US Soldier Kills at Least 16 Afghan Civilians

Mass murder in Kandahar
World • Views: 32,107

This is just horrible news from any angle, and it’s going to have serious repercussions: US Soldier Kills Afghan Civilians in Kandahar.

A US soldier in Afghanistan has killed at least 16 civilians and wounded five after entering their homes in Kandahar province, senior local officials say.

He left his military base in the early hours of the morning and opened fire in at least two homes; women and children were among the dead. …

He is reported to have walked off his base at around 03:00 local time (22:30 GMT Saturday) and headed to nearby villages, moving methodically from house to house.

“Eleven members of my family are dead. They are all dead,” Haji Samad, an elder from Najeeban village, told the AFP news agency. Haji Sayed Jan, from Alkozai village, was quoted by the AFP as saying: “My home was attacked and I lost four family members”. …

The soldier - who had reportedly suffered a breakdown before the attacks - is said to have handed himself over to the US military authorities after carrying out the killings.

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103 comments
1 Sol Berdinowitz  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 10:53:08am

Itis the sacred duty of every wingnut to find a way to implicate Obama in the blame for this act, or at least criticize his handling of it.

2 philosophus invidius  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 10:54:52am

re: #1 Ministry of Fairness and Balance

or else show sympathy … for the perpetrator.

3 erik_t  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 10:55:56am

It is unfortunate when the crimes of (apparently) a mentally broken lone actor can paint a hundred thousand people (and by extension, their nation) in a terrible, terrible light.

It is also, of course, profoundly unfortunate when innocent people die.

Shit sandwich made out of shit meat, shit cheese, shit sauce and shit bread, held together with a shit toothpick with a little frill of shit at the top.

4 Four More Tears  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 10:56:17am

Let’s get out of there. Sooner rather than later. Before we get in Colonel Kurtz territory.

5 Obdicut  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 10:57:02am

What terrible goddamn timing.

6 Tigger2005  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 10:57:09am

Hardly know what to say. This is the sort of thing that feels like you’re having a hot knife twisted in your stomach. If this soldier had suffered a “breakdown,” why was he not confined and under observation? Why did he have any access to weapons? Dammit, what does it TAKE to get some strict discipline over there?

7 Political Atheist  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 10:58:32am

This is just horrible, an awful act that goes against all we believe in, Americans with every civilized people. I’m sure it will have vast implications.

But I can not get the double standard out of my head. Almost a literal headache. The Taliban on other side does this stuff routinely as a deliberate tactic.

8 jaunte  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 10:58:35am

re: #1 Ministry of Fairness and Balance

Itis the sacred duty of every wingnut to find a way to implicate Obama in the blame for this act, or at least criticize his handling of it.

Commenters here are a couple of hours ahead of you:
[Link: foxnewsinsider.com…]

9 ProBosniaLiberal  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 10:59:04am

re: #1 Ministry of Fairness and Balance

I think most wingnuts will praise this action.

Yes, my opinion of those nuts is that low.

10 Sol Berdinowitz  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:00:01am

re: #8 jaunte

Commenters here are a couple of hours ahead of you:
[Link: foxnewsinsider.com…]

I will pass on reading the comments, I was well aware that they were onto it full tilt within minutes of hearing about it…

11 wee fury  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:00:50am

Will be watching and reading carefully to get the facts.

12 Eclectic Infidel  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:00:55am

At first I thought Afghanistan to be a ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ scenario, now it’s just “damned to all fuck.”

13 Surabaya Stew  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:01:40am

re: #9 ProGunLiberal

I think most wingnuts will praise this action.

Yes, my opinion of those nuts is that low.

You’re almost certainly correct, I’m afraid. Geller and Spencer will be all over Obama for not giving him a medal.

14 jaunte  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:02:38am

My son-in-law is in Afghanistan now. Three more weeks until he comes back.

15 Sol Berdinowitz  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:02:45am

re: #13 Surabaya Stew

You’re almost certainly correct, I’m afraid. Geller and Spencer will be all over Obama for not giving him a medal.

