Iraq War footage (graphic), page 6

I wont try to justify the Marines REactions to what they did in the video. But we need to think a bit deeper about what we see in it. At face value its a horrendous murder of a wounded enemy soldier. But was it really? We need to think much bigger than this one incedent.

The Geneva Convention and all war time rules and laws for that matter are many decades old. When these mandates were put into place soldiers fought soldiers. Soldiers could identify thier enemy, who the enemy was is clear in most cases. The lines between war zones were apparent most often.

Now we fight in a day and age where our enemy will employ anything to reach thier goal. They will(and do) hide behind women and childeren as they fight. Literally. They hide bombs and could care less who they kill. Terror is thier weapon and there are NO rules. They plant bombs on women and send them into a crowd to denonate. Its dirty fighting to the very definition and core. Terrorists follow no law.

Now again, I cannot (and will not) justify the thoughts and feelings those Marines expressed during and after that incedent, but can easily understand killing that man given the possible situation.

This man could have been wired to blow up. Is that reasonable? Now days not only is that a reasonable assumption it actually happens. He could have been going for his gun or a grenade. Understand people that this enemy will stop at nothing, death is considered a glorious event. In a situation where your enemy is not afraid to die, actually looking forward to myrterdom, you cannot take any chances at all. The Japanese in WWII used suicide as a technique and fought to the death, but even they had rules and honor they lived by. They could be measured and you could expect and anticipate them to a degree. Not the new enemy.

What would your reaction be if the video portrayed a US Marine getting blown to peices as he kneeled over this man trying to help him? I have a feeling your view would be quite different.

I think the bottom line regarding this video is this: These soldiers are fighting in conditions never before experienced. Against an enemy that will do anything without hesitation and play by no rules. Under these circumstances you can take nothing for granted. I think only under the most controlled and obvious conditions should a US soldier approach a wounded enemy in Iraq. Anything less could easily result in dead Marines.

Unless we were there, we MUST assume that these marines felt it was neccessary to kill that man, no matter what the thoughts conveyed on camera were. Please also remember that these are KIDS for all intents and purposes and thier expressions about the incedent reflect that.

I will conclude that until you and I get suited up and start carrying a gun and start patroling Iraqi streets we need to side with our troops: Our Fathers, Mothers, Brothers, Sisters, Sons, Daughters, friends. And they are thier right now in the crosshairs of an unpredictable and determined enemy...