Disgusted at several Marines attitudes!!!

[OzFan]

There are certainly some people who sure would like it to be compared to NAM...

Do any of you know what it is like to be a Marine on duty in Iraq?? Or any soldier on duty in that country??

Unlike NAM - This country is not going to start name calling true American heroes who put their lives on the line every single moment of every single day that they are over there.....

Go on flame away................

No flame here! I can't imagine how hard it is for our troops over there, not knowing if the most routine outing is going to end up their last one. As a nation we need to stand behind our troops and our country no matter what we personally think. We should be UNITED. Do I personally like President Bush? Do I think we should be in THIS war? No matter what I think, I STAND UP AND PROUD for my country.

 

[eclectics]

But don't you see a problem in a soldier reporting to his superiors that a group of Iraqi civilians had been killed by a roadside bomb, only when the military investigates the scene, the Iraqis civilians were shown to actually have been gunned down by American forces? Two things the military thrives on, discipline and chain of command, completely break down in situations like that.

I agree. If this is true, I hope all involved get prosecuted including the commanders if they participated in the alleged coverup. I never understood why the soldiers in the prison "photo op" scandal were the ones to take the brunt and not their higher ups who turned a blind eye and actually egged them on. I would never condem the entire Marine Corps but it can't be swept under the rug either. Stuff like this just gives the insurgents more ammunition to stir the pot.

 

[Chicago Girl]

I have stayed away from debates about the Iraq war and debates about Bush. However I have just listened to a ITV news report about the alleged killing of civilians in Haditha. The marines that were interviewed were arrogant and unbeliavely pompous! One of them had the gall to state that this hadn't damaged their reputation, it's like a boxing match, we haven't been knocked out, we merely have a black eye!!! Another said that he didn't believe that the marines had done that, but if they had they shouldn't be prosecuted! How about a little humility. There were women and young children killed, and I'm sorry, it makes me sick to my stomach!!!

Since, I didn’t see the interview, I really don’t feel comfortable commenting on its contents until I have heard or seen the interview for myself. Why, because I know stories reported on news programs can be taken out of context or cut to fit into a tidy segment. Can you supply a link?

What I can discuss right now is my disgust for the insurgency seemingly lack of respect for their fellow brethren. How is blowing up a market full of shoppers, targeting Mosques, planting roadside bombs where civilian travel daily; benefiting their cause? Do you share in my disgust, or is your disgust reserved just for the Marines?

As for the killing of innocent women and children, this story is currently still alleged. Until an investigation has been completed, no one should be assigning any guilt.

 

[catherine]

Since, I didn’t see the interview, I really don’t feel comfortable commenting on its contents until I have heard or seen the interview for myself. Why, because I know stories reported on news programs can be taken out of context or cut to fit into a tidy segment. Can you supply a link?

What I can discuss right now is my disgust for the insurgency seemingly lack of respect for their fellow brethren. How is blowing up a market full of shoppers, targeting Mosques, planting roadside bombs where civilian travel daily; benefiting their cause? Do you share in my disgust, or is your disgust reserved just for the Marines?


As for the killing of innocent women and children, this story is currently still alleged. Until an investigation has been completed, no one should be assigning any guilt.

Well how do you think I feel about the killing of innocent people?!


As you will see if you read my original post, I state alleged killings. I haven't assigned any guilt to anybody. I am also not talking about any of the marines that were in the alleged attacks! My disgust is with marines who were interviewed about the alleged attacks and their reactions and attitudes!

 

[Mickey's sunshine]

Do any of you know what it is like to be a Marine on duty in Iraq?? Or any soldier on duty in that country??

Unlike NAM - This country is not going to start name calling true American heroes who put their lives on the line every single moment of every single day that they are over there.....

Go on flame away................

Thank you!!!!

My brother is over there, he is a Marine. His company is ambushed EVERY day - he is shot at several times every day. Imagine your state of mind going through that EVERY day for seven or more months.

These guys (and women) are under too much pressure - too much for them to endure at such a young age. It's a shame.

yeah those Marines screwed but given what they go through every day......

 

[poohandwendy]

I think it is amazing that we expect our service people to do jobs the vast majority of us could not handle and be emotional robots at the same time.

A sound bite does not reflect the whole of the person interviewed, nor does it reflect the whole of any organization or country. I am sure many people across the world will be shortsighted and judge all of America by the actions of the few. Not much you can do about people who stereotype.

 

[poohandwendy]

How about a little humility.

Sorry, but I don't feel I am in the position to ask for more humility from someone who is risking their life every single day in less than comfortable conditions...not from my computer desk.

I think I will just cut them some slack, wish that the media would let them do what they are there to do and pray for their safe return home.

 

[momof2inPA]

It's no excuse, and the guilty should be punished, but I think the stress just got to them. Can you imagine the constant fear of driving down a road everyday waiting for something to happen? Also remember that our troops aren't really able to say what they really think.