Disagree. Geller or Spencer wouldn’t find him eligible for a medal unless he pissed on the corpses…

/

16 Sol Berdinowitz  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:03:17am

re: #14 jaunte

My son-in-law is in Afghanistan now. Three more weeks until he comes back.

gonna be a long three weeks for him and a long tour of duty for anyone else stationed over there…

17 Charles Johnson  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:03:31am

Ugh.

I’ve just been taking a look around right wing blogs and there is a nauseating amount of cheering for this soldier. The right is deranged.

18 ProBosniaLiberal  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:04:22am

re: #13 Surabaya Stew

This particular poor excuse for a soldier has done something that is extremely hard:

Hit my criteria for wanting the death penalty.

19 Surabaya Stew  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:05:08am

re: #15 Ministry of Fairness and Balance

Disagree. Geller or Spencer wouldn’t find him eligible for a medal unless he pissed on the corpses…

/

Right, and since he didn’t burn any korans, they will criticize him for not doing enought to fight the war on terror Muslims.

20 Surabaya Stew  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:06:38am

re: #18 ProGunLiberal

This particular poor excuse for a soldier has done something that is extremely hard:

Hit my criteria for wanting the death penalty.

The military may just grant this.

21 Tigger2005  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:06:43am

re: #17 Charles Johnson

Ugh.

I’ve just been taking a look around right wing blogs and there is a nauseating amount of cheering for this soldier. The right is deranged.

Deranged is not the right word. The soldier was perhaps deranged. To cheer his actions is evil.

22 Obdicut  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:08:40am

re: #21 Tigger2005

Deranged is not the right word. The soldier was perhaps deranged. To cheer his actions is evil.

It also ignores that this will almost certainly result in the deaths of more US soldiers.

23 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:10:15am

re: #17 Charles Johnson

Ugh.

I’ve just been taking a look around right wing blogs and there is a nauseating amount of cheering for this soldier. The right is deranged.

Is it mostly in the comments or does it spill onto main pages?

24 ProBosniaLiberal  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:10:33am

re: #20 Surabaya Stew

How often has our military actually done that though?

25 Gus  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:11:05am

Regardless of the soldier’s mental state the Afghan people will not see it from a perspective of a “rogue soldier.” This will be a major blow to the PR war which was already in dire straits after the Koran protests. Our days in Afghanistan are numbered. As it stands now we have to accelerate the remaining ground ops and finish training of Afghan police and troops immediately and begin our pull-out from Afghanistan ASAP.

26 funky chicken  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:11:22am

re: #2 philosophus invidius

or else show sympathy … for the perpetrator.

The perpetrator may have been sent back there even though the Army knew damn well he wasn’t fit for combat. Some of these kids are spending their 5th, 6th, or 7th tours over there. It’s time to get the hell out of there, because it’s doing genuine and serious harm to the Army and Marines and the young people who serve in them.

And it hasn’t been a picnic for Air Force families like mine either.

27 justaminute  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:11:27am

There were some sad stories on Huff Po the last couple of days concerning Help lines for soldiers. They were inundated with calls.

My son just finished SERE school and returned home Saturday. All he will say is there is not a place on his body without a bruise.

What the heck are we doin? And can we stop it?

28 funky chicken  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:14:13am

re: #24 ProGunLiberal

How often has our military actually done that though?

The death penalty is allowed under the UCMJ. If he’s found mentally ill he’ll just spend the rest of his life in prison. If they can find him criminally competent, they’ll use the death penalty.

He’d have a better chance of staying alive in civilian courts, IMHO.

29 Sol Berdinowitz  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:14:17am

re: #26 funky chicken

The perpetrator may have been sent back there even though the Army knew damn well he wasn’t fit for combat. Some of these kids are spending their 5th, 6th, or 7th tours over there. It’s time to get the hell out of there, because it’s doing genuine and serious harm to the Army and Marines and the young people who serve in them.

And it hasn’t been a picnic for Air Force families like mine either.

