This isn't hard to believe, to be honest. We know that the CIA did bring in Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's sons (ages 7 and 9 at the time) -- from Pakistan to the US -- in order to get him to talk. Considering that he was able to withstand 183 waterboarding sessions in one month -- do you think that the mere fact that the CIA had his sons to "interrogate" them (even assuming their claims about treating the boys with "kid gloves" is true) would really work? But, if you were beating them -- or worse, for a radical Muslim -- raping them -- that would be much more effective.
Also, when you consider that we brought in Israelis to consult on how best to "interrogate" Arab suspects at Abu Ghraib, you can bet that there may well indeed be some pretty nasty things on video. And it may not actually be US soldiers on those tapes who are doing it. But the mainstream media -- while they have no problem railing against the US military -- will never, ever, ever criticize or expose the misdeeds of the Israelis. Just look at the USS Liberty incident. If we will cover up them killing Americans, we will certainly cover up them raping some Arab prisoners.
Soldiers - as history has proven - are capable of murdering babies and raping on a massive scale. American soldiers are not immune to this; once you are able to kill, other inhibitors wear down.
True, but a decent person never gets to the point where they could do some of the really nasty, evil stuff. A decent person could be a little trigger happy (out of fear) and end up shooting people who weren't really a danger to them. But only a psychopath will enjoy doing the really sadistic and vile things that some (not all -- I'd say the majority are basically decent human beings) soldiers do. They like to blame it on the "fog of war" or other things -- but the problem is with them. They actually like being liberated from the normal morality and are basically just serial killers. A good person might keep their mouth shut about what they saw (because of fear, shame, etc.), but they won't participate unless they are literally forced to do so. From there, you'll see a descent on the sliding scale of deviancy -- starting with those who would rape to those who would murder and all the way down to those who would rape and murder a child. Unfortunately, that means that the "best" (in terms of meeting combat objectives) soldiers are the psychopaths. So, those most likely to rise to the top -- just like in politics or business -- tend to be the very ones who are much too dangerous to have that power in the first place.
You're right. The issue is grey, and not black and white. There are soldiers who truly regret their actions and also defy the vile acts of their comrades. I'm just saying that no army - as a whole - throughout history, has been atrocity free. There's people in this thread who truly believe that American soldiers can do no wrong. This isn't supported by a single shred of evidence out there. Soldiers from every empire, society, civilisation have enacted cruelty on those they subjugate, and irrespective of the good apple and bad apples, people have suffered under military rule for aeons. Whether its the European colonialists, the Romans, the Ottoman Turks, the Omayyads, the Mongols, the Han, the Persians, the Russians, the Nazis, etc, all have shown that they're capable of cruelty beyond the average person's scope on the moral plane.
I know a serial molester who was protected by his high ranking marine father. And when the day came for his son to join, we'll psychologically he didn't pass the test, his grade A father pulled some strings and VAAA LAHH!
You know I do think it's disrespectful to not stand for the pledge of allegiance I too am also aware that sick fucks breed in places of power.
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scarlettm512 ago
This isn't hard to believe, to be honest. We know that the CIA did bring in Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's sons (ages 7 and 9 at the time) -- from Pakistan to the US -- in order to get him to talk. Considering that he was able to withstand 183 waterboarding sessions in one month -- do you think that the mere fact that the CIA had his sons to "interrogate" them (even assuming their claims about treating the boys with "kid gloves" is true) would really work? But, if you were beating them -- or worse, for a radical Muslim -- raping them -- that would be much more effective.
Also, when you consider that we brought in Israelis to consult on how best to "interrogate" Arab suspects at Abu Ghraib, you can bet that there may well indeed be some pretty nasty things on video. And it may not actually be US soldiers on those tapes who are doing it. But the mainstream media -- while they have no problem railing against the US military -- will never, ever, ever criticize or expose the misdeeds of the Israelis. Just look at the USS Liberty incident. If we will cover up them killing Americans, we will certainly cover up them raping some Arab prisoners.
PrideOfOshtekk ago
Soldiers - as history has proven - are capable of murdering babies and raping on a massive scale. American soldiers are not immune to this; once you are able to kill, other inhibitors wear down.
scarlettm512 ago
True, but a decent person never gets to the point where they could do some of the really nasty, evil stuff. A decent person could be a little trigger happy (out of fear) and end up shooting people who weren't really a danger to them. But only a psychopath will enjoy doing the really sadistic and vile things that some (not all -- I'd say the majority are basically decent human beings) soldiers do. They like to blame it on the "fog of war" or other things -- but the problem is with them. They actually like being liberated from the normal morality and are basically just serial killers. A good person might keep their mouth shut about what they saw (because of fear, shame, etc.), but they won't participate unless they are literally forced to do so. From there, you'll see a descent on the sliding scale of deviancy -- starting with those who would rape to those who would murder and all the way down to those who would rape and murder a child. Unfortunately, that means that the "best" (in terms of meeting combat objectives) soldiers are the psychopaths. So, those most likely to rise to the top -- just like in politics or business -- tend to be the very ones who are much too dangerous to have that power in the first place.
PrideOfOshtekk ago
You're right. The issue is grey, and not black and white. There are soldiers who truly regret their actions and also defy the vile acts of their comrades. I'm just saying that no army - as a whole - throughout history, has been atrocity free. There's people in this thread who truly believe that American soldiers can do no wrong. This isn't supported by a single shred of evidence out there. Soldiers from every empire, society, civilisation have enacted cruelty on those they subjugate, and irrespective of the good apple and bad apples, people have suffered under military rule for aeons. Whether its the European colonialists, the Romans, the Ottoman Turks, the Omayyads, the Mongols, the Han, the Persians, the Russians, the Nazis, etc, all have shown that they're capable of cruelty beyond the average person's scope on the moral plane.
Conspiracyqueen ago
I know a serial molester who was protected by his high ranking marine father. And when the day came for his son to join, we'll psychologically he didn't pass the test, his grade A father pulled some strings and VAAA LAHH! You know I do think it's disrespectful to not stand for the pledge of allegiance I too am also aware that sick fucks breed in places of power.
PrideOfOshtekk ago
The same old story isn't it? And people like that get away with it, time and time again.