Posted on 03/20/2011 7:38:42 PM PDT by Cardhu
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".
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
sheesh, take a chill pill...
This is the Guardian, the most anti-American newspaper in the UK. Now how do we exactly know they were “defenseless”? I will trust the American soldier over that propaganda anytime.
This is The Guardian, so I automatically distrust “unarmed” and “civilian.”
The Taliban surely take the weapons of their un-uniformed dead comrades back to their hidey holes.
Must have been simple goat herders!/s
From the article: “dead bodies of defenceless Afghan civilians they killed”
Those were Moslims.
Since the author of that whining Libtard article does not understand the nature of Islam, here is the shortest and most accurate description of Islam yet written. For any American who has not yet read the following, I suggest reading it AND taking it to heart.
“How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many countries, improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live.
A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement, the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men.
Individual Muslims may show splendid qualities, but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it.
No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science, the science against which it had vainly struggled, the civilization of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilization of ancient Rome.”
Sir Winston Churchill; (Source: The River War, first edition, Vol. II, pages 248-50 London )
The “Dirty Dozen”?
The average age in viet nam was 18.
Our American values have been lost.
We are now under tyranny.
The winds of civil war in the are strong these days Pelosi said so.
The average age in viet nam was 18.
Our American values have been lost.
We are now under tyranny.
The winds of civil war in the are strong these days Pelosi said so.
I’ll wait and see. This could be another assault on American integrity by Leftist Euro Human Rights organization(s).
Also it is well known the Afghan government uses all sorts of phony ploys to Blackmail the U.S. out of major dollars primarily claiming intentional hits on civilians.
With the Leftist turmoil now occuring around the globe there may be some scam involved to relieve the U.S. of some more capital.
No matter I want to see these Soldiers get a fair trial before I condemn them, or even think of our military in the light suggested by the accusation. I’m a Vet. I believe in our people until proven otherwise.
They are guilty by accusation.
BTW, exactly how do you tell from a photo that someone is an "innocent civilian?"
Other than the fact that somebody with an agenda called them that, I mean?
Yes of course, and the Taliban/Islamist send out “life teams” on combat operations! /s
Obviously you have no idea of this case, read the article of 2009 - then add in 4000 photos.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012712859_civiliandeaths25m.html
Then you may begin to understand why the Army issued this statement.
...”the army said it apologised for the distress caused by photographs “depicting actions repugnant to us as human beings and contrary to the standards and values of the United States”.
Indeed, repugnant to most human beings.
Check post #32
I am reading “Nam Vet” making peace with your past
authored by Chuck Dean.
It’s one of the stats he puts forth in the book.
I am notsure of the info.
The book is fabulous, PTSD is the theme.
I will reserve judgment on the pre-meditated murder case until the facts are in. It’s difficult to tell the innocent from the guilty there and none of us were there. If they murdered civilians they deserve the harshest penalty but they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Regardless, taking pictures like this is not smart and does not help their case. It provides the Islamic sympathizers (our media included) a story that promotes their message.
Beat me to it,
“The average age of the combat soldier in world war two was 26, in Vietnam it was Nineteen”!
I am not so sure of that.
I had more than one experience in nam where you couldn't/wouldn't go near mama-san and her 'starving', cute little 'new-born' bomb baby!
The way I see it, it makes the nutcases come out in the open, and makes it easier to pick them off.
Was Chuck Dean the 173rd Airborne commander?
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