Yes, I fear this fellow could represent the tip of the iceberg, I suspect there could be dozens of psychologically overtaxed servicepeople over there within a hair’s breadth of doing the same…

30 Gus  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:14:18am

re: #8 jaunte

Commenters here are a couple of hours ahead of you:
[Link: foxnewsinsider.com…]

Yes. Because nothing bad ever happened in Iraq and Afghanistan when Bush (ergo a Republican) was in the White House.

31 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:14:33am
32 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:15:40am

re: #31 MikeySDCA

He’s clearly crazy so no death penalty.

Why clearly?

33 Gus  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:17:54am

The military rarely puts people to death. They also have an appeals process and I remember looking at the history about one year ago. This is not a call for any kind of judgement since we’re just learning of this incident. It was reported that he had a “break down” before this incident which reduces the likelihood. This is getting ahead of myself.

34 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:18:02am
35 Sol Berdinowitz  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:18:34am

re: #32 Martryr Cookie Monster

Why clearly?

What I have read of the story indicates that this person is not fit to stand trial.

36 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:19:41am
37 jaunte  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:20:39am

I think it is correct to call the reaction deranged, if one of your soldiers shoots a bunch of civilian bystanders and the response from a lot of people at conservative sites boils down to “good, let’s kill ‘em all.”

38 Lidane  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:20:44am

re: #17 Charles Johnson

I never even knew that Free Republic had moderators until I read this thread. There are comments that had to be removed. Also, note the way the headline is written.

US Soldier ‘Kills 16’ Afghans In Their Homes

This was the original headline: Karzai: US Soldier ‘Assassinated’ 16 Afghans

Here are just a few Freeper comments:

Well, I’d like to know the rest of the story. Young grenadier shooting an M203 HE round into a house where a Terrorist just fled to, full of women and children, would account for such an action.

I refuse to believe, until further proof, that some American soldier just walked in and started killing simply for the sake of killing….however, stranger things have happened, and with the likes of MAJ Hasan, the little fag in the wikileaks case, etc within the ranks, nothing would suprise me.

Methinks the whole story hasn’t been told yet, but if this breaks as hard as it is on Fox/CNN as it is on BBC and Sky News as it is now…..watch out.
—-

He will be allowed to be tried by the Afganis and either stoned to death or beheaded for the world to see the power of Islam, thank you mr president!
—-

Minister of Border and Tribal Affairs Asadullah Khalid, who is investigating the incident, said the soldier entered three homes, killing 11 people in the first one.

Not good enough source, because muslim=liar.

Let’s hear from a non-knuckledragger.
—-

The cover story is this soldier left the barracks on his own early in the morning and began his “rampage”. The media will crucify this guy and the President will hang him out to dry. Hell they will probably call him a terrorist since its an attack on Muslims.
—-

They don’t like it when they get a taste of their own medicine I see…
—-

Nothing is what it appears to be with this administration. I refuse the article pending hard facts from a source independent of the administration that’s not full blown socialist.
—-

Time to pull out of both Iraq and Trashcanistan. Take back everything that we can and blow up everything we cant. If these pigs want to wallow in their own filth,let them. They dont deserve our brave service men and women.

Most Muslims are little more than the apes the Left say we descendant from.
—-

It’s not inconceivable that somebody should snap. But it’s not inconceivable that the MSM is doing what it does best, too.

39 erik_t  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:20:50am

re: #36 ProGunLiberal

I see we’re back to our nuanced ‘kill ALL THE BAD GUYS’ policy.

40 Sol Berdinowitz  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:22:02am

re: #36 ProGunLiberal

Apparently, the Taliban is saying this is evidence of how all Americans hate the Afghans/Muslims.

The Taliban is nearly as immune to facts and logic as the GOP…

41 Killgore Trout  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:22:23am

I’m really not a fan of creating a partisan pissing match over a serious tragedy like this but….

Sorry to punish the vast majority of you who behave appropriately but I’ve had to ban four or five people for comments in this thread and simply don’t have time to babysit it on a Sunday. Thanks for contributing, but thread closed.

