Our Marines Being Abused by the Hard Left Media and Washington

[ndicki]

Comments on the videos?

Well, those Marines must be absolute morons. There are a few in every army, so do not take that personally, but 1. shooting wounded enemy IN FRONT OF A CAMERA is not intelligent, and (3rd video) bragging about it afterwards to anybody outside your own unit, is of the highest stupidity. Shooting the enemy in the 3rd video did not shock me either, and he was apparently trying to extract himself from the area - but cheering, in the presence of a journalist, was not bright. I will make no moral judgememts other than simply saying that if you try to play soldiers with people who are better than you are, then you'd better have a sense of humour, and be able to take a joke. Those Iraqis obviously have forgotten that.

As for the second clip - never did like FIBUA, much too dodgy. Give me a nice bit of woods, grassland, etc, any day! Bit hairy, I must say. Having said that, where were the enemy? I'd have expected the journalist to try and show WHAT they were shooting at more clearly. But not somewhere I'd have enjoyed much, I expect. And under such tension, men DO act like that - it's a normal way of emptying the tension - shouting, cheering, yelling, etc - we were trained to do it, very loudly and aggressively, to frighten the other lot, so there you are.

Nothing much there that I'd want to set up an investigation over, though.

[lesofprimus]

Have to agree with u there ndicki...

[FLYBOYJ]

Like wise...

My brother, a 2 tour Vietnam vet saw some pretty nasty things while there committed by both sides. If you're gonna do "payback" (or what ever else you want to call it) you better not be stupid enough to photograph or brag about it.

[mkloby]

I have a couple comments - I saw that first video when it first came out a long time ago. I didn't see anything wrong w/ their actions then, and still don't know. It's easy for the media and others to sit back in their nice comfortable homes and watch a video 23 times and make a judgement on those Marines' actions. However, think about the wounded that have pulled pins on grenades or detonated bombs when us troops drew near. If I saw one moving suspiciously, I can't say I would be stepping back to analyze the situation.

The 2nd video - why did the marine put the saw up on from behind the concrete fence w/o it loaded, exposing himself, then rack it back and open the receiver??? That will get you killed! Watched that a couple times in disbelief. Definitely a mistake that can have bad consequences.

The third video - who knows who was interviewed afterwards or anythig regarding it - the two clips may not even be connected. It is just a clip too, you don't know the whole situation. You don't even hear the question posed. Again, he was wounded, could still detonate a bomb, toss a grenade. I don't think watching the video in your comfy home gives people the right to pass judgement.

[FLYBOYJ]

While I understand where you're coming from mk, the bottom line here is the camera. You're right, we don't know how it went down, none of us were there, but the point here is the camera (and it's ramifications) is what enables those to pass judgement but it's the footage (and the way it's manipulated) which puts these guys in bad light - bottom line, what ever you do, if a camera is in front of you, you better watch what you do and or say unless you have the means to edit out what could be conceived as incriminating - The kid in the last clip did not help the cause and would of been better putting on the 1000 yard stare and saying "no comment." Even if it was connected to the other two clips or not, I think all service men who are in country now should know by now that the press is not their friend and saying the wrong thing at the right time could be just as bad as the enemy itself....

[evangilder]

I seem to recall being told that if you couldn't remember specifically what to tell the press, then say nothing at all. Are they not teaching that today?

[ndicki]

I seem to remember a thing about Other Ranks never to address the press under any circumstances; they don't seem to observe that in our lot any more, either, although there do seem to be fewer instances of British troops doing / getting caught doing such things. That may not mean anything other than that they are a bit more circumspect. Which is precisely the point.

[ndicki]

To pick up on what mkloby said about the second clip, I wonder if some of it wasn't staged afterwards for the benefit of the press... They do seem to be putting down a lot of fire at nothing you can identify, and taking risks doing it.

Don't forget the editing people can do a lot these days.

[mkloby]

Ndicki - you're right. It was an odd clip. Like i said - putting a saw up unloaded, then loading it when you're out of your cover. That's infantry 101 type stuff. These were marines, and I can tell you we are taught to not talk to the press, and keep our mouths shut. That's what HQ and why public affairs officers are commissioned.

I understand the point about the camera being there, and understanding that the press is there to scrutinize and paint you in a poor light. However, I still feel that anyone not present should pass judgment. With the preponderance of embedded reporters, it may lead to more of a hesitation to use deadly force, resulting in more US troops becoming casualties. The same deal with police back home - it's almost as if they are closely scrutinized if they use deadly force trying to find wrongdoing. Not the way to do business in the military services.

[FLYBOYJ]

Here' the deal - even though you are elated that you just took down some scumbag terrorist, splattered his guts all over the street, you don't tell a reporter how good it was, leave that for the memoirs when you return home - that should be drilled into every recruit, officer, flyer and ground pounder in country, then no one has an opportunity to pass judgement.

[Erich]

well it should be drilled into every senior officer down to non-com and of course lower ranks. As I have said before we were so screwed up in Nam many of us were on dope while on patrol (my own unit was not), when interviewed the cameramen as well as the idiots that interviewed many of us (not me) just threw up their hands and walked off. also we were a bit intimidating, camera crews were not looked on in a very positive way with good reason. Hanoi Jane and traitor John Carey were already broadcasting some pretty negative vibes against the front liners

it is very unfortunate that the maggot media has been allowed to associate plus film front line actions then give a free reign to report these actions as they see it

gosh I am drugged .......

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by evangilder

I seem to recall being told that if you couldn't remember specifically what to tell the press, then say nothing at all. Are they not teaching that today?

Yeap before we went to Iraq we had a whole training class on how to deal with the media. If you did not know the answer or were not allowed to answer the question due to opsec then you were to just say that you were not obligated to answer that question at this time.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

The Army Chief of Staff is going to pull all the CNN reporters that are embedded with the US Army in Iraq. If they are in Iraq then they are on there own from now on. That also means that they will have to fend for themselves on security. Atleast that is what I think is going to happen and what has been told to me in rumors.

[Erich]

just give em the look and point your weapon in a haphazardly way in their direction ............. of course that was some years ago, right now that would probably get your rear in big trouble with the media going off half cocked crying

[FLYBOYJ]

Well said guys and rolling back to those films, someone should of put a muzzle on those in the films, especially the third one....