 

[catherine]

Sorry, but I don't feel I am in the position to ask for more humility from someone who is risking their life every single day in less than comfortable conditions...not from my computer desk.

I think I will just cut them some slack, wish that the media would let them do what they are there to do and pray for their safe return home.

The marines that were being interviewed were not on deployment they were in CA. If you had seen the interview I think that you would feel the same way! My DH has several friends in the marines and he couldn't believe the way they were reacting!

 

[transparant]

Sorry, but I don't feel I am in the position to ask for more humility from someone who is risking their life every single day in less than comfortable conditions...not from my computer desk.

I think I will just cut them some slack, wish that the media would let them do what they are there to do and pray for their safe return home.

THANK YOU! Well put.

 

[transparant]

The marines that were being interviewed were not on deployment they were in CA. If you had seen the interview I think that you would feel the same way! My DH has several friends in the marines and he couldn't believe the way they were reacting!

Do you know that those Marines haven't been deployed? Many of them have been there once, twice, even three times. Just because they were in CA at the time of the interview - doesn't mean they weren't in the thick of it 6 months ago.

 

[transparant]

Those people are over there as representatives of their country and when they do things like that it falls back on the country.
This war is looking more and more like Vietnam and like after Nam the USA will need many years to restore her reputation

You are right - they do represent our country. Sadly though - its stories like this that take the bull by the horns. IF these allegations are true - than those involved should be punished. But just remember - for every story like this - there are hundreds of stories of goodness that NEEDS to be told and HEARD.

It sickens me that when you mention the words Abu Graib and leash in the same sentence - EVERYONE pictures the infamous Lindie Englund with her thumbs up. But nobody can tell you the stories of:

Marine Cpt. Brian Chontosh

Marine Corporal Armand McCormick

Marine Sgt. Robert Kerman

Marine Sgt. Marco Martinez

Marine First Class Sft. Justin LeHew

Marine Cpt. Brent Morel

Army Sgt. First Class Paul Ray Smith

Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta

And those are just a tiny tiny handful of names. Google them. If you aren't impressed by there galantry, heorism, bravery, & honor - than you aren't human.

I for one am VERY glad that the vast majority of those serving are just like the names I mentioned above. I am PROUD as anything that they represent my country.

 

[eclectics]

Sorry, but I don't feel I am in the position to ask for more humility from someone who is risking their life every single day in less than comfortable conditions...not from my computer desk.

I think I will just cut them some slack, wish that the media would let them do what they are there to do and pray for their safe return home.

I'm not sure what you mean by "cutting them some slack".One of the alleged incidents was dragging a man out of his home, shooting him in the head, and then putting a AK47 in his hands. I realize what a tough job our troops have and how much stress they must be under and also that this sort of thing happens in every war and on every side, but come on, we are the good guys! If true, this sort of behavior should not be tolerated nor should it be swept under the rug. It's not fair to the thousands of our soldiers in Iraq that are doing the right thing.

 

[catherine]

Do you know that those Marines haven't been deployed? Many of them have been there once, twice, even three times. Just because they were in CA at the time of the interview - doesn't mean they weren't in the thick of it 6 months ago.

My point is that the are not in the thick of it now. If they had of been perhaps the comments could have been a bit more forgivable. They were relaxed acting like they almost thought the whole thing was some kind of joke! The problem is that when people like this are shown on international news programmes people are going to get an unfavourable impression of US marines!

 

[transparant]

My point is that the are not in the thick of it now. If they had of been perhaps the comments could have been a bit more forgivable. They were relaxed acting like they almost thought the whole thing was some kind of joke! The problem is that when people like this are shown on international news programmes people are going to get an unfavourable impression of US marines!

Not if our news media put the stories of these men on the front page and made a big deal out of them. In my opinion - these stories should be told time and time again. These are what 99.9% of our military is all about.

Marine Cpt. Brian Chontosh

Marine Corporal Armand McCormick

Marine Sgt. Robert Kerman

Marine Sgt. Marco Martinez

Marine First Class Sft. Justin LeHew

Marine Cpt. Brent Morel

Army Sgt. First Class Paul Ray Smith

Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta

But no. TO date I believe that the New York TImes has put the Abu Graihb story on the front page over 50 times! ANd what the NYT's reports, television news and smaller paers quickly pick up. Currently not one single individual that I listed above - some of the most highly decorated members of the US Military - has received a front page story devoted to his valorous actions. Even when Army Sgt. First Class Paul Ray Smith was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his extreme acts of bravery and heroism (only the highest honor medal out there) and being the ONLY Iraqi vet to have received it thus far (Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta is up for one as well) - the best the NYT's could do was bury a teeny story on page 13.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

It doesn't matter if the soldiers have been ambushed every day; it doesn't matter how the enemy fights; it doesn't matter if the United States Marines in California were "in the thick of it" 6 months ago; it doesn't matter if the Canadian Airborne soldier was issued controversial anti-malarial drugs the night he lured a Somali teenager into the camp, tortured and murdered him. The United States Marines are better than this. The Canadian soldier is better than this. The Marines fight with honour. So do Canadian soldiers. That honour dictates that we investigate alleged crimes and prosecute those involved should evidence show that a crime has occurred. There is no honour in closing ranks and pretending that nothing has happened and there is definitely no honour in suggesting that those involved should not be prosecuted as the OP has suggested the Marines interviewed did.