Allahpundit on March 11, 2012 at 1:46 PM

42 The Ghost of a Flea  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:23:34am

So I firmly believe that our servicemen need more help with coping with psychological fallout of war, need more downtime to prevent burnout, and that the Armed Service’s tendency to duck and weave around treating—over even diagnosing—PTSD is a bad thing…

…but I’m going to wait and see what further comes out about this situation. Spree killing is a very extreme action even within the spectrum of behavior associated with psychological trauma, and I want to more about the context of this specific event.

43 ProBosniaLiberal  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:23:58am

re: #39 erik_t

The Taliban are genocidal monsters. The crowning example of this is Mazar-i-Sharif in 1998, where, after they captured the town, they slaughtered 10,000+. Not to mention their extermination policy against the Hazara.

I believe there is simply no room for mercy in regards to the Taliban. They are probably the most evil thing we have faced since the Nazis. I admit to having a hard time admitting the Taliban are human.

44 Charles Johnson  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:24:27am

At Michelle Malkin’s new site, Twitchy.com:

Good. More, please.

[…]

They don’t need an excuse to be outraged. It’s wednesday… JIHAD! You breathed… out! JIHAD!

I don’t think he was unbalanced. I think he was getting some payback. It’s nice to see someone on our side who actually wants to hurt the enemy.

At Jim Hoft’s hate hole:

It’s a start. Now for the rest of the bastards.

[…]

And Obama will turn this soldier over to the Taliban to be tried, tortured, raped, and beheaded, according to sharia law.

[…]

Congratulations to the soldier…give him a heros welcome….buck fobama

[…]

Retaliation for the slaughter of Americans! That is what war is about and its hell.

[…]

WAAAAAY TO GO!!!!!

But why did he stop? Run out of ammo?

[…]

Things are going to likely get very ugly now, and the blame should go to all the Muzzy sympathizers amongst us. And this includes the fans of Muzzy nation-building.

At Hot Air:

I blame the Obama apology to savages while at the same time demonstrating total apathy toward the murders of our own heroes.

Obama owns this. He owns every single retaliation death.

[…]

Oh geeze, another apology coming up.

[…]

Will everyone in his Company be held responsible and be punished by JugEars?

[…]

If Obama wants to own the killing of bin laden , he owns this too.

On and on it goes.

45 ProBosniaLiberal  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:24:41am

re: #40 Ministry of Fairness and Balance

There worse than the GOP on illogic. By several long jumps.

46 erik_t  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:24:57am

re: #43 ProGunLiberal

The Taliban are genocidal monsters. The crowning example of this is Mazar-i-Sharif in 1998, where, after they captured the town, they slaughtered 10,000+. Not to mention their extermination policy against the Hazara.

I believe there is simply no room for mercy in regards to the Taliban. They are probably the most evil thing we have faced since the Nazis. I admit to having a hard time admitting the Taliban are human.

You may note that we did not kill all of the Nazis, because this would have been insane for a wide variety of reasons.

47 Gus  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:25:02am

re: #41 Killgore Trout

I’m really not a fan of creating a partisan pissing match over a serious tragedy like this but

Well kudos to Allahpundit then.

Edit: never mind. I take this back.

48 Targetpractice  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:25:37am

re: #38 Lidane

I never even knew that Free Republic had moderators until I read this thread. There are comments that had to be removed. Also, note the way the headline is written.

US Soldier ‘Kills 16’ Afghans In Their Homes

This was the original headline: Karzai: US Soldier ‘Assassinated’ 16 Afghans

Here are just a few Freeper comments:

I’ve seen that sentiment used elsewhere, the “Want the full story!” bit, as though there’s some fact not being reported that would put this is anything less than a horrific light. Look for rumors to start up that the civies were actually terrorists who threw away their weapons, were helping terrorists, etc.

49 Charles Johnson  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:26:42am

re: #41 Killgore Trout

I’m really not a fan of creating a partisan pissing match over a serious tragedy like this but

That’s the community they’ve created. If they really want to put a stop to the disgusting hateful comments, banning “four or five” people is laughable. There are hundreds of creeps posting hatred at their site, every single day.

