Marine Corps probe video showing troops "urinating on dead Taliban"

[jollyjacktar]

I used to go there (AJ) on a regular basis as well because they seemed to be on the whole pretty impartial.  I don't know what happened, but about a year or more ago, I felt they very suddenly lost the bubble and became as unbiased as say CNN/Fox News.  At that point, I stopped going there. 

 

[The Bread Guy]

I'm a fan of them for the same reason. Their coverage of the events in Libya and Egypt earlier this year was top-notch, and their news service is pretty well done. It's funny that they get slagged a lot by people as some kind of "Voice of Jihad", or as though they're the mouthpiece of the Qatari government, but indeed, they tend to seek out a good balance of views.

That may be because I've heard (second- and third-hand, since my Arabic is non-existant) that the Arabic service's coverage is not quite as well-rounded as the English coverage.

 

[TN2IC]

Lt. Col. Allen West speech on the Marines urinating on dead Taliban: “I have sat back and assessed the incident with the video of our Marines urinating on Taliban corpses.
" I do not recall any self-righteous indignation when our Delta snipers Shugart and Gordon had their bodies dragged through Mogadishu. Neither do I recall media outrage and condemnation of our Blackwater security contractors being killed, their bodies burned, and hung from a bridge in Fallujah.
"All these over-emotional pundits and armchair quarterbacks need to chill. Does anyone remember the two Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division who were beheaded and gutted in Iraq?
“The Marines were wrong. Give them a maximum punishment under field grade level Article 15 (non-judicial punishment), place a General Officer level letter of reprimand in their personnel file, and have them in full dress uniform stand before their Battalion, each personally apologize to God, Country, and Corps; videotaped and conclude by singing the full US Marine Corps Hymn without a teleprompter.
“As for everyone else, unless you have been shot at by the Taliban, SHUT YOUR MOUTH, war is hell.

Just stumble across this.. interesting need to say.

Regards,
TN

 

[Redeye]

That may be because I've heard (second- and third-hand, since my Arabic is non-existant) that the Arabic service's coverage is not quite as well-rounded as the English coverage.

I've heard the same, but I don't speak Arabic either. I asked a friend of mine who's a native speaker and she said that it's someone true though it's not particularly slanted it does have more of a pro-Arab tilt.

 

[Sythen]

unless you have been shot at by the Taliban, SHUT YOUR MOUTH, war is hell.

This quote summarizes why I have yet to respond to this. Unless you're a combat veteran, stfu. Reading this thread is like reading erotica written by a group of virgins.

 

[armyvern]

This quote summarizes why I have yet to respond to this. Unless you're a combat veteran, stfu. Reading this thread is like reading erotica written by a group of virgins.

Your professionalism is showing.

 

[Sythen]

Your professionalism is showing.

How's that saying go? Stay in your lane?

Like anyone, I get annoyed when people talk about stuff they know little or nothing about. But when it comes to combat, everyone and their dog is a SME, and it makes me so mad. As I said, if you haven't lived it, stfu. You have nothing useful to add.

 

[Scott]

Maybe what is missing from the video is that the Talibans were on fire and the Marines were just putting them out this way, as water was unavailable.

Humanitarians of the year i say !

Ok, ok....i know........i know........

Well.......those tracer rounds do have a touch of phosphorus on them, and they could have ignited the IED material they might have been carrying....so.................

ditto on "Ok, ok....i know........i know........"  ;D

You guys owe me a new keyboard.

Priceless.

 

[Infanteer]

This quote summarizes why I have yet to respond to this. Unless you're a combat veteran, stfu. Reading this thread is like reading erotica written by a group of virgins.

Putting out combat experience as some sort of status doesn't give one the right to push others out of the conversation nor does it bless one with any special moral standing or unique perspective on the issue.

One doesn't need combat experience to understand that desecrating a corpse is not on, period.  Pointing to the actions of the other guys as some sort of mitigating factor is not on either.

 

[Scott]

Putting out combat experience as some sort of status doesn't give one the right to push others out of the conversation nor does it bless one with any special moral standing or unique perspective on the issue.

One doesn't need combat experience to understand that desecrating a corpse is not on, period.  Pointing to the actions of the other guys as some sort of mitigating factor is not on either.

Yeah, that whole reach for status is so old here, it was done in, like, 2004.

 

[Sythen]

Swinging combat experience like some magic status doesn't give one the right to push others out of the conversation nor does it bless one with any special moral standing or unique perspective on the issue.

One doesn't need combat experience to understand that desecrating a corpse is not on, period.  Pointing to the actions of the other guys as some sort of mitigating factor is not on either.

For starters, yes it does give me a unique perspective. Anyone who has not been there has no right to judge these men. I am NOT condoning their actions, I am saying these self righteous.. people.. have no understanding of what these men went through and need to use their head and keep themselves out of the conversation. STAY IN YOUR LANE.