The arguments I've read here are so similar to the ones that floated about following the massacre of Vietnamese civilians by US military forces at My Lai in Vietnam and the killing of a Somali teenager by members of the Canadian Airborne Regiment in Belet Weyne, Somalia. It is true that civilians will always face the greatest casualties in any war, however there is never any excuse to target civilians in any war. It doesn't matter if the village down the road was harbouring insurgents/Viet Cong/heavily armed militia. The targetting of civilians is a direct contravention of the Geneva Convention and is in violation of international law -- it is a war crime and anyone who is not an American can face trial by the International Court of Justice for such crimes.

I may be idealistic here, but I will maintain the confidence that the military investigators will do the right thing here and preserve the honour of the United States Marine Corps -- whether that means concluding that a crime has been committed in Haditha or not.

While the fact that it is an alleged crime does not mean that a crime necessarily happened, it does tell us that something happened and that needs to be investigated to the fullest extent.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

It doesn't matter if the soldiers have been ambushed every day; it doesn't matter how the enemy fights; it doesn't matter if the United States Marines in California were "in the thick of it" 6 months ago; it doesn't matter if the Canadian Airborne soldier was issued controversial anti-malarial drugs the night he lured a Somali teenager into the camp, tortured and murdered him. The United States Marines are better than this. The Canadian soldier is better than this. The Marines fight with honour. So do Canadian soldiers. That honour dictates that we investigate alleged crimes and prosecute those involved should evidence show that a crime has occurred. There is no honour in closing ranks and pretending that nothing has happened and there is definitely no honour in suggesting that those involved should not be prosecuted as the OP has suggested the Marines interviewed did.

The arguments I've read here are so similar to the ones that floated about following the massacre of Vietnamese civilians by US military forces at My Lai in Vietnam and the killing of a Somali teenager by members of the Canadian Airborne Regiment in Belet Weyne, Somalia. It is true that civilians will always face the greatest casualties in any war, however there is never any excuse to target civilians in any war. It doesn't matter if the village down the road was harbouring insurgents/Viet Cong/heavily armed militia. The targetting of civilians is a direct contravention of the Geneva Convention and is in violation of international law -- it is a war crime and anyone who is not an American can face trial by the International Court of Justice for such crimes.

I may be idealistic here, but I will maintain the confidence that the military investigators will do the right thing here and preserve the honour of the United States Marine Corps -- whether that means concluding that a crime has been committed in Haditha or not.

While the fact that it is an alleged crime does not mean that a crime necessarily happened, it does tell us that something happened and that needs to be investigated to the fullest extent.

I hope your idealism proves true.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

I hope your idealism proves true.

Sometimes it is so much easier to maintain idealism, no matter how misplaced than to prolong a healthy level of skepticism.

 

[Charade]

I realize what a tough job our troops have and how much stress they must be under and also that this sort of thing happens in every war and on every side, but come on, we are the good guys! If true, this sort of behavior should not be tolerated nor should it be swept under the rug. It's not fair to the thousands of our soldiers in Iraq that are doing the right thing.

I agree but the coverage of the actual despicable and alleged incidents is very disproportionate to the stories of heroic actions, stories of compassion and accomplishment. Those aren't sensational enough (or if you believe the "drive-by" media has a different agenda than winning) for prime time news reports. No wonder the US and the military get a bad rap around the world.

 

[DawnCt1]

Not if our news media put the stories of these men on the front page and made a big deal out of them. In my opinion - these stories should be told time and time again. These are what 99.9% of our military is all about.



But no. TO date I believe that the New York TImes has put the Abu Graihb story on the front page over 50 times! ANd what the NYT's reports, television news and smaller paers quickly pick up. Currently not one single individual that I listed above - some of the most highly decorated members of the US Military - has received a front page story devoted to his valorous actions. Even when Army Sgt. First Class Paul Ray Smith was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his extreme acts of bravery and heroism (only the highest honor medal out there) and being the ONLY Iraqi vet to have received it thus far (Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta is up for one as well) - the best the NYT's could do was bury a teeny story on page 13.

Well said, We are the Land of the Free because of the Brave!