LIVE DISCUSSION THREAD..Gen Taguba testifying before Senate committee..C-span 1 and Fox

[kcvl]

After reading a statement, the men were seen pulling the man to his side and cutting off his head with a large knife. They then held the head out before the camera.

An Islamic militant Web site is showing a video of the beheading of a man identified as an American.

The Web site says it was done in revenge for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners.

[Howlin]

No further mention of the names was made by MSNBC.

Exactly. It was reported maybe 2 times yesterday, then never again.

And the lawyer said they were mailed in January.

[EllaMinnow]

Oh no...

[kcvl]

Video seems to show beheading of American

CAIRO (AP) — A video posted Tuesday on an Islamic militant Web site showed a group affiliated with al-Qaeda beheading an American contractor in Iraq, saying the death was revenge for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers.

The video showed five men wearing headscarves and black ski masks, standing over a bound man in an orange jumpsuit — similar to a prisoner's uniform — who identified himself as Nick Berg, a U.S. contractor whose body was found on a highway overpass in Baghdad on Saturday.

"My name is Nick Berg, my father's name is Michael, my mother's name is Susan," the man said on the video. "I have a brother and sister, David and Sarah. I live in ... Philadelphia."

After reading a statement, the men were seen pulling the man to his side and putting a large knife to his neck. A scream sounded as the men cut his head off, shouting "Allahu Akbar!" — "God is great." They then held the head out before the camera.

"For the mothers and wives of American soldiers, we tell you that we offered the U.S. administration to exchange this hostage with some of the detainees in Abu Ghraib and they refused," one of the men read from a statement.

"So we tell you that the dignity of the Muslim men and women in Abu Ghraib and others is not redeemed except by blood and souls. You will not receive anything from us but coffins after coffins ... slaughtered in this way."

The video bore the title "Abu Musab al-Zarqawi shown slaughtering an American." It was unclear whether al-Zarqawi — a lieutenant of Osama bin Laden — was shown in the video, or was claiming responsibility for ordering the execution.

The Web site on which the video was posted is known as a clearing house for al-Qaeda and Islamic extremist groups' statements and tapes.

[MeekOneGOP]

The SJC ? Not sure what that is exactly. Guessing "Senate Judiciary Committee?"

In any case, Cornyn would be a good man to have in the Senate leadership alright !

[altura]

That scene from Dr. Strangelove keeps playing in my mind.

I am very dismayed.

I am as dismayed as you.

No, I am even more dismayed than you.

Excuse me, I can measure my dismayal level. It is much higher than yours.

Wrong, my dismay cannot even be measured.

[altura]

I have been very impressed by Cornyn. We Texans did good.

(of course we still have Martin Frost to answer for)

[kcvl]

Did you see the article about the BEHEADING of an AMERICAN becuase of the prison scandal?!

[livius]

There was also a picture of the body of the American civilian that was found in Baghdad - it may or may not have been the same person. But it appeared that he had been seriously tortured in a truly hideous way, if it was.

But of course, that doesn't matter, he was just an American.

[Petronski]

Well, alright. You're dismayed and I'm dismayed. We can be dismayed together. Just don't go saying you're more dismayed than I am. We're both very dismayed.

[Howlin]

I hope the Democrats are happy.

[kcvl]

That's right, just an American! If it was a murdering terrorist we would probably have a hearing or something.

[Howlin]

Bump!!!

[Recovering_Democrat]

I had a recent "discussion" with a fellow FREEPer who insists all of these pictures be made public: regardless of who is killed, regardless of the criminal proceedings it may taint, regardless of the consequences. She is certain that all of this is the fault of the military, and the MILITARY is to be blamed, not the press.

Such "thinking", if one can call it that, is deadly to American soldiers and American justice.

[Howlin]

My gosh, Rumsfeld is raising hell during this townhall meeting!

[Pukin Dog]

It will backfire. This is not Spain. We are a nation of brave and resolute warriors. This will only strengthen us.

[cake_crumb]

The Dems will say it's the US military's fault.

