Kill Teams

[Nightshade]

There are going to be rogue soldiers doing things that are against code of conduct and plain human decency- but why do they have to be in our army?

Maybe it could be "explained" as becoming desensitized to violence or dehumanizing the enemy, but don't they realize that their actions will lead to recruiting more of the enemy AND further destroying any credibility America has?

This is a gift to the enemy- and one that will keep giving.

Link titles from Drudge Report as an example:

MAG: NEW 'KILL TEAM' PHOTOS RELEASED...

REPORT: Troops killed Afghan civilians and tried to cover...

U.S. soldiers hacked off part of dead man's skull?

HORROR: Cut off 15-year-old boy's finger and kept as trophy...

VIDEO: Two on motorcycle gunned down...***WARNING: GRAPHIC***

http://drudgereport.com/

I supported going to Afghanistan to get the bastards that attacked us on 9/11...but this behavior is going to destroy more than those terrorists did on that day.

[Heretic]

So you think this is something new? This has happen in almost every war we have ever been in. In WWII American soldiers took teeth and skulls. Same thing was going on in the Vietnam War.

[Foil]

Heretic is right, war crimes have always happened. It's fricking wrong, it makes me angry (particularly hearing stories from a Marine friend of mine who saw some questionable stuff in Iraq), and it certainly doesn't help our perception.

Fortunately though, those are not representative of the majority of our military. And in the cases you pointed out, those guys were caught and charged. Doesn't make it right, but it's good to know that these things aren't ignored by those who keep our men and women accountable.

[SilverFJ]

Never heard of collecting ears in 'Nam, huh?

[Tunnelcat]

But WHY? War is an abomination and a poor solution to our problems in the first place, but if a soldier goes to war and it's his or her job to kill the enemy, JUST KILL THE EFFING ENEMY ALREADY! Why do all this stupid sadistic stuff that you just know is going to come out in the press? WFT is wrong with humans? We've done this stuff all through history too. Killing is bad enough, but I just don't get the sadism, defiling of bodies, torture, rape and trophy collecting that goes on during war.

[Grendel]

Power.

[woodchip]

But WHY? War is an abomination and a poor solution to our problems in the first place, but if a soldier goes to war and it's his or her job to kill the enemy, JUST KILL THE EFFING ENEMY ALREADY! Why do all this stupid sadistic stuff that you just know is going to come out in the press? WFT is wrong with humans? We've done this stuff all through history too. Killing is bad enough, but I just don't get the sadism, defiling of bodies, torture, rape and trophy collecting that goes on during war.

Only a small number of soldiers do this. Unfortunately, once you get over killing your first human being, It becomes easier. Let your best buddy get dinged and now hate enters the picture. I had a sargent who viewed the viet cong as nothing more than rabbits and shot them with no more remorse than a rabbit. Before you think bad thoughts of him, remember that this may of been a way to keep his own sanity midst the war he was forced into. Unless you have traveled the path, don't be too critical of those who have. In the OP's case, the guys were idiots for taking pics and passing them around. At least wait a few years

[SilverFJ]

But WHY? War is an abomination and a poor solution to our problems in the first place, but if a soldier goes to war and it's his or her job to kill the enemy, JUST KILL THE EFFING ENEMY ALREADY! Why do all this stupid sadistic stuff that you just know is going to come out in the press? WFT is wrong with humans? We've done this stuff all through history too. Killing is bad enough, but I just don't get the sadism, defiling of bodies, torture, rape and trophy collecting that goes on during war.

Well, you could try and be a national mediator, Lord knows there aren't enough genius-level people trying to avert war at every cost, but as long as evil men have power, the righteous will have to defend themselves.

I have never killed, but I have a feeling you lose a bit of your soul every time that you are made to do it. Sooner or later some of our nation's troops sacrifice their own said soul to protect us and this happens.

[Tunnelcat]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against killing another human being(s) if it came down to my superior's orders or even to save my own skin. I wouldn't even hesitate to shoot an intruder in my own home. I'm not even against your Sergent's opinion of the Viet Cong, Woodchip, because when a person gets into the mode of killing the enemy and personal survival, hate will become a factor. War is war and messy as hell. Killing is not something most people will ever to do or even want to, frankly.

But I still question why would anybody could go beyond just killing the enemy and delve into sadism and torture, and even take pictures of it for posterity. Kill, take territory and move on, that's the job at hand. I guess I'm not the sadistic type and don't see that as a power trip. But to be honest, I don't know what would happen if I were put into many of the situations our soldiers are placed, so I can't criticize from some holier than thou pulpit. I just seems that the sadism would only add to any derangement forming in the mind and make things more unbearable for a soldier to sleep at night.

[Will Robinson]

People sometimes react in weird ways to horrific events.
When you are the one dishing out the horror, in between moments of having it dished up all over you and your friends, you might develop some strange ways of keeping it in a perspective you can cope with....like embracing it and taking it to a new level so you own it instead of it owning you.

[Tunnelcat]

Well, you're probably right. It just seems like it's a counterproductive way of dealing with violence. Not only does one have to deal with the memories of who and how one killed another person, by resorting to sadistic behavior afterward, guilt and more traumatic horrors would just complicate memories that would constantly be relived over and over in the form of nightmares or abhorrent behavior. Not everyone can handle it I guess, and I don't blame vets when they finally snap. That's why we need a good safety net for them when they return home.