• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians ...

Laila

DP Veteran
Joined
Aug 20, 2008
Messages
10,101
Reaction score
2,990
Gender
Female
Political Leaning
Liberal
.. and posed with their dead bodies.

Afghan Abu Ghraib ... except worse :/
The images are repulsive. A group of rogue US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians and then posed with their bodies. On Monday, SPIEGEL published some of the photos -- and the US military responded promptly with an apology. Still, NATO fears that reactions in Afghanistan could be violent.

The United States and NATO are concerned that reactions could be intense to the publication of images documenting killings committed by US soldiers in Afghanistan. The images appeared in the most recent edition of SPIEGEL, which hit the newsstands on Monday.

Wouldn't blame Afghans if they got violent against the Soldiers. Some of the photos are just horrible and just imagine ... there was 4,000 found.

I'm not even going to post the photos. It should be in the link.
The 'Kill Team' Images: US Army Apologizes for Horrific Photos from Afghanistan - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International

I don't know which bit is the worst part. The idea the photos were attempted to be hidden by the US or the apology only came when they got leaked :doh

Edit: Please merge if a thread has already been made on it. Couldn't see it on BN
 
Last edited:
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

From the article it is apparent that the investigation and prosecution are well under way. Considering the events happened barely a year ago, that shows that the US has been working hard to see justice done. I promise you that the US military and government not only do not condone the behavior, but are even more pissed by it than most people, including the arab world. The military prides itself on it's professionalism, and people who do things like this make the whole military look bad.

There is no justification for what those soldiers did if the accusations in the article are true. However, there is also no misdeeds on the part of the military as a whole or US government in this event.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

I have always wondered how Americans can commit this kind of atrocity.

I would like to see pictures of the troops involved, just to see if any look like they might be or might have been gangbangers. I can't see it being semi normal young Americans it just doesn't compute.

This is not about race it's about mental states, because gangs come in all colors and races.

I have seen a few of the pictures and they are sickening.
 
Last edited:
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

So, let me get this straight. You send people somewhere for the sole purpose of killing people, then you're angry when they kill people outside of your preferred manner of killing, and when they kill the people you haven't designated okay to kill. This all comes from a society that says killing is wrong... :confused:
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

So, let me get this straight. You send people somewhere for the sole purpose of killing people, then you're angry when they kill people outside of your preferred manner of killing, and when they kill the people you haven't designated okay to kill. This all comes from a society that says killing is wrong... :confused:

Military society is based on a strong set of rules to prevent chaos and atrocities.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

I don't know which bit is the worst part. The idea the photos were attempted to be hidden by the US or the apology only came when they got leaked
12 rogue US soldiers face courts-martial...

In a statement released by Colonel Thomas Collins, the US Army, which is currently preparing a court martial to try a total of 12 suspects in connection with the killings, apologized for the suffering the photos have caused. The actions depicted in the photos, the statement read, are "repugnant to us as human beings and contrary to the standards and values of the United States."

The suspected perpetrators are part of a group of US soldiers accused of several killings. Their court martials are expected to start soon. The photos, the army statement said, stand "in stark contrast to the discipline, professionalism and respect that have characterized our soldiers' performance during nearly 10 years of sustained operations."

The 12 men are also facing further charges of desecration of corpses, illegal possession of photos of corpses, drug abuse and acts of bodily injury against comrades.

Just guessing here, but I would speculate that drug abuse played a major part in this. Afghanistan and heroin are synonymous. In addition, some soldiers take stimulants such as Dexedrine to satisfy time-demands in remote posts that are understaffed.

Not excusing it at all though. This is murder, and these killers should be prosecuted to the fullest extent by the US military.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

So, let me get this straight. You send people somewhere for the sole purpose of killing people, then you're angry when they kill people outside of your preferred manner of killing, and when they kill the people you haven't designated okay to kill. This all comes from a society that says killing is wrong... :confused:

I agree with your icon that you are confused. Killing civilians for the hell of it is never permissible and I have to believe you are old enough to know that.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

So....what are we debating here?
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

Why are we debating **** like this? What the **** is there to debate about it. All this thread is for, is a so liberal can kick the military in the teeth and that is all it's for. Tell me what's here to discuss.
There is nothing debatable here. It seems to me that the main intent of the OP is to demonize the US military.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

There is nothing debatable here. It seems to me that the main intent of the OP is to demonize the US military.

I wonder if he notices the first person to defend the military and the US in this was...a liberal.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

I wonder how many of those were legitimate kills.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

Another Bash the U.S. Military Thread.:roll:
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

I wonder how many of those were legitimate kills.

Does not matter. Taking photos in such a manner is at best disgusting and morally wrong, and at worst a political and PR mine field for the US. No matter how legit they were, the very fact that there are photos is enough to label all the kills as "innocent civilians" or what ever tag the opposition wants to place on it.

