing to Nazi captives, and killed makes this particular story look like a college hazing.

[dre]

This is good stuff.

Its important that people really understand what actually happens when our leaders best idea to solve a political problem is to send hundreds of thousands of kids to fight hundreds of thousands of other kids to the death.

Fit all the troops with helmet cams, and broadcast the streams on the internet.

[Guest American Woman]

All the same your rather offhand dismissal of this must be fairly representative of most Americans thoughts about this. You're generally regarded as a lefty in the U.S. aren't you? I mean, unabashed righties down your way are likely pissing themselves laughing over this.

To tell the truth, I'm sure most aren't giving it much thought at all.

As for my "rather offhand dismissal," when I responded, it had not been authenticated. I generally don't get all up in arms and condemn people for something that I don't even know is true. Has it since been authenticated? Even if it has, when I responded, I saw that it was 4 out of 20,000 marines, so I'm not going to condemn the whole for the actions of a few any more than I condemn Canadians for the actions of the LAX bomber. I also saw that the US had condemned the acts - clearly said it was against our principles and policies, clearly said that if it was true, the investigation would result in punishment for those involved.

But I stand by what I said. The world should be looking down on the Taliban for their outrage over this as they engage in horrific atrocities on a daily basis. To not do so empowers them. Those who loudly and disgustingly condemn the US for this, who express more outrage than they expressed over a video of the beheading of an innocent man, play right into their hands. Unless you, too, think Daniel Pearl was "asking for it?" In which case, wouldn't one have to say the Taliban was "asking for it?"

Do you think there will or should be any public pressure or protests for leniency or even a pardon for these troopers?

My answer to all the above questions is "no."