By Manila Ryce
Published Friday, November 17th, 2006, 9:30 am
Filed under: Human Rights, World: Asia, War, Terrorism, Society/Culture, World Issues, US Politics

6 Responses to “US Soldier Gets 90 years for Rape and Murder”

1. Incompetence of the media
   I am no defender of the media but considering it�s a war zone it is far more difficult to get the information you want with out being a target.

   Mission to rape and pillage a non-threatening nation.
   You really don�t get that the speeches and the propaganda is koolaid drinking?

   No one was sent to rape and pillage. But such things do happen in war, in the modern world usually it is not done out of a premeditated malice it is the harsh nature of war. It can warp your mind and your sole.

   At the end of the day the leadership in the US thought it was a good idea not just because of oil that�s too simplistic but the moronic idea that by spreading �freedom� you the world safer and make allies out of enemies. It�s blind ideology at work not malice and obviously not logic.

   John
   11/18/06 at 8:38 am
   
2. 

   @john
   “…considering it�s a war zone it is far more difficult to get the information you want with out being a target.”

   I’m far less sympathetic to the American media when it comes to Iraq. There is no such thing as the free-press when news sources refuse to do their job if it means coming off as unpatriotic or saying things which might make our troops look bad. The American media neglected its responsibility. Given the level of complacency and embedded reporting I think “incompetence” is a fair description. Any news station which did report the actual events on the ground, such as al-Jazeera, was labeled a terrorist organization.

   “At the end of the day the leadership in the US thought it was a good idea not just because of oil that�s too simplistic but the moronic idea that by spreading �freedom� you the world safer and make allies out of enemies.”

   Do you really still believe that with the privatization of this war that our main goal was to spread freedom and not to reap capital? The Iraq War has been nothing more than a corporate takeover with military negotiations. Freedom never took hold in Iraq because we intended to bring it there.

   Administrator
   11/18/06 at 1:43 pm
   

3. Administrator,

   ….”Any news station which did report the actual events on the ground, such as al-Jazeera, was labeled a terrorist organization.”

   What flavor is that Koolaid? Al-Jazeera “IS” a terrorist organization. Follow the money!

   ….”corporate takeover with military negotiations.”

   Put down your science fiction novels and quit being afraid of getting out of bed in the morning. Trusting our government may not sit well in the liberal classroom but the successes of our country’s military engagements more than make up for individual acts of injustice. How many illegal acts of violence occurred during the Revolutionary War? How many during the Spanish/American War? How many during WW I? Vietnam? How many service members (and civilian supporters) have died a horrible death in defense of occupied lands or the removal of dictatorship states? No doubt many lives have been negatively affected on both sides of any conflict. Through the prism of time however, criminal acts of violence toward the innocent are overshadowed by the collective acceptance of the greater good of the endeavor.

   War is gruesome. War is ugly. All efforts must be made to prevent war, but our government must not ever, …….ever, fail to defend those who cannot defend themselves. If you choose to view it as anything other than a noble and courageous effort, then so be it, that is your right. That is your freedom. Don’t forget it.

   Sid
   12/18/06 at 2:24 pm
   
4. 

   @Sid. While I appreciate your criticism, you make valid arguments, I feel must check you on certain things:

   -”Successful Military Engagements.” I know you’re not referring to the Iraq situation when you speak of that notion, right?
   -”Never ever fail to defend people who can’t defend themselves.” How true! Isn’t that what this trial is kind of all about. Incidents like this NEED to be publicized for that very reason. The sad truth is that the high profile trials of rape and pillage are only the incidents that have been Reported! As you yourself stated, soldiers in war historically get away with all sorts of atrocity. But as John McCain once stated, “We must hold ourselves to a higher standard. We must be better than the enemies we fight.” It’s about holding on the ideal, son! So in the spirit of the very Ideal YOU espoused, I say any soldier guilty of such despicable and dishonorable acts of atrocity should be subject to no less than this idiot who murdered an innocent family.

   You seem to have a very “Ends justify the Means,” mentality. I spoke with a veteran of both Korea and Vietnam just last week, a proud American Soldier, who told me that such a rhetoric is Bullshit! The “Ends” are bullshit, simply because they are not Ends. It never Ends! Meanwhile, the “Means” is what we as human beings have to live with, and carry with us for the rest of our lives. We cannot be a beacon of hope and freedom while simultaneously committing acts of depravity, brutality, and atrocity. It just doesn’t make sense, and if you think it does, then I wonder where one can find a drug that would make one So Delusional!
   On the other hand, putting your head in the sand is indeed a Freedom you have. I’m sure you won’t forget it.

   PapaFigue
   12/18/06 at 4:39 pm
   

5. “It is widely accepted that the Iraq War was a mission to rape and pillage a non-threatening nation.”
   Are you serious?
   Listen, I’m as unhappy about this war as the next guy, and I honestly wish we were all out of it now. However, isn’t it more believable is that Bush is merely daft? The soldiers are young, animalistic fellows, as any young man is. We unfortunately run off testosterone and are motivated by sex, so this type of thing will inevitably happen in these conditions. Not excusable, still his fault, etc, but “a mission to rape and pillage?” None of this is intentional, trust me. Our leader is ignorant, the troops have some issues with self control, but this is anything but a carefully calculated mission to destroy a country for kicks. If it really was just for jollies, we wouldn’t be having so much trouble leaving, and limiting the Republicans’ chance for reelection. After their fun and games, they would most likely quickly fix things up to rape and pillage next year, but they have no idea what they’re doing.

   …and don’t even get me started on “widely accepted.”

   Chris Passarelli
   05/14/07 at 4:31 pm
   
6. 

   @Chris Passarelli
   “The soldiers are young, animalistic fellows, as any young man is. We unfortunately run off testosterone and are motivated by sex, so this type of thing will inevitably happen in these conditions.”

   No. It is entirely possible to have a group of young men who don’t rape and kill innocent people. Lowered recruitment standards and the encouragement of a chauvinistic mindset are what’s to blame, not basic human nature.

   “None of this is intentional, trust me. Our leader is ignorant, the troops have some issues with self control, but this is anything but a carefully calculated mission to destroy a country for kicks.”

   Now I have to ask if you’re serious. How is starting an unprovoked war unintentional? Everything about this has been calculated from the beginning. Iraq was destroyed not just for kicks but for capital.

   “If it really was just for jollies, we wouldn�t be having so much trouble leaving, and limiting the Republicans� chance for reelection.”

   Here’s a sad bit of reality for you: We’re not having trouble leaving. No one is keeping us there. It’s not that we can’t leave, it’s that we don’t want to leave. As long as there is money to be made we’ll still be in Iraq.

   “�and don�t even get me started on ‘widely accepted.’”

   Oh, please do. By “widely accepted” I was referring to the majority of the world which says the US went into Iraq for oil. Our congressional leaders, along with yourself, may hold on to the fantasy that we went into Iraq to try and accomplish some noble goal, but the rest of the world disagrees.

   Manila Ryce
   05/15/07 at 2:01 am
   

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