50 erik_t  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:27:48am

re: #49 Charles Johnson

That’s the community they’ve created. If they really want to put a stop to the disgusting hateful comments, banning “four or five” people is laughable. There are hundreds of creeps posting hatred at their site, every single day.

Oh, they want to keep the creeps. The creeps are viewership. They just want to send the message that the creepiness must be kept in the dark, under the rock, over beers at barbecues.

You know, the socon status quo for the last generation.

51 Charles Johnson  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:27:54am

And look at the comments they’re allowing to remain. Sure, they may be deleting comments openly cheering for mass murder, but they don’t give a shit about the sick hatred of President Obama that’s erupting out of these twisted people.

52 Gus  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:28:21am

Astonishing that some people can’t see that defending this act and cry for more is to defend and promote genocide.

53 ProBosniaLiberal  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:28:27am

re: #46 erik_t

Because many NAZIs were ground troops following orders.

Although, to be fair, I have heard that the Taliban forces kids to join, so on further thought, I would be killing Kids who had no choice.

Which gives us the conslusion of: The big guys/true believers of the Taliban are basically Joseph Kony.

I have nothing but raw hate for the true believers of the Taliban, and their leaders.

54 Charles Johnson  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:29:05am

re: #45 ProGunLiberal

You know, I’m pretty sure I’ve warned you before about calling for mass killings. What part of that warning was unclear?

I’m not going to warn you again. You’d better start thinking before you post.

55 Gus  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:29:14am

re: #47 Gus

Well kudos to Allahpundit then.

Edit: never mind. I take this back.

Ergo.

56 Randall Gross  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:29:17am

re: #46 erik_t

You may note that we did not kill all of the Nazis, because this would have been insane for a wide variety of reasons.

On top of that the massacre he references wasn’t the taliban.

57 Randall Gross  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:30:45am
58 Randall Gross  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:31:03am
59 ProBosniaLiberal  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:33:00am

re: #56 Randall Gross

From what I read, in 1998, the Taliban went into Mazar-i-Sharif and did mass murder.

60 Randall Gross  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:34:10am

re: #59 ProGunLiberal

Link?
From what I read it was the Taliban getting wiped by many warlord factions & US bomber support

61 Randall Gross  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:35:42am

People often conflate the Hekmatyar massacre in Kandahar & the other for agitprop purposes. It was Hekmatyar attacking Kandahar that wiped out huge swaths of Hazara.

62 Charles Johnson  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:36:07am

The right wing reaction to incidents like this really brings home for me that I made the absolutely correct choice when I renounced these people and took a stand against them. Since the election of the first black president, they’re not even trying to hide their reactionary, anti-woman, racist, bigoted, violent inner lives.

Not everyone on the right is like this, I know that. But a huge section of the base is composed of people who should be in intensive therapy.

63 ProBosniaLiberal  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:37:06am

re: #60 Randall Gross

No, 1998!

Not an incident in 2001 where, after we captured the city, the Local Resistance rounded up Taliban Fighters and put them in Shipping Containers in the desert, where we later found them.

Along with the retribution attacks against the Taliban and their sympathizers in general right after we retook the city.

64 Romantic Heretic  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:37:29am

re: #53 ProGunLiberal

Because many NAZIs were ground troops following orders.

Although, to be fair, I have heard that the Taliban forces kids to join, so on further thought, I would be killing Kids who had no choice.

Which gives us the conslusion of: The big guys/true believers of the Taliban are basically Joseph Kony.

I have nothing but raw hate for the true believers of the Taliban, and their leaders.

Time to quote a piece of my favourite religious book.

To be angered by evil is to partake of it, stupid. - Phrases of Import and Salvation, Chapter IX, The Book of Universal Truths and Other Humorous Anecdotes

65 Randall Gross  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:41:20am

re: #63 ProGunLiberal

Do you have a link to a reliable source about the massacre in 1998? I haven’t heard of that one? Link?

