Golf66, you are my hero. I was going to start examining the video today, but you beat me to the punch.

I really love that the only response to any opposition is "well, look at this video".

Originally posted by macmanI really love that the only response to any opposition is "well, look at this video".

The video of the engagement itself as well as the admission and observations of the kid in the OP's link prove the journalists are traveling with armed Iraqi insurgents. Just like when any journalist covers us in operations - they take their risks to ply their trade.

I hated having journalists along not because we have anything to hide but that they are a risk to my troops - they do stupid things to try and get "good film" and in so doing risk the lives of my Soldiers who view them as non-combatants and will try and "save" them from themselves and in so doing expose themselves to more danger than they would normally.

Thanks for the kudos, but I am hardly a hero…

I decided that some real analysis rather than letting the “war is bad” “American’s are Evil” crowd continue to bash the brave young men risking their lives.

Just like the kid in the OP’s link people deal with the stress of combat differently, some feel guilty – like he obviously does. Some get angry at losing friends, some become detached and sullen etc. Some lose it altogether and take their own lives. Others; like me, have made their peace with our actions and live quite normal lives.

War is an unpleasant enterprise and is not a trade for just anyone – having plied that trade for all my adult life I have run the gambit of those emotions; however, making a video to assuage your personal guilt at the expense of the Nation and the Military’s credibility crosses the line in my book of methods of coping. I do feel for him though and hope he is taking advantage of the counseling and other services available to him through the V.A.

Originally posted by macman
I gotta say that the indiscriminate killing of people does not happen as often as most think or feel.

Find someone who was in the 3rd Marines, Vietnam @ 1969. They saw lots of people killed for nothing, or they were killing lots of people for nothing.

We have killed lots of people for nothing. It's what we're good at. Oh wait....no we lost that war. But we did get to kill lots of innocent people. Like IRaq.

They had nothing to do with 9-11.
They had no al quaeda people in their country prior to us going in...
They invaded Kuwait because Kuwait was stealing THEIR oil with the new cross-drilling method as we were cross drilling into Iraq's oil field from Kuwait and stealing their oil.
Saddam killed a couple Kurds? We've killed more kurds than Sadammy dreamed of plus we gave Turkey the green light to annihilate all the Kurds in Northern IRaq.

So why'd we kill all those Iracki's? They quit accepting US dollars for oil.

The nerve.....

I was a Marine, I signed a contract, that contract was with the government, to follow the orders given to me by my superiors in the military and ultimately the P.O.T.U.S.

I gave up some right in doing so, but that contract was with/for the people of the U.S.

It's a two way street, I sign up knowing i "may" give up my life. however you the "people" are OBLIGATED by contract to not allow Tyrants to start unfounded wars.

So as much as you cry "You go knowing it's and unjust war" I answer "why did you let that happen?"

I'm doing my part people, when are you going to do YOURS????????????????

death comes to us all, life is 100% fatal. I wont judge you, if, you don't judge me.

Originally posted by thedigirati
I was a Marine, I signed a contract, that contract was with the government, to follow the orders given to me by my superiors in the military and ultimately the P.O.T.U.S.

I gave up some right in doing so, but that contract was with/for the people of the U.S.

It's a two way street, I sign up knowing i "may" give up my life. however you the "people" are OBLIGATED by contract to not allow Tyrants to start unfounded wars.

So as much as you cry "You go knowing it's and unjust war" I answer "why did you let that happen?"

I'm doing my part people, when are you going to do YOURS????????????????

death comes to us all, life is 100% fatal. I wont judge you, if, you don't judge me.

Hit the nail right on the head.