Support our raping troops

[salinen]

How will we know which of the returning soldiers have been involved in torture, rape, and murder? We know a few have been caught. But maybe that's only the tip of the iceberg. This will be bad for all returnees. Mai Lai (sp) placed a shroud over Vietnam vets and this could do the same. The Psychology professionals will be busy.

[billbuckhead]

1. Innocent until proven guilty

We need to put our arms around these guys.

[LittleApple81]

2. Unfortunately, they are not paying enough attention to damaged

soldiers. They are finding a rash of suicides, home violence and other problems and they don't have enough resources to help them. I know because I live close to a fort.

But I think you should change your heading. It sounds like stereotyping.

[fairfaxvadem]

3. Well, we have to ensure we don't do this to them.

It ain't the soldiers, it's the command structure.

And it goes straight to the top.

[Serenity-NOW]

4. Sound career advice...

"Psychology professionals will be busy."

[Bill Wade]

5. I love when people act like My Lai was the only massacre during vietnam

My Lai was just one of the many mass murder operations.

As a matter of fact, wasn't it part of a whole mass murder operation: Wheeler Wallawa?

[salinen]

7. Point taken

[Carl21014]

6. I hate this kind of talk!

I'm a veteran and this kind of smearing of our young men in uniform is disgusting. You obviously have no clue what these men go through away from their families in that shithole Iraq. They didn't start this war, Bush did.

You have a problem with specific individuals fine, but don't smear them all because they are better than that. They deserve better!

[LittleApple81]

9. I agree. I know plenty of military that are rational, decent people.

For those who were able to watch Larry King tonight, Shoshana is a good example.

[progressivebydesign]

22. While I agree it's wrong to paint with a broad brush...

.. I reject the argument that the people killing civilians indiscriminately, raping, abusing, and torturing are somehow immune because they didn't start the war.. or that they are in a yucky place without their family. Unlike a drafted military, these people are going to these sucky places because they chose to. The option of performing atrocities or abusing prisoners is really just that, optional.

I don't think people should scorn the entire military over this.. obviously. But I DO believe it's more than six people that did it. And.. no one is even addressing Fallujah, where children and the elderly were shot dead in the streets for no apparent reason.

I would prefer an investigation and prosecution for those committing these hienous acts... that would allow America to feel more comfortable supporting the troops... if we actually thought that those doing these things were identified and punished harshly. For every story we get to hear, every photo we get to see, there are hundreds more out there.

[Texican]

24. Yep

100%

[Alerter_]

8. find the Officers who promoted Torture

Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Sharon, Stephanowitz, Israel, CACI and Titan Corporation and all of the other "private contractors".

The regular people and officers who respect the Constitution will restore America's dignity.

[AndyTiedye]

14. There Is a Place to Send People Like That

[NashVegas]

10. Read My Sig

It came from an honest-to-goodness reservist currently in Iraq.

Before you paint everyone with that brush, use your head.

[salinen]

12. It's obvious that given the

opportunity to rape, steal, or even murder, and get away with the crime, 99.9 % of all people, soldiers included, would never consider it. It's those .1% that will have the effect of leaving a dirty feeling. This will be in all the future history books.

[roach23]

18. hate to have to say this

but 35% of college age men would rape a woman if there were not any consequences.

http://topcondition.com/images/mymindfield/sexual_abuse.htm

This country is just plain sick.

[Alerter_]

15. our troops are being COERCED into evil by PSYOPS "Military Intelligence"

this is a historical moment and I hope everyone shows some human dignity soon.

[lastknowngood]

11. As someone who went through the Vietnam disaster let me say

without any concern with who should contradict me. They are all Innocent except the ones prosecuted. Understand after so long a waste of life and time in a hell they don't want to be in and are hated they need to feel safe and appreciated for their service when they come home. Protest the war and demonetize the criminals especially Bush and his cabala, but the troops have more than enough demons to fight for the rest of their lives. They don't need more.

[Alerter_]

17. I agree, support the troops bring them home

they have been abused enough, and it's going to take a lot to fix everything. This is NO TIME to be scapegoating the enlisted people who are victims of PSYOPS and disgusting forms of behaviorist control techniqes from the USA, UK, and Israel.

[Columbia]

13. How do you know if anybody is involved in torture, rape, and murder?

You don't.

The military is only a microcosm of society at large.

[salinen]

19. Not quite

People who join the military have a knowledge that they may kill or be killed.

[Columbia]

20. Same for everyone else too

[salinen]

21. You and me

are going to die of a tumor, or heart disease, or cancer. And we will never have killed. Statistics!

[Columbia]

23. Always avoid absolutes

And never say never...

[immune2irony]

16. Read Army of Scum, by Ted Rall

John Kerry was Vietnam's Ted Rall, not afraid to speak truth to power about the savagry of our military and the plutocrats they kill for.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Redleg]

26. That's an offensive statement.

Please don't paint all the soldiers with the same broad brush. I think I get your point but the title of your post leaves a hell of a lot to be desired.

[lostnfound]

27. Please don't lump them all together -- like collective punishment.

Your post sounds somewhat sympathetic but the title is inflammatory.

[VolcanoJen]

28. What an offensive thing to say.

That's just ridiculous, counter-productive, and wrong. Even common sense would tell anyone that the vast majority of US troops are decent human beings. They come from our own neighborhoods, you know.

By and large, they are us.

I continue to support the troops, and affirm my deep love of country and support of servicemen and women at home and abroad. It's very important we understand that patriotic love is not owned by one party, in my opinion.

[Red State Rebel]

31. A handful of idiots among over 130,000 soldiers!

I support our troops - some of them my family! This type of nasty generalization does nobody any good and just makes DU look as bad as the Freeps like to think we are.

[Qanisqineq]

34. a handful of idiots

you have no idea how many times I have repeated that over and over here. You will always hear about the lowlifes, the rapists, the trigger-happy... they are the ones that make the news. Not the other million regular folk employed in the U.S. military (which includes my husband).

[corporatewhore]

29. Support our Rapists or Support the Occupiers!!!!!!!!

flame away hell they are furthering US imperalism i will support those who are seeking to stop killing/raping/mutilating for hallibacon

[Eloriel]

30. with any luck

the ONE "lesson" from Vietnam we may yet have the opportunity to put into effect THIS time around is not demonizing, blaming, disrespecting or otherwise punishing our returning troops.

It's not OUR responsibility to sort out who did what; it's not OUR responsibility to punish or ostracize any of them.

They are all pawns in this rotten, ill-begotten war, EVEN the ones who've done gravely illegal and immoral things under duress of one type or another.

Let's not give in to ANY type of impetus to treat any of our returning troops with anything but compassion and respect. So very many of them never expected to be in any war at all, let alone an illegal one where the psychopaths in power basically promoted a pro-torture, pro-war crimes environment and ethic. Very few have been involved in the atrocities, and it serves no purpose at all to condemn any of the others for their sins.

Thousands upon thousands of them are going to come home with psychological problems cause by what they've seen and had to do and/or some of the vaccinations they've been given. Thousands upon thousands are coming home physically maimed as well, or with the after effects of exposure to DU and God knows what else. Add to that the fact tht they're coming home to vet benefits that are shrinking and likely to shrink further. They need our support. Period. THEY are not our enemy.

Let's just not go there with the blame game.

[Karenina]

33. FULLY-FUNDED PROMPT

HEALTH CARE.

[Bombtrack]

32. and "MAYBE" you're a rapist. Really how is that any less offensive

a comment thant you're "speculation" that we're not aware of massive rape going on from our fighting men and women.