66 Randall Gross  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:43:32am

re: #65 Randall Gross

Nevermind I found it by sorting from date:

By July 1998 the Taliban had taken control of much of the area north of Herat, including the road linked to Maimana, where Dostum had returned and ousted Malik’s forces (and also many Pashtoon civilians living in Faryab. This cut off one of the main supply lines, and on 8 August 1998 the Taliban entered Mazar-e Sharif.
Hezb-e Islam reportedly switched sides and joined the Taliban, having encircled the front lines of Hezbe Wahdat at Qalai-Zaini-Takhta Pul.[6] Here about 1500-3000 Wahdat fighters were trapped. Many were executed on the spot, while approximately 700 attempted to flee in pick up trucks, many being killed on the way. Commanders of Wahdat such as Muhammad Muhaqiq evacuated by helicopter.
The Taliban then proceeded to enter the city where they took their revenge, executing approximately 2000 Hazara civilians. One group, Sipah-i Sahaba, associated with Pakistan and the Taliban, capture the Iranian consulate and shot dead one journalist and 8 intelligence and diplomatic officers.[7] The Taliban, for the next 6 days were reported to have gone door to door looking for male Hazara Shias and then subsequently executing them. Thousands of prisoners were transported by both sides in metal transport truck containers where many suffocated or died of heat stroke.

67 Sionainn  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:44:45am

re: #18 ProGunLiberal

This particular poor excuse for a soldier has done something that is extremely hard:

Hit my criteria for wanting the death penalty.

I don’t like the death penalty, but will make rare exceptions for particular people. However, if this soldier is mentally ill, he doesn’t need to be put to death, he needs treatment.

68 ProBosniaLiberal  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:45:26am

re: #65 Randall Gross

State Department and UN

I’ve seen numbers of 8-10k.

69 Lidane  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:45:31am
70 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:47:05am

re: #62 Charles Johnson

It’s a bit scary thinking about the acts into which the boiling far-right rage may spill if/when Obama is re-elected.

71 Sol Berdinowitz  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:49:20am

re: #70 Martryr Cookie Monster

It’s a bit scary thinking about the acts into which the boiling far-right rage may spill if/when Obama is re-elected.

Many seem convinced that a “lame duck” Obama will finally show his true face, nationalize the economy, ban gun ownership, make Islam the state religion and institute mandatory abortions for all white babies…

72 ProBosniaLiberal  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:49:51am

re: #70 Martryr Cookie Monster

I expect the Terrorist Threat Level to go to Red.

I honestly expect a wave of right wing terror in the next year.

73 ProBosniaLiberal  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:51:05am

re: #67 Sionainn

I don’t like it either, but their are cases where it is the only punishment. Such as this asshole in the story above, or being a Taliban true believer.

74 _RememberTonyC  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:57:17am

I am sickened by the act, and sickened by anyone who would find it to be okay.

75 nines09  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 11:58:52am

He snapped. That no one saw it coming is another thing. He’s either mental or a criminal. It makes me angry that our troops once again are being used as pawns in a story that other write and no good comes from. We never learn.

76 Kid A  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:00:24pm

From Fixed News’ comments section:

Our president is certainly the worst we have ever had He will now get down on his knees and ….. Why doesnt he take a lesson from Karzide? Be loud! be definate !stand up for something especiallyfor ourcitizens in the fighting units God Bless that couragous man He should come home a hero. BUT he will probably get a sentance for the rest of his life in jail.

Besides your gruesome butchering of the English language, you’re also one sick, twisted fuck.

77 Killgore Trout  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:00:28pm

Ugh, I hope this isn’t true….
Western forces kill 16 civilians in Afghanistan: Kabul government

Western forces shot dead 16 civilians including nine children in southern Kandahar province on Sunday, Afghan officials said, in a rampage that witnesses said was carried out by American soldiers who were laughing and appeared drunk.

One Afghan father who said his children were killed in the shooting spree accused soldiers of later burning the bodies.

