Mortifying

[Teatownclown]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/03/21/us-army-apologizes-for-afghanistan-abuse-pictures/

Apologized for the pictures? What about apologizing for the abuse?!

[Gaspar]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/03/21/us-army-apologizes-for-afghanistan-abuse-pictures/

Apologized for the pictures? What about apologizing for the abuse?!

Answered in court marshal. Or at least should be!

[heironymouspasparagus]

Der Spiegel is looking a whole lot like Wikileaks today.  Hmmm....imagine that.
But what a different reaction.

[patric]

You have to wonder what their civilian jobs are...


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".

In one incident in May last year, the article says, during a patrol, the team apprehended a mullah who was standing by the road and took him into a ditch where they made him kneel down.

The group's leader, Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs, then allegedly threw a grenade at the man while an order was given for him to be shot.

Afterwards, Gibbs is described cutting off one of the man's little fingers and removing a tooth.

The patrol team later claimed to their superiors that the mullah had tried to threaten them with a grenade and that they had no choice but to shoot.

One of the soldiers in the photo is pleading guilty in exchange for immunity if he squeals.

[Gaspar]

Correction:

I don't think this will amount to much.  It seems already that the domestic media has little interest in reporting on it any further.  It will be relegated to FOX and the international news groups, but strictly page two stuff for CNN, MSNBC, and the other networks.  Took a search to even find the story on their websites today.

If this had happened under another president, it would have been like. . .well. . .Abu Ghraib!   Front page stuff for months!

[guido911]

Correction:

I don't think this will amount to much.  It seems already that the domestic media has little interest in reporting on it any further.  It will be relegated to FOX and the international news groups, but strictly page two stuff for CNN, MSNBC, and the other networks.  Took a search to even find the story on their websites today.

If this had happened under another president, it would have been like. . .well. . .Abu Ghraib!   Front page stuff for months!

You nailed this one hard. Where is Sheehan and Code Pink on this? Where is that doosh Shepard Smith whining about not doing this sort of stuff in his "name". I am just sick of this damned double standard when it comes to events occurring under this present. Seriously, this wuss sends our soldiers off to war, discovers torture,  murder, and inhumanity in his military ranks, then flies off to Brazil to let the dust settle rather than lead? 

[Gaspar]

You nailed this one hard. Where is Sheehan and Code Pink on this? Where is that doosh Shepard Smith whining about not doing this sort of stuff in his "name". I am just sick of this damned double standard when it comes to events occurring under this present. Seriously, this wuss sends our soldiers off to war, discovers torture,  murder, and inhumanity in his military ranks, then flies off to Brazil to let the dust settle rather than lead? 

Meh. . .It's killed the "main-stream media."  They enjoy ever dwindling numbers and lower advertising dollars because of their lack of journalism and clear political agenda. People to look to other sources. 

Their Messiah may be the last nail in their coffin.

[guido911]

Their Messiah may be the last nail in their coffin.

Here's hoping you are right. Between 2004-2006 when our brave soldiers were fighting and dying in Iraq (whether one believes the war was justified or not), our media breathlessly waited for any opportunity to attack them and their commander in chief. Hell, Sheehan camping out in front of Bush's house in Texas was huge news for a very long time. Later, when the "surge" proved to have worked, this same media that highlighted Hillary and Obama's denial of success during the Betrayus hearings were absent in pointing out how wrong those two ultimately were. Incidentally, these two are now our front persons in Libya. Where in the frak are these anti-war media types today? Makes one "shudder" (if they were a spineless dooshbag).

[we vs us]

You nailed this one hard. Where is Sheehan and Code Pink on this? Where is that doosh Shepard Smith whining about not doing this sort of stuff in his "name". I am just sick of this damned double standard when it comes to events occurring under this present. Seriously, this wuss sends our soldiers off to war, discovers torture,  murder, and inhumanity in his military ranks, then flies off to Brazil to let the dust settle rather than lead? 

Sometimes you get so angry I can't even tell what you're saying. 

[RecycleMichael]

Seriously, this wuss sends our soldiers off to war, discovers torture,  murder, and inhumanity in his military ranks, then flies off to Brazil to let the dust settle rather than lead? 

It is called multi-tasking. It is probably above your pay grade.

[Gaspar]

Story scrubbed.  

Can't find it now on USA Today, MSNBC, ABC News, CNN, or CBS.

I have to admit, I'm impressed, they control the domestic media absolutely.

Gotta go to Reuters, AP, Telegraph UK, or other foreign press groups to see coverage.

[Ed W]

A cursory search using The Google revealed over 700 stories on this, both domestic and foreign.

[Conan71]

A cursory search using The Google revealed over 700 stories on this, both domestic and foreign.

Any of them from the MSM sources Gaspar listed or just the blogosphere?

[Ed W]

Both.

[Conan71]

Both.

Maybe his Google has the conservative filter on?