The German news paper Der Spigel has over 4,000 'trophy' photos of soldiers grinning over dead Afghan civilians.
(http://www.spiegel.de/images/image-194553-galleryV9-ocbh.jpg)
We should have a very special court marshal for actions like this. This makes Abu Ghraib pale in comparison.
If I were the president, I would issue a statement immediately before the Arab world descends on this. We need to get out in front of this, as quickly as possible.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1368314/German-newspaper-publishes-suppressed-photos-U-S-soldiers-posing-partially-naked-Afghan-corpse.html
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,752310,00.html
Yes....For media purposes they are "dead afghan civilians"......
Don't really care if they are dead terrorists (as I am sure they are).
You don't do this regardless.
Dignity in death should belong to all.
(http://crossingtheamericon.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/saddam-captured.jpg)
Yes and I'm sure the Family of Nick Berg felt the same way too.
Quote from: DolfanBob on March 21, 2011, 03:03:08 PM
Yes and I'm sure the Family of Nick Berg felt the same way too.
That was horrific....No doubt....
There's a U.S. soldier sitting naked in solitary confinement, because he leaked helicopter video of soldiers laughing while they shot up unarmed civilians, journalists, and even a car full of children.
Why arent we mortified by this?
Quote from: patric on March 21, 2011, 03:31:57 PM
There's a U.S. soldier sitting naked in solitary confinement, because he leaked helicopter video of soldiers laughing while they shot up unarmed civilians, journalists, and even a car full of children.
Why arent we mortified by this?
Kinky...!!!!!
Quote from: patric on March 21, 2011, 03:31:57 PM
There's a U.S. soldier sitting naked in solitary confinement, because he leaked helicopter video of soldiers laughing while they shot up unarmed civilians, journalists, and even a car full of children.
Why arent we mortified by this?
Because we're mad.
Posing with human beings like they are some hunt trophy is absolutly barbaric.
But there again, I am not the one who is dealing with Woman and Children strapping bombs to their bodies trying to blow me up.
These soldiers will have seen things that we can only picture in Hollywood movies. Who knows what goes through their minds as a farmers young son lofts a grenade at them and costs him his life.
My reaction may be the same. Just not documented.
War is Hell ! dont get involved. Someone may take a unflattering picture of you.
Quote from: DolfanBob on March 21, 2011, 03:03:08 PM
Yes and I'm sure the Family of Nick Berg felt the same way too.
Or the families of these men strung up on a bridge:
(http://www.historycommons.org/events-images/a140_blackwater_massacre_2050081722-13250.jpg)
But to the left, who was mortified? Certainly not their hero at Daily Kos.
QuoteLet the people see what war is like. This isn't an Xbox game. There are real repercussions to Bush's folly.
That said, I feel nothing over the death of merceneries. They aren't in Iraq because of orders, or because they are there trying to help the people make Iraq a better place. They are there to wage war for profit. Screw them.
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=10440&only=yes
Countdown til the lefties in here claim Kos doesn't speak for them 3...2...1
The dead still have to be identified, and photos are part of that process. They probably take fingerprints and DNA too. It has to be done quickly because the dead must be buried quickly per their traditions.
I'd recommend withholding judgment until there's more information.
Quote from: guido911 on March 21, 2011, 04:12:17 PM
Countdown til the lefties in here claim Kos doesn't speak for them 3...2...1
Why would you post that if you already know it's true?
Quote from: we vs us on March 21, 2011, 04:15:33 PM
Why would you post that if you already know it's true?
Because in another thread you and others distanced yourselves from Michael Moore and Kucinich in near record time. I was hoping you would set some kind of record this time.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/03/21/us-army-apologizes-for-afghanistan-abuse-pictures/
Apologized for the pictures? What about apologizing for the abuse?!
Quote from: Teatownclown on March 21, 2011, 04:49:26 PM
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/03/21/us-army-apologizes-for-afghanistan-abuse-pictures/
Apologized for the pictures? What about apologizing for the abuse?!
Answered in court marshal. Or at least should be!
Der Spiegel is looking a whole lot like Wikileaks today. Hmmm....imagine that.
But what a different reaction.
You have to wonder what their civilian jobs are...
Commanders in Afghanistan are bracing themselves for possible riots and public fury triggered by the publication of "trophy" photographs of US soldiers posing with the dead bodies of defenceless Afghan civilians they killed.
Senior officials at Nato's International Security Assistance Force in Kabul have compared the pictures published by the German news weekly Der Spiegel to the images of US soldiers abusing prisoners in Abu Ghraib in Iraq which sparked waves of anti-US protests around the world.
They fear that the pictures could be even more damaging as they show the aftermath of the deliberate murders of Afghan civilians by a rogue US Stryker tank unit that operated in the southern province of Kandahar last year.
Some of the activities of the self-styled "kill team" are already public, with 12 men currently on trial in Seattle for their role in the killing of three civilians.