Witnesses told Reuters they saw a group of U.S. soldiers arrive at their village in Kandahar’s Panjwayi district at around 2 am, enter homes and open fire.

78 Four More Tears  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:04:44pm

Imagine if Vietnam was subjected to the kind of news cycle we have now?

79 Targetpractice  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:06:09pm

re: #78 Meh.

Imagine if Vietnam was subjected to the kind of news cycle we have now?

This basically IS Vietnam all over again.

80 Obdicut  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:06:34pm

re: #77 Killgore Trout

It’s the same story, isn’t it? Same province.

Do you mean about the laughing and being drunk bit, that you hope isn’t true?

81 Killgore Trout  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:07:44pm

re: #80 Obdicut

It’s the same story, isn’t it? Same province.

Do you mean about the laughing and being drunk bit, that you hope isn’t true?

Villagers are claiming it was a group of soldiers. Hopefully it’s just a rumor.

82 Lidane  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:07:57pm

re: #80 Obdicut

It’s the same story, isn’t it? Same province.

Do you mean about the laughing and being drunk bit, that you hope isn’t true?

Same province, same number of deaths, but now it’s gone from one soldier to a group of soldiers who were supposedly laughing and appeared drunk.

83 McSpiff  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:08:47pm

re: #78 Meh.

Imagine if Vietnam was subjected to the kind of news cycle we have now?

Never seeing coffins, drastically reducing the amount of actual battle footage seen, tightly controlled military PR… yup, we’d still be fighting there.

84 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:11:01pm

re: #18 ProGunLiberal

This particular poor excuse for a soldier has done something that is extremely hard:

Hit my criteria for wanting the death penalty.

It is a fair possibility unless the Military Court finds him to be incompetent to understand the nature of his actions.

UCMJ 918. ART. 118. MURDER
Any person subject to this chapter whom without justification or excuse, unlawfully kills a human being, when he- -
(1) has a premeditated design to kill;
(2) intends to kill or inflict great bodily harm;
(3) is engaged in an act which is inherently dangerous to others and evinces a wanton disregard of human life; or
(4) is engaged in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of burglary, sodomy, rape, robbery, or aggravated arson;
is guilty of murder, and shall suffer such punishment as a court-martial may direct, except that if found guilty under clause (1) or (4), he shall suffer death or imprisonment for life as a court-martial may direct.

85 HoosierHoops  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:11:05pm

re: #73 ProGunLiberal

I don’t like it either, but their are cases where it is the only punishment. Such as this asshole in the story above, or being a Taliban true believer.

The history of Mankind’s hated, war and death go back to the beginning of Time.. It is a complex history of Religion, ethnicity, land, politics and greed.
It has been said more people have died in Wars in the Name of God than any other issue.
Looking back over the sands of time the Taliban are goldfish and it’s dangerous to be too reactionary in your viewpoint of modern day politics..
we as a modern day people must rise above the instincts of mass murder upon peoples and not to judge nationalities and races by preconceived notions as a young College Student is to do by framing a world view whose only window is 1280x600..
PGL.. A fine wine only gets better as it ages..

86 Four More Tears  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:11:25pm

I really hope the Afghanis appreciate all this freedom we’ve brought them…

87 McSpiff  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:12:03pm
88 erik_t  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:14:05pm

Kentucky and UNC go down within three minutes of each other.
❤❤❤

89 Four More Tears  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:14:30pm

re: #79 Targetpractice

This basically IS Vietnam all over again.

Too bad no one warned us that that would happen…

90 Sol Berdinowitz  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:15:45pm

re: #86 Meh.

I really hope the Afghanis appreciate all this freedom we’ve brought them…

Hard to say what Afghanis appreciate. Mostly it seems to be being left alone, something that colonial powers have been unable to do, despite the harsh lessons the Afghanis keep doling out…

91 sagehen  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:16:22pm

re: #89 Meh.

Too bad no one warned us that that would happen…

92 Shvaughn  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:16:49pm

Shit.

