I think we should bring back flamethrowers and make the kill/burn a single action.
Posted on 01/15/2014 10:28:46 AM PST by nickcarraway
With Fallujah back under the control of Sunni insurgents, the nightmare of Iraq in 2004 is alive again. Today, TMZ published eight horrifying images, allegedly taken nearly a decade ago in Fallujah, which appear to show U.S. Marines posing next to dead bodies, soaking them in gasoline, and lighting them on fire. The gossip site claims to have published just a few of the 41 photos it obtained — "Many are just too gruesome" — and the military has opened an investigation.
"The actions depicted in these photos are not what we expect from our service members, nor do they represent the honorable and professional service of the more than 2.5 million Americans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Commander Bill Speaks, a spokesperson for the Pentagon, in a statement. "The Marine Corps is currently investigating the veracity of these photos, circumstances involved, and if possible, the identities of the service members involved. The findings from this investigation will determine whether we are able to move forward with any investigation into possible wrongdoing."
There is no statute of limitations on violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
The upsetting pictures are not the first of their kind and track with known abuses in the region by U.S. forces at the time. According to a 2005 report from Human Rights Watch, "The torture of detainees reportedly was so widespread and accepted that it became a means of stress relief for soldiers."
The recent fall of Fallujah has brought that time to the surface again for some troops. "It's just like, wow, thanks for dragging up all these memories I tried to forget that were controlling my life," one soldier told the New York Times recently, calling photos of the recent developments "nauseating." "For a while I lived out of a bottle trying to shut the memories off," he said.
I’m thinking this kind of brutality is
a) a big part of the reason we took Fallujah
b) what they’d do to us.
War is what it is. Fight the war or don’t.
If you want to win, do things that will help you win.
just sayin’
/flamesuit
“What difference, at this point, does it make?”
Plus, isn't better than just leaving them there to rot and stink up the place?
I don’t understand the problem. Rotting and decaying corpses can cause disease and environmental issues. If there is no personal involvement by family and friends to dispose of them, health would require mass graves and disposal by fire (i.e. Diesel fuel). This was pretty common practice in Vietnam and I don’t understand why the press would think this to be something not understandable.
Exactly. How about opening up an investigation on any one of the more current travesties caused by Hil!ary, or this admin?
I hope they used pork fat as an accellerant.
I had some personal friends in Fallujah. Some of the closest friends that a man could have (without, ya know, being queer.)
Based on some of the stories and photographs I’ve seen from that period, I am rather surprised we did not just carpet bomb the place. It would have been a lot easier, cleared out the bad guys, and saved a lot of US lives.
In the end, we did not do anyone any favors there.
I respect the USMC, and I think they did nothing different than any other army has done, ever.
God Bless them. Semper Fi, Marines.
Well better douse those flames with whatever fluids are available. Drink up.
‘Progressive’s’ can use these photos to justify how ‘vile and irreprehensible’ the military is to them.
Perhaps they can display these photos as reason enough that wars shouldn’t be fought. Then we will never have to go to war again. (They sure have no intention of winning one. Unless it’s a war on their opposition.)
War is a terrible thing. Always has been, always will be. But, Some say there are worse things than war. We’ll find that out soon enough, I think.
I remember a time when we said to the Leftists, ‘I don’t agree with what you’re saying, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.’ Maybe that was a mistake.
These look to be already badly decomposed bodies.
Hmmm... what was the carbon footprint?
Otherwise, I’m not seeing a big deal here. These are just jihadis... we’re not talking about real humans.
I hope/wish they had burned them in pig fat.
Whats the problem? Our boys were sparing Iraqi civilians from severe gastroenteritis.
So, TMZ is bring this up now while Obama has created a bucket load of scandals?
You’re correct.
Yes, you’re right. I bet they were already rotting. Our guys wouldn’t have had the time to bury them. (Nor would I want them to.)
I think we should bring back flamethrowers and make the kill/burn a single action.
.... because cremation is unacceptable???
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.