The Cost of War: Nuremberg trial anyone? If these recent pictures (story linked below) of our troops committing unspeakable crimes against Afghans get out, and I suspect they will because they are UNCLASSIFIED and were sent to many, we are in deep trouble. The Iraq war began the destabilization of the Middle East. The Pakistan government -- you know the government that really DOES have nukes -- is teetering on the edge. Of course, one could say look at what the enemy does but I do not think that is an excuse. These pictures will be damaging and damning no matter how one looks at it.

War is one thing but torture, mayhem and the grizzly dismemberment of bodies is quite something else, indeed. Our soldiers allegedly keeping detached fingers from dead bodies like charms on a bracelet makes me want to throw up.

We are SUPPOSED to be better than our enemy. Those in this country wringing their hands wanting to know why there is SO much violence here I can, in part, tell you. When a culture turns its back on the violence perpetrated by its government ALL over the world killing MANY innocents for DECADES and then its people, uninvolved and untouched by it, go to Starbucks to get their morning coffee and read the sports page we get a culture immune to atrocity. Hannah Arendt's "The Banality of Evil" says it all.
War is BESTIAL and it brings out the beast in Everyman no matter who or where they fight it. Our country is no exception.

This is BAD -- VERY bad. Let's hope the pictures do not see the light of day to inflame the people we are trying supposedly to help and by doing so defend ourselves. I am nearly positive they will see the light of day, though, revealing the truth to the folly of American exceptionalism. Those of us who DO have a questioning brain and care about the humane behavior of our country KNOW propaganda when we hear it. After and IF these pictures come out the sound will be coming in loud and clear!


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/01/stryker-brigade-murder-charges-photos-corpses_n_747784.html