Originally Posted by
fm2176
As do most veterans of the recent conflicts. Judging from the Milblogs, there seems to be two major types of veterans: those who are cool with the situation but cannot believe the stupidity of the Marines, and those who cannot believe that they would act in such a manner in the first place. I fall into the latter category.
As an NCO with ten years of service, it has been pounded into my head to never do anything to shame the US, the Army, my peers, or myself. That said, I've done my share of stupid stuff both in and out of uniform. Witnesses are one thing, but cameras and camcorders are another. It's the digital age, and I can't understand how anyone would film themselves doing something that may be illegal. When I was in Iraq almost nine years ago technology was primitive at best. Most of the deployment we had limited phone and computer access (the first six months amounted to one ten-minute call a month), disposable cameras sent in care packages, and no unsupervised contact with the outside world. I thought I was moving up in the world when I bought my "Iraqimatic" 2.1 MP camera from a local vendor. Now, from what I understand, Soldiers in theater have personal cell phones (most of which take decent photos and video) and outside of isolated COPs, computer access and video uploads are easy (Youtube also wasn't around in my day).
If I were there I'd have stopped it. Not due to any lack of humor on my part, or a desire to stop my men from having fun; not due to having a love for some POS' who just tried to kill me; and not due to the fact that it was or wasn't being filmed. Everyone in that video will likely be fried, from the lowest Pvt to the NCO(s) present. A random Pvt or LCpl who was present but not taking part will probably emerge unscathed, but any NCO who did not intervene will be adversely affected whether or not they took part.
Another reason I don't like that video is because I have a respect for the dead that comes with my profession. I never took photos of corpses on the road to Baghdad because I knew that I might very well be one of those corpses. Besides, the images are still fresh in my mind all these years later. My views on the Taliban are much different than my views on the Republican Guard and Iraqi Army, but once an enemy has fallen they cease to be an enemy regardless. The same holds true for wounded enemies. We're taught since basic training that once we pass an enemy on the objective he becomes our responsibility unless he tries to continue fighting. Food, water, shelter, and medical care must be provided.
Concurred. They could have gotten satisfaction out of doing this, never recorded it, and no one would be the wiser. Instead, they decided to record it for posterity, in the process giving the media another story of "outrageous" criminal acts and giving the military evidence that will destroy their careers. Hell, they should all get dishonorable discharges for stupidity.
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