Five of the soldiers are on trial for pre-meditated murder, after they staged killings to make it look like they were defending themselves from Taliban attacks.
Other charges include the mutilation of corpses, the possession of images of human casualties and drug abuse.
All of the soldiers have denied the charges. They face the death penalty or life in prison if convicted.
The case has already created shock around the world, particularly with the revelations that the men cut "trophies" from the bodies of the people they killed.
An investigation by Der Spiegel has unearthed approximately 4,000 photos and videos taken by the men.
The magazine, which is planning to publish only three images, said that in addition to the crimes the men were on trial for there are "also entire collections of pictures of other victims that some of the defendants were keeping".
In one incident in May last year, the article says, during a patrol, the team apprehended a mullah who was standing by the road and took him into a ditch where they made him kneel down.
The group's leader, Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs, then allegedly threw a grenade at the man while an order was given for him to be shot.
Afterwards, Gibbs is described cutting off one of the man's little fingers and removing a tooth.
The patrol team later claimed to their superiors that the mullah had tried to threaten them with a grenade and that they had no choice but to shoot.
One of the soldiers in the photo is pleading guilty in exchange for immunity if he squeals.
Correction:
I don't think this will amount to much. It seems already that the domestic media has little interest in reporting on it any further. It will be relegated to FOX and the international news groups, but strictly page two stuff for CNN, MSNBC, and the other networks. Took a search to even find the story on their websites today.
If this had happened under another president, it would have been like. . .well. . .Abu Ghraib! :( Front page stuff for months!
Quote from: Gaspar on March 22, 2011, 12:34:47 PM
Correction:
I don't think this will amount to much. It seems already that the domestic media has little interest in reporting on it any further. It will be relegated to FOX and the international news groups, but strictly page two stuff for CNN, MSNBC, and the other networks. Took a search to even find the story on their websites today.
If this had happened under another president, it would have been like. . .well. . .Abu Ghraib! :( Front page stuff for months!
You nailed this one hard. Where is Sheehan and Code Pink on this? Where is that doosh Shepard Smith whining about not doing this sort of stuff in his "name". I am just sick of this damned double standard when it comes to events occurring under this present. Seriously, this wuss sends our soldiers off to war, discovers torture, murder, and inhumanity in
his military ranks, then flies off to Brazil to let the dust settle rather than lead?
Quote from: guido911 on March 22, 2011, 12:47:16 PM
You nailed this one hard. Where is Sheehan and Code Pink on this? Where is that doosh Shepard Smith whining about not doing this sort of stuff in his "name". I am just sick of this damned double standard when it comes to events occurring under this present. Seriously, this wuss sends our soldiers off to war, discovers torture, murder, and inhumanity in his military ranks, then flies off to Brazil to let the dust settle rather than lead?
Meh. . .It's killed the "main-stream media." They enjoy ever dwindling numbers and lower advertising dollars because of their lack of journalism and clear political agenda. People to look to other sources.
Their Messiah may be the last nail in their coffin.
Quote from: Gaspar on March 22, 2011, 12:56:32 PM
Their Messiah may be the last nail in their coffin.
Here's hoping you are right. Between 2004-2006 when our brave soldiers were fighting and dying in Iraq (whether one believes the war was justified or not), our media breathlessly waited for any opportunity to attack them and their commander in chief. Hell, Sheehan camping out in front of Bush's house in Texas was huge news for a very long time. Later, when the "surge" proved to have worked, this same media that highlighted Hillary and Obama's denial of success during the Betrayus hearings were absent in pointing out how wrong those two ultimately were. Incidentally, these two are now our front persons in Libya. Where in the frak are these anti-war media types today? Makes one "shudder" (if they were a spineless dooshbag).
Quote from: guido911 on March 22, 2011, 12:47:16 PM
You nailed this one hard. Where is Sheehan and Code Pink on this? Where is that doosh Shepard Smith whining about not doing this sort of stuff in his "name". I am just sick of this damned double standard when it comes to events occurring under this present. Seriously, this wuss sends our soldiers off to war, discovers torture, murder, and inhumanity in his military ranks, then flies off to Brazil to let the dust settle rather than lead?
Sometimes you get so angry I can't even tell what you're saying.
Quote from: guido911 on March 22, 2011, 12:47:16 PM
Seriously, this wuss sends our soldiers off to war, discovers torture, murder, and inhumanity in his military ranks, then flies off to Brazil to let the dust settle rather than lead?
It is called multi-tasking. It is probably above your pay grade.
Story scrubbed.
Can't find it now on USA Today, MSNBC, ABC News, CNN, or CBS.
I have to admit, I'm impressed, they control the domestic media absolutely.
Gotta go to Reuters, AP, Telegraph UK, or other foreign press groups to see coverage.
A cursory search using The Google revealed over 700 stories on this, both domestic and foreign.
Quote from: Ed W on March 22, 2011, 03:09:42 PM
A cursory search using The Google revealed over 700 stories on this, both domestic and foreign.
