Feces, Urine, Blood, Smoke, and Something Indescribable

This is an account given by Ethan McCord over the "Collateral Murder" video released by wikileaks a few months back. In it Ethan describes what happened that day, and his thoughts that day. He describes a day in his shoes and how his commanding officers treated him when he sought counseling for what he was part of. He provides several photos from that day, including one that has the blood of the children shot on his uniform. If you are like me, you should get a box of tissue ready before reading.

SOURCE


EXCERPT:

Myself and the team I was with were the first dismounted soldiers to arrive on the scene. I saw what appeared to have been 3 men on a corner, It was an extreme shock to my system, They didn’t look human, I know they had to be at one time but the destroyed carnage that I was looking at didn’t appear to be. Then there was the smell. The smell was unlike anything I've smelled before, a mixture of feces, urine, blood, smoke, and something else indescribable. I saw an RPG next to the men and an AK-47. Crying! I hear crying. Not cries of pain, but that of a small child who had woken up from a horrible nightmare. I saw that there was a mini van and the cries appeared to be coming from it. Myself and another soldier, a 20 year old private, walked up to the passenger side van. We looked inside, The private I was with reeled back, began to vomit, and quickly ran away.

For the conspiracy part of this, notice he throws in he saw an AK and an RPG. Were the reporters really carrying weapons, or just traveling with someone who was?

[edit on 22-7-2010 by ExPostFacto]

Interesting read.

Sounds like a couple of guys who got out and were guilt-tripped by the people around them.

I know several guys from my old unit who got out and kept hearing "Don't you feel bad? Don't you feel bad? Do you feel guilty?" until they finally broke and started feeling guilty. I guess for some, depending on the company you keep in civilian life, it's like getting brainwashed in a POW camp.

You know I'll take flak for this but, it doesn't matter if they had weapons.

It is their nation, they have the right to do whatever they want there.

For us to come in and kill them for their rights? Now that's sick and twisted.

I don't care what justification someone will tell me, the fact we invaded them based on lies, and are still there is pretty much all i need to know to realize this is all WRONG.

reply to post by muzzleflash


You make an excellent point. We are in their country and we do allow heads of households to be armed, as far as I am aware. I doubt people will give you flak for that statement, but who knows.

Originally posted by signal2noise
Interesting read.

Sounds like a couple of guys who got out and were guilt-tripped by the people around them.

I know several guys from my old unit who got out and kept hearing "Don't you feel bad? Don't you feel bad? Do you feel guilty?" until they finally broke and started feeling guilty. I guess for some, depending on the company you keep in civilian life, it's like getting brainwashed in a POW camp.

So the States back home is like a POW camp now?

Well, if you can't handle the job of being the the military, don't join. Simple.

People have opinions about the topic, you have the right to voice your opinion.

The only way you can feel guilty about something is if you are in fact guilty. You could never convince me I was guilty of a crime I didn't commit.

You know what? My buddy who was a Paratrooper told me all kinds of horror stories about Afghanistan.

He told me about things he regrets doing, and about events that were just horrific.

But he sure as hell doesn't let other people guilt trip him. I told him I hold nothing against him, I have nothing but RESPECT for the TRUTH and for his sacrifices he made for ME. And he told me some really juicy info as well...

He is not exactly guilty here anyways, he is just another victim of a system gone wrong really. I offer support to vets who are struggling.

But if you feel guilty? Than maybe you did something really wrong?

Every person is different. And I will not support a soldier who brings disgrace to this nation. Bottom line.

You cannot judge everyone by the actions of a few. You must look at every case individually as every situation is different.

In the case mentioned in the OP, I do not blame the soldiers. They were misled into a conflict they don't even understand themselves. They were only fighting the war they were told to fight.

Their commanders ? Now there may be someone in command that should be court-martialed, and then tossed into the brig, pronto.

Also, throw the entire Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of this corrupt government in the Brig. Maybe things will start changing for once?

Originally posted by muzzleflash
So the States back home is like a POW camp now?

Did I say that? No, I didn't. I said it was like being brainwashed in a POW camp.

Originally posted by muzzleflash
Well, if you can't handle the job of being the the military, don't join. Simple.

