9 Americans dead including 4 brutally burned alive and hung!

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by debeest
Those of you who are so worked up about the mutilation -- I'm just asking, don't you think those priorities are a little backward?

The very reason I was and remain against the war is because my first priority is to avoid bloodbath. Now that war has started, bloodbath is something to be barely surprised for, let alone be shocked by. Just grew a thicker skin I guess... OTOH, mutilations have not been commonplace yet. When mutilations will be commonplace, I suppose I'll end up ignoring these threads, just like I do for "blahblah... 3 dead in Fallujah.. blablah... 18 Iraqi policemen killed..."

[germanos]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Remember these people were contractors and the terrorists target contractors because they are less well armed and have a harder time calling in back up then the military does.

A Dutch newspaper qoutes the Washington Post that the four were 3 ex-Navy Seals, and an ex-Green Baret. They were working for Blackwater Security Consulting and aparently in Fallujah to excort an army-convoy.

[Dinner]

Blackwater hires ex-military types to work as security guards for civilian contractors. In the end they are just contractors and the very fact that there were just four of them with no back up driving through a town which everyone knows is a Ba'athis stronghold reflects very poorly upon their judgement.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by East Street Trader
It is not human nature.

Respect for the bodies of the dead lies very deep in all of us.

It used to be commonplace for warriors to defile the bodies of those killed in battle - but that died out long ago.

I can well understand a proud Iraqi resisting those who occupy his country. But there is nothing to be proud of in the actions of these despicable creatures. On the contrary their behaviour is an afront to the dignity of all men, Iraqi as well as the rest of us.

ditto

[The Mad Viking]

Originally posted by Dissident
I'm almost inclined to agree.

we (especially americans) have the tendency to demonize our enemies to make them seem as monsters.

But this is not the case. Even americans can act this way. Many humans are capable of such actions. Although I don't think I am . I'm just not a violent person.

I just had to post this.

Dissident is generally very thoughtful in his posts, yet we so rarely agree on anything...

so

[The Mad Viking]

Originally posted by East Street Trader
It is not human nature.

Respect for the bodies of the dead lies very deep in all of us.

It used to be commonplace for warriors to defile the bodies of those killed in battle - but that died out long ago.

Sorry, but this is totally false.

If respect for the bodyies of the dead lies very deep in all of us, but it used to be commonplace to defile bodies...

...then how quickly was it that respect got so deep?

Respect for dead bodies is one of the first casualties of war. Defiling dead bodies remaind commonplace today.

I can well understand a proud Iraqi resisting those who occupy his country.

So far, so good...

But there is nothing to be proud of in the actions of these despicable creatures.

There you go, name-calling again.

On the contrary their behaviour is an afront to the dignity of all men, Iraqi as well as the rest of us.

Is it much more DIGNIFIED to use cluster bombs that leave bomblets around for years of maiming innocent children?

[The Mad Viking]

Originally posted by debeest
Killing four people would get only a squib or a column on the bottom of the newspaper page, but chopping up the bodies and burning them and hanging them up to view gets several days of front page headlines and horrified TV coverage, and so far a 6-page thread here.

Those of you who are so worked up about the mutilation -- I'm just asking, don't you think those priorities are a little backward?

I guess I must be a barbarian.

Maybe. "Barbarian" is a term reserved for the enemy; someone who speaks a different language, has different customs. We pretend they are primitive savages, whether or not this is true.

One example of the hypocrisy can be found in the movie Dances With Wolves when the cavalry soldiers encounter Kevin Costner. They are so convinced of their superiority, and yet...

Similar theme in The Last Samarai.

The Vikings, who did not write the history books, are "Barbarians".

That they founded the world's first true democracy, which has sat every year for a millenia, is absent from the history books. As is their remarkable works of art, shipbuilding and navigation. Barbarians indeed.

*

Let cooler heads prevail. The people DIED. That is the true loss.

It is so sad to understand that many think that a strong military reaction to will "pacify" the city.

[Arrian]

That they founded the world's first true democracy, which has sat every year for a millenia, is absent from the history books. As is their remarkable works of art, shipbuilding and navigation.

Nitpick - that wasn't absent from MY education. Granted, I hear most about those aspects of the Vikings in a course I took at Univ of St. Andrews, Scotland, during my semester abroad, but still. It's out there, in these "history books" you mention.

-Arrian

[The Mad Viking]

Okay. : Of course it's in history books. I didn't learn about it while touring Iceland.

But I suspect you won't find it in very many Englsh language high school texts, and in zero elementary texts.

[CharlesBHoff]

Originally posted by CharlesBHoff


I knew than rightwing fantic will make these charge. Hutu genocidaires where Christian Fundie of the Pat Robertson type. The GOP refuse to support Bill Clinton on sending Americian troop there. They want to get back at the Democrate for not supportion Bush Sr enought. Very childish of the sureloser GOP that Bush Sr lost the Presidental race to Bill Clinton.

For than long time the UN want they own militily force of 100,000 to 250,000 men guess who alway oppose the idear out of fear the Christian Fundie who seen to believe this going to give power to the AntiChrist. First there isnot going to be than AntiChrist in the first place than 250,000 UN troop arenot enought to be than world conquestion force.

This Genocidaires only ended when South Africa government was really to sent 100,000 troop into the area to put than end to it. President Mancell has more ball than some white leader who did nothing. He wouldnot need UN approval the Chater clearly state that once genocidaires is declare happen by the UN Security Council other nations can take action without their approval. The reason why Ameican , Brit,France, China,USSR did nothing that part of Africa have no oil depsoit at all.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by The Mad Viking

There you go, name-calling again.

I suppose we should refrain from calling the Nazis of Nazi Germany when discussing their history bad names too, huh?

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Sava
It's their own damn fault for being there.

Rule #1, if you are an American, don't go to places where people will burn you alive for being American.

It's her own damn fault she got raped. She was asking for it, wearing clothes like that.

[Dis]

I'm curious. I heard other news outlets accross the world posted pictures of this, but not in the U.S.

Have any pictures been posted to this thread? I'd like to see them.

[debeest]

The San Jose Mercury had a picture of pieces of burned bodies hanging from the bridge.

[BeBMan]

Originally posted by The Mad Viking


Sorry, but this is totally false.

If respect for the bodyies of the dead lies very deep in all of us, but it used to be commonplace to defile bodies...

...then how quickly was it that respect got so deep?

Respect for dead bodies is one of the first casualties of war. Defiling dead bodies remaind commonplace today.

I can well understand a proud Iraqi resisting those who occupy his country.

So far, so good...

But there is nothing to be proud of in the actions of these despicable creatures.

There you go, name-calling again.

On the contrary their behaviour is an afront to the dignity of all men, Iraqi as well as the rest of us.

Is it much more DIGNIFIED to use cluster bombs that leave bomblets around for years of maiming innocent children?

You shouldn't worry about cluster bombs since you are the one who thinks "defiling bodies" is quite normal in a war.....