Any of them from the MSM sources Gaspar listed or just the blogosphere?
Both.
Quote from: Ed W on March 22, 2011, 04:07:30 PM
Both.
Maybe his Google has the conservative filter on?
Quote from: RecycleMichael on March 22, 2011, 02:55:04 PM
It is called multi-tasking. It is probably above your pay grade.
I guess it's above Obama's pay grade as well. It seems he may cut his Latin American tour (I mean, hide out) short.
http://www.fox43.com/news/nationworld/la-pn-obama-libya-20110323,0,4722090.story
US soldier admits killing unarmed Afghans for sport
Jeremy Morlock, 23, tells US military court he was part of a 'kill team' that faked combat situations to murder Afghan civilians
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/23/us-soldier-admits-killing-afghans?CMP=twt_gu
This guy should have his privates cut off and spend the rest his life in jail. Meanwhile, Obomba has Manning in a torture chamber.
SHAMEFUL!
So the big question is how does this happen? Over a period of reportedly months? And I mean, how did the leadership -- not at the Pentagon, not Petraeus, but the commander of the platoon, brigade, etc -- not know that this kind of thing was going on? And of course, if they did, why didn't anyone stop it?
Abu was a bigger story because of the Presidential order to violate the Geneva conventions (not necessarily Abu specifically, but torture was an approved method of getting information). If these people were acting under orders of a high ranking official it will be a smile storm. I am surprised it hasn't gotten more play on the main sites though.
Quote from: Trogdor on March 28, 2011, 07:53:37 AM
Abu was a bigger story because of the Presidential order to violate the Geneva conventions (not necessarily Abu specifically, but torture was an approved method of getting information). If these people were acting under orders of a high ranking official it will be a smile storm. I am surprised it hasn't gotten more play on the main sites though.
I have a theory. And the theory goes that it isn't so much that the American public is exhausted with Afghanistan as that the major media is exhausted with Afghanistan. So, while in an ordinary situation something like this would be major all-hands-on-deck kind of news (Abu Ghraib was), at this point the news nets are just much less interested than they would have been. Also, Libya! Also, nuclear leak in Japan! Also, budget battle in DC! Also . . . . Charlie Sheen!
Also, since Abu Ghraib, it's no longer new. This is a discussion we've been having for almost 7 years, and judging by our wholesale national shrug afterwards, brutality on the battlefield just doesn't have the oomph it used to. Now it's tawdry and awful and we're all focused on how few jobs the country is producing.
Short version: I think both the news media and the American public in general only have so much bandwidth. When Libya or Japan or the budget drops out of the pipeline, this might get more play.
Or you could take stock in the vast liberal media conspiracy theory that the MSM hated President Bush ever since he stole the 2000 election from Algore and they will do anything they can to protect President Obama.
Quote from: Conan71 on March 28, 2011, 04:00:27 PM
Or you could take stock in the vast liberal media conspiracy theory that the MSM hated President Bush ever since he stole the 2000 election from Algore and they will do anything they can to protect President Obama.
Yeah, but that one doesn't fly, really. The media LOVED the Iraq War for a year or two, until it, too became tawdry and exhausting and the same old sectarian violence. And actually, more than the war itself, the media LOVED the run-up to war. And the media LOVED Bush after 9-11, and into the war in Afghanistan. If I had to pinpoint it, I'd say that Bush started really truly losing the national media (such as it is) just before Katrina. And when Katrina hit, and Anderson Cooper felt like he could yell right at the Whitehouse from the Superdome, well that was it.
Quote from: we vs us on March 28, 2011, 04:21:24 PM
Yeah, but that one doesn't fly, really. The media LOVED the Iraq War for a year or two, until it, too became tawdry and exhausting and the same old sectarian violence. And actually, more than the war itself, the media LOVED the run-up to war. And the media LOVED Bush after 9-11, and into the war in Afghanistan. If I had to pinpoint it, I'd say that Bush started really truly losing the national media (such as it is) just before Katrina. And when Katrina hit, and Anderson Cooper felt like he could yell right at the Whitehouse from the Superdome, well that was it.
Pass whatever you're smokin today!
Quote from: Gaspar on March 28, 2011, 04:48:38 PM
Pass whatever you're smokin today!
You, uh, don't watch much TV, do you?
Quote from: we vs us on March 28, 2011, 04:55:12 PM
You, uh, don't watch much TV, do you?
It started before Katrina during the '04 election cycle when Kerry was fer before he was agin'. The media was a willing accomplice on that.
Quote from: we vs us on March 28, 2011, 04:55:12 PM
You, uh, don't watch much TV, do you?
I guess I missed the media/Bush orgy.
Quote from: Gaspar on March 28, 2011, 04:57:52 PM
I guess I missed the media/Bush orgy.
Its probably because you were stuck in the middle of it with Hannity and Limbaugh.