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Mar 11, 2012 at 10:04 am
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'In a separate episode, four Afghans were killed and three wounded on Friday when coalition helicopters apparently hunting Taliban insurgents fired instead on villagers '
fuck..
For example, during my first tour there, I was with a mortar platoon. Every night, we would fire illumination rounds to light up the area around the COP. The problem was, the illum rounds wouldn't burn out by the time they reached the ground. Sometimes they drifted into a nearby village and set the little shit brick huts on fire.
One night, a round went right through the roof and incinerated a 9 year old boy in his bed while he slept. The father carried his charred corpse to the COP and started screaming. We gave him $200 U.S., and he seemed satisfied by it.
Still, whoever went nuts and shot all those civies is going to make things harder for the rest of us. I go back in a month, so I'm not too pleased with the fucker.
Works for me.
As messed up and awful as this guy is, he won't die for this. I'd guess that he'll go back to the states, sit in jail for awhile while he's getting his psyche evals done - sit there long enough for the media to forget about this story - before getting his trial and either going to military prison, or, more likely, going to a psyche facility. He won't die there, either - I'd guess he'll be out in 20 or so years.
Don't believe me?
Remember the big hubub a few years ago about the FOB ramrod kill teams? Google it, if you don't. There was a big broohah over some soldiers killing civilians and taking trophies.
(As an aside, I'm now part of that brigade. Woot.)
Anyway, despite all the media exposure at first, the soldiers spent a long time in processing, long enough for the media to stop giving a shit. They finally got sentenced - I was there - and went to prison, but by then, no one cared.
Fact of the matter is, the military cares far less about the death of civilians than it does about getting a black eye from the media.
We could've made a serious effort and investment in leaving Afghanistan a better place than we found. Instead, we took the half-ass course, and just became occupiers propping up a corrupt puppet government. You know, just like the Soviets before us.
The Taliban was not widely popular back in 2001. So we went in with some goodwill from a chunk of the population. But we blew our opportunity to do what no Western power has ever succeeded in doing. So we should admit failure, and get out before we make things even worse.
I know a photographer who went to Afghanistan in 2003. At that time, there was still a lot of good will toward Americans. He traveled around openly, without escort (other than a translator), and was warmly greeted wherever he went throughout the country.
We have since that time utterly squandered whatever good will we once earned. Dipshits like this don't help, obvs. We need to get the fuck out with what little dignity we have left and be done with it. No good can come from staying any longer.
a decade ago we could have made Afghanistan a real paradise....
There are reports that it was several drunk soldiers.
We are SO fucked.
By that logic, the Republican candidates should be better this time around than last time. Instead, they seem to be worse now.
And they've pretty much all signed on to attack Iran now.
This project is over, and has been over for several years. As Goldy says above, we squandered our goodwill in that country, and while our nation-building job there was difficult before, it is impossible now. Every day we spend there is another day of wasted lives and treasure.
George W. Bush is the dumbest son of a bitch who ever lived.
Maybe this asshole just can't stop jacking off to his Tom Clancy novels.
@29 Hope this doesn't blow your sheltered little mind, but just because I don't support Obama, it doesn't mean I support Ron Paul. I like both Buddy Roemer and Rocky Anderson if you care, though I don't imagine you do. Just wondering, so you cool with the next Republican president having the ability to assassinate any American anywhere in the world w/o charge or trial? Because they'll have that power thanks to St. Obama.
(i had to say it out loud every time i drove past the sign on NB I5. compulsive.)
@12: Goldy, spot on.
So it begins, the great shitstorm of our time.
@30 Yes, there are soldiers/marines who want to kill people. There are regular citizens who want to kill people, too. Some of the worst men I've ever known, I met in the Army. Also - more often - some of the best.
I don't know the details of this kid or why, but if I had to guess, I'd say he just snapped. It happens. I've seen guys break down and cry, piss themselves, just lose their goddamned minds, for no reason. Usually not even in combat, either.
This guy probably broke, and dealt with it in a really bad way. Just my .02.
Fuck you. Eat a fucking dick you assholes.
Also it was a Soldier, not a Marine. Learn to read before you vote please. Also don't comment on things you don't understand. You've shown your idiocy. Thank you, now leave, don't come back until you're ready to participate in freedom.
OR, are you talking about the NDAA 2012 which he signed and Senate Dems voted for? The law that the President claims he doesn't need as he has the AUMF to detain people indefinitely or kill them far away from a battlefield?
Yeah, I'm sure he's working furiously on it though!
And then, when a Republican becomes president and utilizes the law Obama supported and signed and tried really hard to repeal so that he can detain and assassinate suspects, it will be terrible because that's what Republicans are when they do the things Democrats just have to do to win elections.
It can be confusing to people who don't realize that Obama is so great because he makes conservatives get mad and stuff.
@48: See, it's simple. He's an idiot.
we have some agrement with them that our troops are not subject to their courts. I am sure this agreement may be waived by the usa.
as mad as y'all are about the killing, I don't see much fanfare for doing the right thing as suggested here. just gie him a quick hearing to expel him, I believe he has forfeited the right to a return ticket, take his uniform, and turn him out the door.
shalom and alla akbar and all that. See what it's like to get some collateral damage on our side.
Because he's a murdered and we're harboring him just like the taliban harbored bin laden.
Riiiiight?
My name is Staff Sergeant Edward Johnson. I work and live on JBLM (North Fort, to be specific), as part of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment. I hide nothing; I will freely admit that I have killed men, and indirectly, women and children as well.
If you'd like to discuss any of this in person, I'd be more than willing.
Just leave.
And then ignore that sad excuse for a non-country.
Not that the U.S. military shutting down for a while would be such a bad thing, but that's my - and most of the rest of the world's - opinion.
@60: Republicans in Congress blocked any attempt to remove or alter the indefinite detention bit. As much as I believe we should trim the military's budget, one does not simply let its funding expire. But hey, clearly Obama actually wanted to sign a bill containing a provision which he's been claiming to oppose. Enjoy your paranoid worldview.
Yeah, you have extensive training and conditioning to Other the "hadji" civilians, but don't expect anyone to respect you implicitly when you carry on with the same bluster.
"Staff Sergeant (SSG) is E-6 rank in the U.S. Army, just above Sergeant and below Sergeant First Class, and is a non-commissioned officer."
Maybehaps you read wiki more closely?