American troops burning bodies

[NYBamaFan]

You just put the finger on the problem. We aren't at war with Iraq, and the Iraqi people aren't the enemy. Neither are muslims in general.

Instead, we're at war with terrorists, and we're supposed to be making allies out of non-terrorist muslims in part by making Iraq into a peaceful democracy. In fact, doing that is maybe the ONLY way to win the war on terror, since if we don't do it they'll never run out of suicide bombers.

It's hard to blame people for forgetting that these days. This war is so different from all other wars we've fought as to confuse the heck out of people.

But never forget that, to the soldiers bleeding and watching their friends fall, this war is WAR, plain and simple. The politics may be different, but the hearts of the soldiers being asked to risk everything remains the same. When they do something that you do not necessarily agree with, place yourselves in their shoes. You might still disagree, but you might understand how they might have made that mistake...

 

[CrimsonKing]

But never forget that, to the soldiers bleeding and watching their friends fall, this war is WAR, plain and simple. The politics may be different, but the hearts of the soldiers being asked to risk everything remains the same. When they do something that you do not necessarily agree with, place yourselves in their shoes. You might still disagree, but you might understand how they might have made that mistake...

Do you believe then, that most or many of our troops out there would say that our stated objective is a crock of road apples and impossible to achieve?

We're either at war or we aren't. Hard to see how there's any in between. If we're at war, we'd be idiots to pull our punches while our boys are risking themselves, and we need to kill every muslim between Morocco and India until they say uncle. If we're not, then we have to make nice with everyone who isn't a terrorist, which is admittedly kinda difficult since the actual terrorists are good at blending in with the crowd. Oh for the days when the enemy wore uniforms and came out into the field to fight.

 

[Bama_Dawg]

Wrong - I was a soldier in the 10th Mountain Division. I have experienced combat. I will not try and explain something like this to someone who is only interested in criticizing our soldiers.

Bush didn't do this. Neither did Rumsfield. You were not there. Do not judge something that you do not understand...

Forgive me if I can’t figure out how playing “Fun With Muslim Corpses” helps us win the war on terror. You can address this question in one of two ways -- with reason or, as you’ve chosen, with silence.

 

[NYBamaFan]

Do you believe then, that most or many of our troops out there would say that our stated objective is a crock of road apples and impossible to achieve?

We're either at war or we aren't. Hard to see how there's any in between. If we're at war, we'd be idiots to pull our punches while our boys are risking themselves, and we need to kill every muslim between Morocco and India until they say uncle. If we're not, then we have to make nice with everyone who isn't a terrorist, which is admittedly kinda difficult since the actual terrorists are good at blending in with the crowd. Oh for the days when the enemy wore uniforms and came out into the field to fight.

Most of the soldiers are just grunts, out their sacrificing everything because they are told to do so. They don't get an explanation. If they think too much about what they are doing, or why, they wind up with life-long mental disorders, so they are trained to act, not think. They are also trained in such a way that their enemies are dehumanized, to soften the mental trauma associated with taking another human life. Those that they kill, they think of as animals, for necessary reasons.

As for the war on terror - We all wish that the enemy would come out, but they have learned that their current tactics work. They don't work because of what we do, they work because of what we will not do.

In WWII, the Germans had nuclear material that they were using in experiments, working toward the creation of nuclear weapons. It was toward the end of the war, and they were getting desparate. They needed to move the material across another country (I think France, someone help me if I am wrong). It became clear that we were going to have to kill some innocent people to stop the shipment. We consulted with the leaders of the country, and they gave the go ahead, sealing the fate of many of their countrymen. The shipment was bombed, the shipment was stopped, and hundreds of innocents lost their lives. The mission was considered a glowing success.

Today, we wouldn't get permission for that type of mission. In fact, we wouldn't bother to ask, because we know what the media would do with such news - killing innocent civilians on purpose. The problem, westerners have become too soft to deal with hard people, who will kill anyone to achieve their ends. They hide behind women and children, even killing women and children themselves.