Like it or not, these soldiers are not only possible criminals but they have put the lives of every NATO and US solider in Afghanistan at risk and dishonored the US military. It is a political and PR nightmare for any US administration regardless of political leaning.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

I wonder how many of those were legitimate kills.
without the facts you couldn't say.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

Another Bash the U.S. Military Thread.:roll:
i don't see it like that. only a fool would suggest that the actions of those soldiers reflect the entire military and those pieces of **** in no way represent everyone who is serving their Country. what they did was wrong so stand up for what is right and move on.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

even with the facts saying would be difficult.

but Pete (can't believe i'm saying this) is right. Irrespective, you don't take pictures. :doh: strategic corporal gone wrong.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

There is nothing debatable here. It seems to me that the main intent of the OP is to demonize the US military.

If you are saying the reason this thread was posted on DP was to demonize the U.S. military, I disagree. I might have posted this thread, and I have nothing but respect for the U.S. Military. But maybe I misunderstand you.

As a nation, we cannot send our young men and women into war zones and then be shocked and mortified when things like this happen. Wait, let me rephrase that. "We shouldn't be that surprised when something like this happens." This is a part of war, folks. When the "proper mix" of soldiers are thrown together, this so-called Kill Group, their chemistry of fear, machismo, adrenelin, stress, and the fact that we ask these people to put aside their natural aversion to killing, results in **** like this. It's wrong when it does. But every single damn time we send our troops into harm's way, we risk these kinds of atrocities.

These men are not monsters, in my opinion. They are casualties of war themselves.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

Another Bash the U.S. Military Thread.
i don't see it like that. only a fool would suggest that the actions of those soldiers reflect the entire military and those pieces of **** in no way represent everyone who is serving their Country. what they did was wrong so stand up for what is right and move on.

Well it says something about the military and their role in these countries as occupiers that this is even possible.

These men are not monsters, in my opinion. They are casualties of war themselves.

I would phrase this differently. I would say that they were living in conditions which brought this about, i.e. a violent military occupation of a foreign country.

I see where you're coming from but I wouldn't be so apologetic as to label them "victims". They're victims the same way that any of us are "victims" to our environment. Regardless, they still chose to do this.
 
Last edited:
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

I see where you're coming from but I wouldn't be so apologetic as to label them "victims". They're victims the same way that any of us are "victims" to our environment. Regardless, they still chose to do this.

I didn't label them victims. I labeled them casualties of war. You're right they chose it. I agree with your pointing out their living conditions. Yes. That's it exactly. If it's anything like Viet Nam and Korea, and I'm sure there are many similarities, our soldiers never feel safe. That must be horrible.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

I'm sure there are many similarities, our soldiers never feel safe.

Neither do the civilians they terrorize.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

I wonder how many of those were legitimate kills.

Yeah. Thought the same thing. And it does matter. One end of the spectrum is just atrocious behavior, the other end of the spectrum is murder/war crime.

Be good to get the facts out before we get too far along in our judgements.....


.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

There is nothing debatable here. It seems to me that the main intent of the OP is to demonize the US military.

This is a political forum and this is a big news story with political consequences, isn't that enough to start a thread?

The only part of the OP that could be construed as criticism of the military is this: I don't know which bit is the worst part. The idea the photos were attempted to be hidden by the US or the apology only came when they got leaked.

Is the OP wrong in saying that the military attempted to hide the photos and/or that the apology only came after the story has leaked?

If the OP is wrong, then show that it is wrong and clear the criticisms against the Military's handling of this situation.

If it is correct, then it's valid criticisms of the US military. If valid criticism base on fact is "demoniz[ing]" then the military essentially gets a free-pass with no accountability. The people at the top needs to learn that when something goes wrong, hidding them from the public (who they are supposed to work for) is not okay. There's a small group within any organisation that might do wrong, own up to that fact without being forced to by the media and learn from it.
 
Last edited:
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

.

"A soldier being court-martialed on a U.S. Army base near Seattle for the murder of three Afghan civilians has agreed to plead guilty Wednesday in hopes of earning a reduced sentence, according to one of the attorneys handling his case.

"My client is admitting on the record to three counts of murder, plus one count of conspiracy to commit assault and battery and one count of illegal drug use," said Geoffrey Nathan, a lawyer for Army Spc. Jeremy Morlock."

Soldier to Plead Guilty in Afghan Murder Case - WSJ.com




Just saw this. The picture is getting darker....

.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

Cole, based on the plea and the details in the OP article, it does appear to be not just murder, but premeditated murder. If what has been reported so far is true(which is an assumption and not necessarily the case), then there are no excuses for what they did. It was vile, it hurts the mission, it was wrong in every aspect and they deserve everything they get from the judicial system.
 
Re: The 'Kill Team' Images--US Army soldiers in Afghanistan killed innocent civilians

Well it says something about the military and their role in these countries as occupiers that this is even possible.

newsflash. the fact that there are human beings involved is what makes this possible. the us military actually see's fewer such crimes due in no small part to it's superior discipline.

I would phrase this differently. I would say that they were living in conditions which brought this about, i.e. a violent military occupation of a foreign country.

yes, because if there is one thing that we don't have, it's gangs in inner cities. or violent pockets of extremism in France. or cartels in Mexico.

I see where you're coming from but I wouldn't be so apologetic as to label them "victims".

it doesn't make them any less guilty, nor does it alter the necessary eventual response. like a beaten dog that attacks people, you can feel sorry that it turned, but you still have to put it down.
 
Back
Top Bottom