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Sunday, January 15, 2012

Photo Op Gone Bad

Marines Urinate on Dead Members of the Taliban
This photo op speaks different imagery to different people.  Of course the Marines are fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan, and, according to Rep. Allen West and little Billy Kristol of The Weekly Standard, War is Hell, and all is fair in war.  Perhaps to those who support wars in the middle east, the imagery is of bravery and valor gone awry.  Many will join the opinion of West and Kristol who tell us to shut up about the photo, that until we are the ones doing the fighting we should pretend this image does not exist.  Those pictured will surely be punished by their Commanding Officer(s).  Surely the taxpayer and decent human beings around the world should not make too much of this, after all, where is the umbrage against all the killing? 
Take it from them, most Americans are supporting the killing of the Taliban in the effort to save democracy for the world.  One slight error won't make much difference because pissing on and off the entire world should be of no consequence to the rest of us.  Grow up, they are dead.  Where is the Christian outrage?
I hear crickets...........


The image I see is one of three dead human beings being regarded as a toilet by those purporting to be spreading American democracy around the world.  I can only hope they are not seen as Christian to one that does not know any better.  I see a wheelbarrow in the scene and this brings up images of these men or teenagers or maybe even boys moving the rubbish of war from one place to another.  I can't say what the three people were doing, they could have been planning to attack the four marines, though I don't see any weapons on or near the bodies.  I see emaciation, a barefoot man and utter desolation in this scene. 

I know many people think it is a gallant and glorious effort to rid the world of the Taliban, tyrants, dictators and religions different from their own.  There are those who see no harm in killing before some of these people become a threat to themselves.  I think continuous support of war, murder and hatred based on geographical and religious differences make us numb and indifferent and no better than those that purport to hate us and do us harm. 

The indifference these Marines show to the value of human life in such an egregious manner is just what we need to keep us at war with the middle east and maybe even every other country for ever.  That may be what those marines had in mind when they allowed themselves to be videotaped in such a vulgar and unbecoming manner.  I can assure you they have as little respect for you as they do the dead or for spreading democracy around the world. 



I have to hope this is a one time occurrence, but I suspect if one is comfortable enough to grin at the camera one has probably had a little practice.  I see this happening to us in America as fighting for freedom gave way to fighting for democracy as it gave way to fighting for our interests.  Beware what you support. 

The troops that have been following orders and believe they are fighting the good fight need to see this photo op.  They need to caution their fellow brothers in arms that if they ever want to stop fighting for the Government they should take care in their behavior, if there is such an etiquette for what one does after one kills another human being.

Say a prayer for us all.  Pray that we seek the heart of Christ instead of the will of those like Allen West, Bill Kristol and those four marines.


6 comments:

  1. War is hell. I've seen similar things during my tours. That is why we can't support war. It is murder and worse.

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  3. can't imagine what it's like to go to war, and i won't pretend to understand what was going on in these guys' heads at the time. i don't know what it's like to kill someone, for that to be my mission, and i've never had to worry about someone trying to kill me. seeing this fills me with an overwhelming sadness... a sadness that these guys did this at all, that someone thought it would be a good idea to film it... i can't imagine what's in their hearts or what they've seen or what they've been asked to do. it's like there's something missing that would keep a human being from doing this to another human being. i hope they get some really good therapy, and i don't mean that sarcastically.

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    1. Maggie, This is such a sadness I almost did not write about the incident.
      I knew it would eat me alive if I didn't take say something. It is these types of horrors that can change the world for good if we are brave enough to face them.

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  4. well said. The sadness I feel at such an image is hard to put into words. It makes me wonder how much longer it will take for us to understand that our actions have a direct effect on others and not always for the good. Let's pray that such a horrific image will make us WAKE UP and see that we need to re-evaluate our game plan. Clearly, this has gone on too long and many soldiers have become too desensitized to the brutality of war. Here's to the concept of the Golden Rule!!

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About DD for Liberty

We render unto Caesar, but we write Caesar's laws.
We should write and uphold laws that go no further than protecting your God given right to life, liberty and property, the pursuit of happiness.
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