[AChimp]

When most people need to blow off some steam, they yell, punch a pillow or go to therapy.

Just because you're a soldier does not give you free reign to commit human rights violations, especially when your country has invaded another country while trumpeting on the horn of morality.

You talk about proper context, Ronnie, but what IS the proper context? That these soldiers' actions were just doing it for shits and giggles? An eye for an eye? They tortured some of our guys, so we'll torture some of their guys?

A decade ago in Somalia, a couple of Canadian soldiers raped then murdered a young girl, and another two killed some civilians. We basically burned them at the stake afterwards and disbanded the entire regiment. Nobody even considered trying to justify their actions by changing the context, or saying that they were just blowing off some steam. Those soldiers were dishonourably discharged and get to spend the rest of their lives in military prison for "having a good time," and they were put there quickly. Yeah, there were people trying to cover things up, but they were all forced out of the military eventually when they were threatened with the same treatment.

There are rules for dealing with prisoners of war and ordinary criminals that need to be upheld in order for you to maintain any shred of credibility. If the other side breaks the rules, so what? By sticking to the rules, you can further justify your presence in Iraq. Conservatives in America and Iraqis who enjoy their cushy new appointed jobs might not care, but the rest of the world is watching.