93 Targetpractice  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:25:20pm
94 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:26:01pm

re: #93 Targetpractice

OT:

Let the Stalinization begin!

ThinkProgress: RushLimbaugh.com Removes Offensive Attacks On Sandra Fluke From Transcript Archives

Commissar Vanishes.

95 Interesting Times  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:26:39pm

Good point:

96 Sol Berdinowitz  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:27:03pm

re: #93 Targetpractice

OT:

Let the Stalinization begin!

ThinkProgress: RushLimbaugh.com Removes Offensive Attacks On Sandra Fluke From Transcript Archives

This is more like getting rid of photos of your ex. Everybody knows you were married, you just choose not to be reminded of it any more than necessary…

97 Four More Tears  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:27:16pm

Well he apologized which means it’s like it never happened…

98 Kronocide  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:31:14pm

re: #62 Charles Johnson

The right wing reaction to incidents like this really brings home for me that I made the absolutely correct choice when I renounced these people and took a stand against them. Since the election of the first black president, they’re not even trying to hide their reactionary, anti-woman, racist, bigoted, violent inner lives.

Not everyone on the right is like this, I know that. But a huge section of the base is composed of people who should be in intensive therapy.

Ugliness in the Comments section to reinforce your point:

nancy

Our president is certainly the worst we have ever had He will now get down on his knees and ….. Why doesnt he take a lesson from Karzide? Be loud! be definate !stand up for something especiallyfor ourcitizens in the fighting units God Bless that couragous man He should come home a hero. BUT he will probably get a sentance for the rest of his life in jail.

bobfrommosinee

What is the Difference, Muslims go of on Jihad when they get mad over insults to Islam, The Trooper went of Crusade over the Insults and Murders committed against the U.S.

That Kid has more guts than the rest of the U.S. Liberal panty wastes running our military and government bowing and scraping to Muslims over every temper tantrum over every perceived insult they claim as justification for their murderous behavior.

99 CriticalDragon1177  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:32:27pm

Charles Johnson

I just heard about this over at Loon Watch. I hope the man responsible for this atrocity is punished severely. Beyond even the fact that innocent people were murdered, this will only make things even more difficult than they already are.

100 Lidane  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:34:43pm

re: #79 Targetpractice

This basically IS Vietnam all over again.

On that note:

Six in 10 Criticize War in Afghanistan; Most Favor Abandoning Training Mission

Sixty percent of Americans say the war in Afghanistan has not been not worth fighting and just 30 percent believe the Afghan public supports the U.S. mission there — marking the sour state of attitudes on the war even before the shooting rampage allegedly by a U.S. soldier this weekend.

Indeed a majority in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, 54 percent, say the United States should withdraw its forces from Afghanistan without completing its current effort to train Afghan forces to become self-sufficient.

The survey was completed Saturday. Early Sunday a U.S. service member allegedly left his base in Kandahar and shot and killed more than a dozen civilians in two nearby villages, an incident certain to raise tensions already inflamed by the U.S. military’s inadvertent burning of Muslim holy books at Bagram Air Base last month. That incident sparked violent protests, including a series of incidents in which Afghan soldiers have turned their guns on U.S. forces.

Against that backdrop, the number of Americans who say the war has not been worth fighting, at 60 percent, is up by 6 points from its level last June to just 4 points from its peak, 64 percent, a year ago. Intensity of sentiment is deeply negative: Forty-four percent feel “strongly” that the war has not been worth fighting. Just 17 percent, by contrast, support it strongly.

101 HappyWarrior  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:41:28pm

This is terrible.

102 CriticalDragon1177  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:48:04pm

re: #101 HappyWarrior

This is terrible.

Terrible is an understatement.

103 Bob Dillon  Sun, Mar 11, 2012 12:52:20pm

re: #78 Meh.

Imagine if Vietnam was subjected to the kind of news cycle we have now?

Its not much different now. News was transmitted by phone or TTY. Film shot that day was flown to Bangkok, processed, edited and transmitted to NY in time for the 6 PM evening news on TV.


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