In His Own Words
Story Link Here
The shooting of a wounded insurgent by a marine as told by the cameraman.
I interviewed your Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Willy Buhl, before the battle for Fallujah began. He said something very powerful at the time — something that now seems prophetic. It was this,"We're the good guys. We are Americans. We are fighting a gentleman's war here -- because we don't behead people, we don't come down to the same level of the people we're combating. That's a very difficult thing for a young 18-year-old Marine who's been trained to locate, close with and destroy the enemy with fire and close combat. That's a very difficult thing for a 42-year-old lieutenant colonel with 23 years experience in the service who was trained to do the same thing once upon a time, and who now has a thousand-plus men to lead, guide, coach, mentor -- and ensure we remain the good guys and keep the moral high ground." I listened carefully when he said those words. I believed them.
So here, ultimately, is how it all plays out: when the Iraqi man in the mosque posed a threat, he was your enemy; when he was subdued he was your responsibility; when he was killed in front of my eyes and my camera -- the story of his death became my responsibility.
The burdens of war, as you so well know, are unforgiving for all of us.
-----
Do you now know why war should never be a choice of ideology?
The marine, who is guilty, would never have had to make the choice he made if the choice to conduct a preemptive war had never been made in the first place. Who should be held accountable for putting the marine in that position?
Do you now understand why so many soldiers have to be treated for mental health issues when they return? Imagine...IMAGINE how hard it is to reconcile the taking of human life, even when justified. Now, imagine taking life, or losing it, for something as dubious as an ideology about how to bring peace to the world through superior firepower.
Are you getting it yet?
Story Link Here
The shooting of a wounded insurgent by a marine as told by the cameraman.
I interviewed your Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Willy Buhl, before the battle for Fallujah began. He said something very powerful at the time — something that now seems prophetic. It was this,"We're the good guys. We are Americans. We are fighting a gentleman's war here -- because we don't behead people, we don't come down to the same level of the people we're combating. That's a very difficult thing for a young 18-year-old Marine who's been trained to locate, close with and destroy the enemy with fire and close combat. That's a very difficult thing for a 42-year-old lieutenant colonel with 23 years experience in the service who was trained to do the same thing once upon a time, and who now has a thousand-plus men to lead, guide, coach, mentor -- and ensure we remain the good guys and keep the moral high ground." I listened carefully when he said those words. I believed them.
So here, ultimately, is how it all plays out: when the Iraqi man in the mosque posed a threat, he was your enemy; when he was subdued he was your responsibility; when he was killed in front of my eyes and my camera -- the story of his death became my responsibility.
The burdens of war, as you so well know, are unforgiving for all of us.
-----
Do you now know why war should never be a choice of ideology?
The marine, who is guilty, would never have had to make the choice he made if the choice to conduct a preemptive war had never been made in the first place. Who should be held accountable for putting the marine in that position?
Do you now understand why so many soldiers have to be treated for mental health issues when they return? Imagine...IMAGINE how hard it is to reconcile the taking of human life, even when justified. Now, imagine taking life, or losing it, for something as dubious as an ideology about how to bring peace to the world through superior firepower.
Are you getting it yet?
posted by Mike at 10:54 AM
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