Soldiers face murder in Iraq

[mburbank]

I haven't finsiehd yelling at Kev, yet, Eye Tai.

But I don't mean to say I think we're only using traditional scorched earth type shit in Iraq. I'm saying that where we do (and we do do it) it's counterproductive as well as barbaric and sinful which war always is. I think war should be at very least productive.

I think the evil ratio in the military is very small, thanks. I think the insanity level is probably very high. I think war always encourages insanity, and I think when you wage war the way Rummy does, you maximize the craziness. What's your point here? I think the percentage of retardation is exactly as great as the the national retardage percentage, but retardation at the food court and wall mart aren't that big a deal, and retardation with big ass weapons is dicey.

FDR was at war with nations. Lincoln was at war with half the United States. That doesn't excuse them violating the constitution, and I'd argue that those acts didn't help them win their wars. I think the interment of japanese was a horrid idea that set a horrid precedent. This isn't WWII or the Civil War and W isn't FDR or Lincoln. This is a substandard leader in an ill defined war, and I would say that makes his line crossing even worse and more dagerous than the line crossing of greater men in worse circumstances, but slightly more forgiveable, in that Lincoln and FDR knew better. Again, I don't see your point. And if you hate relativism so much (and I do not) stop being a relatavist. By your lights, Lincoln and FDR have absolutely zero to do with W because they already happened.

"our government could be doing far worse right now."

hat's a really powerful moral argument there, Kev. That's what I told the cop when I got brought up on assault charges, I said "What the fuck, officer, I coulda killed the guy and ate him."

"YEAH, LET'S NOT ASSUME HE GOT HIS HEAD CHOPPED OFF, GUYS. IT MAY JUST HAVE BEEN THAT THEY SLIT HIS THROAT, OR SIMPLY PLACED A BULLET IN HIS HEAD."

Kevin, you doof. The use of the word alleged like eighty times was a reference to your reprimanding me becuase I didn't offer a presumption of innocence to the crew in Haditha, and you were right. The main point being, if one doesn't yet know all the facts one ooughntn't to act as if they do. By the way, I'm totaly prepared to believe that these guys were kidnapped and tortured to death, but I was also prepared to believe that Pat Tillamn died fighting the enemy, Jessica Lynch was a war hero instead of an unconcious victim, etc. etc. It's all fucking horrible, every horrible pointless death over there. I'm realtive that way.

Kevin. The official investigation notes that prior to Times article, the investigation was crap. We will never know if it would have stayed crap, but I think theres some reason to suspect it might have. If you beleieve that the pentagon doesn't try to sweep nasty shit under the rug on a regular basis, I think you are a rube. Appease the media? Cover up bloddlust? Nothing so complicated, dramatic or grandiose. Avoid bad PR. Reflexively, habitually. I think that's uglier, personally.

"As for our enemies, this is their M.O. They can't confront us head on (as you elaborated upon below), so they plant roadside bombs, they blow up mosques, and they kidnap journalists, aid workers, and soldiers. "

Yes. BUT I'M NOT ON THE OTHER SIDE!

"One side criminalizes the targeting of innocent life, and the other glorifies it."

Not exactly. One side criminalizes the deliberate targeting of innocent life. The accidental taking of innocent life is seen as an unpleasant biproduct that some policies try to avoid and others embrace with open arms. We use weapons we know for a fact are maximal killing machines like cluster bombs, we actively try to fuck up land mine treaties. They glorify the taking of human life, were casual about it. AND THIS IS MY COUNTRY!

I have things that need doing. I'll yell at youy more later.