The kids I was with could handle it; getting treated like a common criminal by their own civilian population is wearing at them, tho. You know, d-bags that were never there, yet seem to have all the answers. Like a lot of posters on ATS.

Originally posted by muzzleflash
You cannot judge everyone by the actions of a few. You must look at every case individually as every situation is different.

Pass that on to some of the rocket scientists here on ATS that do just that.

Interesting that these weapons appeared and that McCord decided to inject them into his statement. I did not see them when those reporters and the van were being torn apart. The idea that they needed to be killed because of these weapons is even suspect. It looks like they got to McCord and he will now say whatever they want him to.

As a Canadian, I simply wonder how the citizenry of the USA followed the leadership of George W. Bush ... of all people under the sun. A great nation followed the deranged black sheep of the Bush family -- though I suspect he is not as much of a black sheep having advanced his family and his kind's agenda during his eight year presidency. When will the citizens of the USA finally say en masse that enough is enough, bring home the troops, and let us never, never, never do this sort of thing again.

And then put it into your Constitution to make illegal for your troops to be used in foreign entanglements and to underline the defensive character of your military.

wilkis needs a big red banner with the disclaimer of bleeding heart liberals.


WIKILEAKS IS A LIBERAL SITE who PROMOTES A EXTREME LEFT VIEWPOINT!


anyone with half a brain knows- when a liberal watches it its preaching to the choir- they already have the hatred and contempt........i dont know maybe they are looking for validity of the views.

its also a given that 99% of the haters DO NOT KNOW anyone serving in the military- sons,daughters,husbands,friends,wives.


what i do know for sure- YOU ARE BEING CONTROLLED BY HATE and you always will be if you continue to let yourself be.

really out of the 84 pages of that video how many people have people they know over there?

really do you walk up to them when they got home or get home and spit and scream you bloody murder?

[edit on 22-7-2010 by neo96]

Originally posted by earthdude
Interesting that these weapons appeared and that McCord decided to inject them into his statement. I did not see them when those reporters and the van were being torn apart.

Were you there? McCord was, you weren't. I think I'd take the word of a guy that was actually there over someone that wasn't.

reply to post by neo96


So if I don't believe what you posted it means I do not have half a brain? Who were you replying to anyway?

[edit on 22-7-2010 by ExPostFacto]

fine dude everything you read and every video on the internet is the truth.


beleive what you will.


the slogan of the 60s is just as relevant now as then question everything accept nothing and ask yourself this : whose agenda does what am i reading or watching serve.

reply to post by neo96


Sorry I do not believe in Liberals or Conservatives, and I have no idea why you would post this about wikileaks simply because I mention they originally broke the story. Who's agenda are you serving?

Originally posted by muzzleflash
You know I'll take flak for this but, it doesn't matter if they had weapons.

It is their nation, they have the right to do whatever they want there.

For us to come in and kill them for their rights? Now that's sick and twisted.

I don't care what justification someone will tell me, the fact we invaded them based on lies, and are still there is pretty much all i need to know to realize this is all WRONG.

I hate to agree with you on this since I have a brother over there right this moment who I dearly love, but you are right. He'd prob agree with you too.

Michael Moore and anyone associated with him are professional liars who would say or write anything to smear the US. I never voted for G.W. Bush, thinking him a bit of a dimwit, but I never thought he purposefully worked against constitutional government. The left in the US (and elsewhere) will continue to fabricate sob stories that are taken as gospel by those with fragile psyches who would gladly live in a Marxist culture as long as "no one is hurt".

reply to post by taskforce4256

Just because you hate the messenger doesn't make the message a lie.

As William Tecumseh Sherman said during the Civil War, "War is hell." It always has been and always will be. All modern warfare slaughters women, children and innocent civilians. The United States is no exception.

It is a tribute to our armed services that we still have citizens who are capable of feeling compassion and remorse. Many if not most of our soldiers have to turn off their emotions if they are to survive mentally and physically. Still, they have been done irreparable damage and will carry the scars with them for the rest of their lives. Anyone who says this is not so is lying.

All the flag-waving and national pride in the world will not change the realities of war.

I found a reporter that the Apache Helios didn't shoot. I am in love with her. I am buying her book. It is full of blood.
www.npr.org...

What are you doing AMERICA? What are you doing.

[edit on 13-8-2010 by JohnySeagull]