I smell ozone.
-Eric
Posted on 05/06/2004 5:11:22 PM PDT by E Rocc
I understand that the Clintons outsourced control of the weather to some guy in Bangalore.
Remember (to some people)...the Clintons control the world!
Maybe you guys would be happy to have ANY soldier who pumps in extra slug or two into an enemy combatant reported by a fellow soldier? Or reporting a soldier who punched an insolent big mouth Iraqi?
How about reporting the interrogators who "crossed the line" and slapped around a few prisoners to get info that saves American lives?
How about the Psy-Ops and Special Forces guys? Surely they must be violating the Geneva Convention someway, somehow?
I myself -- nor does the American Armed Forces -- condone crossing the line, but it's war, and it's done. And yet -- was this case about murder?? No, didn't think so...
What about the 'Big Picture'? The by-product of this "hero" has been the impugning of ALL US Forces because of the action of a few.
Now that ALL of our guys have had their balls cut off, will they be looking over their respective shoulders in anticipation of being cited for some kind of real or imagined "infraction?"
I don't know which is worse - - anti-Bush zealots who love this scandal because they hate Bush, or Bushbots like Rush who deny that anything was done wrong. As if it's humane and civilized to force people to stand around naked for several days or any of the gross stuff that was done to them.
Was it Rush who likened it to fraternities? What a load of cr-p. Fraternities have been banned from dangerous hazing, number one. People go through initiations voluntarilyl, number two. Any fraternity that forced people to do this kind of stuff should be shut down and criminal charges contemplated, number three. To hear conservatives laughing or justifying this S & M creepiness tells me we've fallen very far in the moral standards of this nation.
I smell ozone.
-Eric
They Nasty Six at Abu Gharaib should be publicly flogged.
Did you read the report? If so, you MUST have noticed that several unexplained or suspicious shootings are also under investigation. Some of the sickos had posed with dead Iraqi bodies, too.
If you DID, and now have retreated to "It wasn't MURDER" from "It's just HAZING", at least we have made progress.
However, you are still out in lala land if you think that the guy who REPORTED the abuses, AS HE WAS ORDERED AND EXPECTED TO DO, is more culpable in the scandal than those who DID it. I do not usually make this charge, but that is positively Clintonian. Also, had you served, you would know what a dishonorable disgrace to us all this was. The man who did his duty and reported it WAS NOT the culprit, it was those who DID IT."Now that ALL of our guys have had their balls cut off, will they be looking over their respective shoulders in anticipation of being cited for some kind of real or imagined "infraction?"
If they are, it's because of some human trash who liked to get their kicks through torture and sick photography.
The silver lining is that it may in fact strengthen the sense of decency and honor in those of us who still respect and hold dear those things.
For our side, this is worse. The Dims will always hate us; to win elections, we need the people in the center whom we can persuade of our overall better methods and philosophy. If a large number of our side,or one of our main spokesmen, is seen as ignoring or excusing or, by extension, SUPPORTING such barbarism as torture, we WILL lose. Hey, I listen to Rush as often as I can, but he is way off-base here. He talks about this, IMHO, having NOT read the Pentagon report. That will hurt us.
"Was it Rush who likened it to fraternities? What a load of cr-p. Fraternities have been banned from dangerous hazing, number one. People go through initiations voluntarilyl, number two. Any fraternity that forced people to do this kind of stuff should be shut down and criminal charges contemplated, number three."
I have to believe that many of the people on FR repeating this incorrect statement got it from Rush, and have not read the report. That's why I link to it as often as possible...people MUST know what they are being talked into supporting. I believe that many really do not, and that MUST change or we'll ALL look like maniacs.
As for the fraternity thing, you are spot-on. Those claiming that frats do these things have not been in one, not in the past 20 years, anyway. Animal House was a MOVIE, folks. Does anyone really think that in this day and age that a fraternity could get away with even a fraction of this abuse?
I serve, at times, on my own chapter's Alumni Board of Directors. We, among other things, monitor the undergrad chapter to see that they conduct themselves as gentlemen and good citizens, as our rules, vows, and bylaws say. I have watched what happens to other fraternities who even SLIGHTLY step ove the line. Believe me, it's not pretty. Universities will pull charters and expel members in a heartbeat, and lawsuits are a constant threat.
Bottom line, there's a lot of people spouting off some "talking points" who have neither the full knowledge of the facts nor the experience in the areas they comment on to know what the Hell they're talking about.
Could you possibly summarize what those recommendations were? I'd be interested to know. Thanks.
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.