I do not use the actions of others to mitigate what they did. Though that might be directed at others who have posted, I completely understand their side of the argument. I just don't agree with it.

 

[cupper]

How's that saying go? Stay in your lane?

Like anyone, I get annoyed when people talk about stuff they know little or nothing about. But when it comes to combat, everyone and their dog is a SME, and it makes me so mad. As I said, if you haven't lived it, stfu. You have nothing useful to add.

I for one am offended by being told to STFU, that I have nothing useful to add.

As one who wore the uniform and served, but did not experience combat, I feel that I still can add something useful to the discussion.

To it: By carrying out the act of desecration by urinating on a dead body and furthermore recording said incident, the people involved have lowered themselves to the level of their enemy. In addition, the videos provide oppourtunities for the Tailiban and AQ to exploit as propaganda.

It runs counter to the concepts of CI, when the Afghan people hear of the event, they have more resentment and disdain for American and NATO troops.

Put the situation in context, if the Taliban or AQ put out a video showing bodies of US troops being desecrated, what kind of reaction would come from the American Government, the US public, or the rest of the world?

Unfortunately the people involved didn't stop and ask themselves the same question. And now they will be given a significant amount of time to reflect upon the answer.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

For starters, yes it does give me a unique perspective. Anyone who has not been there has no right to judge these men. I am NOT condoning their actions, I am saying these self righteous.. people.. have no understanding of what these men went through and need to use their head and keep themselves out of the conversation. STAY IN YOUR LANE.

I do not use the actions of others to mitigate what they did. Though that might be directed at others who have posted, I completely understand their side of the argument. I just don't agree with it.

Well, really, no they don't have to. They are here the same as you and entitled to their opinion.

You should really climb off your pedestal and quit looking down your nose at people, just because they don't fit your narrow minded view of what a soldier is. You have the same status as anyone else here and your past has no reflection on that.

People know right from wrong and don't need to have been on a two way range to have that particular epiphany.

As a closer to this particular line, when you buy the site from the owner, you can make your own rules. You haven't done that, so you can't. Quit trying. Don't like it? Don't participate.

Rereading the guidelines might remind you of some of the things you agreed to when you came here.

Milnet.ca Staff

Now, everyone, this tangent is over. Back to the actual topic please.

 

[Scott]

Psst, Sythen, one of the dudes you're arguing with has been where you have...

 

[Teeps74]

For starters, yes it does give me a unique perspective. Anyone who has not been there has no right to judge these men. I am NOT condoning their actions, I am saying these self righteous.. people.. have no understanding of what these men went through and need to use their head and keep themselves out of the conversation. STAY IN YOUR LANE.

I do not use the actions of others to mitigate what they did. Though that might be directed at others who have posted, I completely understand their side of the argument. I just don't agree with it.

This is me, staying in my lane.

Pissing on enemy combatants is NOT combat related. The combat is over as clearly indicated in this photo. Further, this photo was published publicly giving every Tom Dick and Harry the right to comment. These strategic Cpls have undone a lot of hard work put into trying to convince the locals that we are not the bad guys. In the short time it took them to smile for the camera and pee on dead people, they undid thousands upon thousands of man hours worth of work, many of those hours, taking the risks associated with just going out on a patrol and talking to the locals, trying to make friends, or at least people who will not blow us up.

 

[Infanteer]

For starters, yes it does give me a unique perspective. Anyone who has not been there has no right to judge these men.

That is a logical fallacy; it has been tried in courts before with jury selection and in other places and has never been seen as a valid argument (ie: "he hasn't been raped before, so he can't talk about it").  Every day all over these forums, people participate in topics covering subject matter they have little to no first-hand experience with.

Having the enemy try to kill you on the battlefield and pissing on a corpse are two separate issues.

Recceguy covered the rest.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Psst, Sythen, more than one of the dudes you're arguing with has been where you have...

T-FTFY

 

[daftandbarmy]

Geez you guys, it's not like they threw a puppy off a cliff or anything serious like that  :

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1141192/puppy_throwing_video_condemned_by_marines/

 

[OldSolduer]

How's that saying go? Stay in your lane?

Like anyone, I get annoyed when people talk about stuff they know little or nothing about. But when it comes to combat, everyone and their dog is a SME, and it makes me so mad. As I said, if you haven't lived it, stfu. You have nothing useful to add.

You might want to rethink what you have to say. For one, I don't appreciate being told STFU. Its unprofessional and it tells me what kiind of person you might be.
Secondly, we lost a son to scum, but we still maintain our civility towards the Afghan people and the Taliban. We have no wish to see people, no matter how scummy they are, urinated on, especially by fellow allies.

You think you have the only opinion that counts? There's a bunch of people we call "judges" whose opinion matters as well. Are you going to tell them what you just told us?

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Time to move on people. There are PMs and Milpoints for this sort of thing.

Back to the thread topic please.

Milnet.ca Staff