[Pukin Dog]

Is there a streaming of Rummy anywhere without Real Audio? I don't have that program, and I don't have Fox in this hotel room.

[Tommyjo]

Confiscated, then issued. Did you not read the link? Issued due to the lack of rifles amongst certain units. It was deemed a good force multiplier by US units in Iraq. UK forces did the same thing in certain circumstances. The rounds were very easy to come across.

[OESY]

Here's another looking glass on history:


* * *
Patton also created controversy when he visited the 15th Evacuation Hospital on 3rd August 1943. In the hospital he encountered Private Charles H. Kuhl, who had been admitted suffering from shellshock. When Patton asked him why he had been admitted, Kuhl told him "I guess I can't take it." According to one eyewitness Patton "slapped his face with a glove, raised him to his feet by the collar of his shirt and pushed him out of the tent with a kick in the rear." Kuhl was later to claim that he thought Patton, as well as himself, was suffering from combat fatigue.

Two days after the incident at the 15th Evacuation Hospital Patton sent a memo to all commanders in the 7th Army: "It has come to my attention that a very small number of soldiers are going to the hospital on the pretext that they are nervously incapable of combat. Such men are cowards and bring discredit on the army and disgrace to their comrades, whom they heartlessly leave to endure the dangers of battle while they, themselves, use the hospital as a means of escape. You will take measures to see that such cases are not sent to the hospital but are dealt with in their units. Those who are not willing to fight will be tried by court-martial for cowardice in the face of the enemy."

On 10th August 1943, Patton visited the 93rd Evacuation Hospital to see if there were any soldiers claiming to be suffering from combat fatigue. He found Private Paul G. Bennett, an artilleryman with the 13th Field Artillery Brigade. When asked what the problem was, Bennett replied, "It's my nerves, I can't stand the shelling anymore." Patton exploded: "Your nerves. Hell, you are just a goddamned coward, you yellow son of a bitch. Shut up that goddamned crying. I won't have these brave men here who have been shot seeing a yellow bastard sitting here crying. You're a disgrace to the Army and you're going back to the front to fight, although that's too good for you. You ought to be lined up against a wall and shot. In fact, I ought to shoot you myself right now, God damn you!" With this Patton pulled his pistol from its holster and waved it in front of Bennett's face. After putting his pistol way he hit the man twice in the head with his fist. The hospital commander, Colonel Donald E. Currier, then intervened and got in between the two men.

Colonel Richard T. Arnest, the man's doctor, sent a report of the incident to General Dwight D. Eisenhower. The story was also passed to the four newsmen attached to the Seventh Army. Although Patton had committed a court-martial offence by striking an enlisted man, the reporters agreed not to publish the story. Quentin Reynolds of Collier's Weekly agreed to keep quiet but argued that there were "at least 50,000 American soldiers on Sicily who would shoot Patton if they had the chance."

Eisenhower told one of his senior officers: "If this thing ever gets out, they'll be howling for Patton's scalp, and that will be the end of George's service in this war. I simply cannot let that happen. Patton is indispensable to the war effort - one of the guarantors of our victory." Instead he wrote a letter to Patton demanding that he should apologize or make "personal amends to the individuals concerned as may be within your power."

Eisenhower now had a meeting with the war correspondents who knew about the incident and told them that he hoped they would keep the "matter quiet in the interests of retaining a commander whose leadership he considered vital." The men agreed to do this but the news of the incident eventually reached Drew Pearson and in November 1943, he told the story on his weekly syndicated radio program. Some politicians demanded that Patton should be sacked but General George Marshall and Henry L. Stimson supported Eisenhower in the way he had dealt with the case.

* * *
Source: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWpatton.htm

* * *
My Question: Since Presumptive Democrat Candidate Kerry is fond of quoting Truman by saying "The buck stops here, not with the Secretary of Defense," does Kerry believe FDR was an unfit Commander-in-Chief by not offering to resign in the middle of World War II, just months before the Normandy Invasion?