I don't know how to fight a war like this, but I will not criticize those trying - especially the grunts following orders...

 

[Bama_Dawg]

I don't know how to fight a war like this, but I will not criticize those trying - especially the grunts following orders...

That makes you a good soldier, I suppose, but a pretty poor thinker. So I'll offer you another shot at it: how does facing burnt Taliban corpses toward Mecca help us accomplish our overall objective? I don't think it does. In fact, to me, it seems entirely counter-productive. Not only do we violate our own standards of conduct, but we also give Muslim extremists a recruitment tool for future generations. Lose, lose. Ethically, strategically.

Do you disagree?

 

[NYBamaFan]

So I'll offer you another shot at it

No thanks...

 

[Chukker Veteran]

I consider John McCain a good authority on prisoner torture & abuse. In a recent Newsweek magazine, they had a quote from him on the topic. I can't quote it verbatim, but it was a powerful statement. Something to the effect that as a longtime abused prisoner held in Viet Nam, he and his fellow prisoners took great comfort in knowing the country they fought for does not stoop to the level of their ememies by using torture.
Why is that so hard for some to understand? It's beyond amazing to see folks defend us abusing Muslims in our effort to win their hearts & minds, and generally reduce terrorism.
Whether it's burning bodies or torturing prisoners, the fish rots from the head down. Rummy and a few other civilians in the Pentagon decided it was a legitimate method for our military to employ, the attitude/policy sifted down through the troops.
Wnen McCain introduced his recent legislation to ban prisoner abuse by U.S. troops, there was overwhelming support for banning torture from former military bigwigs.

 

[NYBamaFan]

Sorry, we are not talking about torture here...

 

[Chukker Veteran]

Abusing bodies and torturing prisoners are two sides of the same coin.

 

[NOSty]

Hey, let's not shoot the bad guys at all. Let's let them shoot our boys and see how our boys are treated.

Get real, people. War is on, and prove this is the US army burning bodies before saying it the US Army burning bodies.

 

[NOSty]

Abusing bodies and torturing prisoners are two sides of the same coin.

So is this video and the Rather investigation into Bush's "service record" documents...strange, strange world we live in...

 

[NYBamaFan]

Abusing bodies and torturing prisoners are two sides of the same coin.

I can see myself getting pushed to the point that I might be willing to defile a few dead ememy bodies. I would never torture another human being. I have to answer to God one day, and I suspect that He might see a difference there. I hope that you can...

 

[ed4tide4u2]

Judging from some comments, I imagine that some would feel that it was justified if: the video in question was of the Taliban burning the bodies of American troops and taunting us for allowing it to happen. After all, all is fair in war, correct? This is what happened according to, and some please listen: the American Military Command in Afghanistan and the U.S. State Department. These are the organizations that are pleading with Muslims for understanding that this action is not typical of all American troops. Whether it is torture or burning bodies to taunt and humilate your enemy, this is not the American way. Everyone was shocked at the burning of the American contractors in Iraq. This was abhorrent and uncivilized. Is it okay now when we do it also?
In regard to the poster who said anyone who disagreed should go to the battle and put themselves in the place of the troops, I would say: I have been there in Vietnam and war is still hell today. I feel I have earned the right to disagree, as atrocities are not an indicator of the American Military. When we become the enemy, we are the enemy. Is this what our troops are dying for? A never ending battle? if we ever hope to have success in the war on terror, we can't become terrorist ourselves. Our actions are open to the world and we become hypocrites if we don't realize that the world is watching. The behavior of these troops cannot be excused because of battle fatigue. The troops reportedly involved were psychological warfare troops who knew exactly what they were doing. The cameraman who took the pictures was an Australian photographer embedded with the troops. Surely they knew it was being taped and would be released to the public. What they didn't think about was the danger that their actions would pose for other American troops who face the backlash of their actions. Atrocities in war lead to other atrocities. Neither side commiting atrocities has anything to be proud of and even fewer excuses.

ps: The German ship carrying the heavy water that was bombed by the Allies was in Norway.