U.S. Soldiers Killed Iraqi Prisoners

[Patroklos]

Yeah. Who here would seriously believe that Pattycakes would condone orders for remorseless murder? I don't.

Especially since I stated I don't in post #15.

[Riesstiu IV]

Let it be stated for the record that I am the one who condones the murder of Iraqi prisoners.

[MrFun]

Especially since I stated I don't in post #15.

yep

[rah]

So acts of injustice like this should never be reported just because we already know that these things happen?

By all means they should be reported and dealt with quickly and appropriately.
From you initial post you seemed to be painting all service men with the same brush because of it, and I wanted to point out that this is the exception and not the rule. But when you're talking about the sheer volume of soldiers and incidents on this front that there will be exceptions like this. No I would never condone this type of thing.

[MrFun]

By all means they should be reported and dealt with quickly and appropriately.
From you initial post you seemed to be painting all service men with the same brush because of it, and I wanted to point out that this is the exception and not the rule. But when you're talking about the sheer volume of soldiers and incidents on this front that there will be exceptions like this. No I would never condone this type of thing.

1) I was not painting all soldiers with same brush. The plural "soldiers" in thread title refers to the six soldiers in this particular article.

2) I was not thinking you condone such wanton murder when I read your initial post.

[rah]

Yes, thank you, but when you don't list a comment of your own with the original post, it's easy for people to misconstrue you intent. My apologies.

[MrFun]

ah, okay

[Kuciwalker]

Well, in my book, not only is he a murderer, but also a traitor, for such behaviour certainly does not serve his country.

Our Constitution strictly limits the definition of treason.

[Unimatrix11]

You both need to go over my post again, this time with your reading comprehension caps on

Well, rather with my ´read to the end of post´-ability enabled, uh? Yeah, sorry, completely missed the last sentence of your post 15 somehow. I apologize.

Privates probably have to follow orders, no matter what (and complain later), but officers really have to have a mind on their own, so to say, to some extent. Just like they have to have an overview over tactical situations and such to a lot more of a degree than the ordinary soldier, and just like their courage should set an example to them, they should also possess the overview and the courage to not execute ´unjust´ orders. At least this would fit into german military tradition (grant the local commander a lot of freedom, which of course comes with the corresponding responsibility) IMHO. This is the reason, why the only noteworthy resistance in the 3rd Reich came from the military (apart from the rather ´romantic´ youth-resistance of the ´white rose´) and more than 50 generals were executed for ´high-treason´ by the end of the war. Many generals decided for a different course of action tho, of course, as well...

[chequita guevara]

If it's just one soldier, it's murder. Call me when you have evidence it's systemic.

[DaShi]

I blame marijuana

I blame the children.

[MOBIUS]

U.S. Soldier Confesses to Murder

So what, big deal. You make this seem as if it's some kind of major revelation years after the event...

We knew this sort of thing was going on at the time as there were a number of incidents during the main part of the war. It is pretty much fact that US soldiers are a lot more trigger happy than your average western soldier. But I doubt your average US soldier is a bloodthirsty killer of civilians. Most I think, especially at the beginning, actually wanted to do some good over there - they were just let down by a criminal leadership who, by embarking on an illegal war, unnecessarily put their lives in danger creating the very situations where things like this might happen...

Now, Israeli soldiers though. Given their army is 100% conscription and how about half the population voted extreme right-wing and Zionist parties - I'd say about half their army would be more than happy to lob WP shells amongst Palestinian civilians, murder women and children, and generally engage in soft-core genocide and ethnic cleansing...

[MrFun]

But I doubt your average US soldier is a bloodthirsty killer of civilians.

Yep, you're right on this. Can you tell me anything that I do not know already?

[Patroklos]

Mobius, can you show me a western army as heavily engaged as ours is? Direct comparisons like that not valid for obvios reasons.

[MOBIUS]

Yep, you're right on this. Can you tell me anything that I do not know already?

Sorry, but by the shrill nature of your initial posts, you seemed to be indicating otherwise...