President Obama Orders National Security Team to Review 2001 Afghanistan Massacre
EmailIn an interview with CNN over the weekend, President Obama said that he'd just learned that a November 2001 incident in Afghanistan — where hundreds if not thousands of Taliban prisoners were killed by an Afghan warlord and buried in a mass grave — may not have been properly investigated.
"So what I’ve asked my national security team to do is to collect the facts for me that are known," the president said. "And we’ll probably make a decision in terms of how to approach it once we have all the facts gathered up….There are responsibilities that all nations have even in war. And if it appears that our conduct in some way supported violations of the laws of war, then I think that, you know, we have to know about that."
A Saturday New York Times story reported that Bush administration officials obstructed requests for an investigation into the incident from the FBI, State Department, and other groups "because the warlord, Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum, was on the payroll of the C.I.A. and his militia worked closely with United States Special Forces in 2001, several officials said. They said the United States also worried about undermining the American-supported government of President Hamid Karzai, in which General Dostum had served as a defense official."
Human rights groups applauded President Obama's remarks.
"Physicians for Human Rights praises President Obama for ordering his national security team to collect all the facts in the Dasht-e-Leili massacre and apparent US cover-up," said Susannah Sirkin, deputy director of Physicians for Human Rights, which discovered the mass grave in January 2002 and alleges a cover-up by the Bush administration:
Click HERE for photos from Physicians for Human Rights' forensic investigation of the mass grave. The NYT first reported on the incident in May 2002 and Newsweek followed up in August 2002 with a more comprehensive story.
- jpt
Rick Santorum Sweeps 3 States 
Pentagon to Open Additional Jobs to Women
Let all the investigations begin and the truth revealed.
Posted by: gjkotw01 | July 13, 2009, 8:59 am 8:59 am
Poll numbers sinking?
Attack Bush. Blame Bush for what a warlord did.
This is getting old. If the NYT’s and Newsweek published reports in 2002, how was it covered up again?
Great quotes from William Tecumseh Sherman:
“War is hell.”
“War is cruelty. There’s no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over.”
And, finally,
“Every attempt to make war easy and safe will result in humiliation and disaster.”
Posted by: WhereWasThePress? | July 13, 2009, 9:03 am 9:03 am
What are we running a church Sunday school ? Why don’t you give them ALL 26 million dollars each
dex
Posted by: Dexter Greer | July 13, 2009, 9:03 am 9:03 am
It’s very sad. He is the President and he is still campaigning againt President Bush. If you can’t do anything good yourself, make someone else look bad. Must be a dem thing. The Governor of New Jersey is also campaigning against Bush.
Posted by: Joe Eckhardt | July 13, 2009, 9:11 am 9:11 am
All Genocide should be investigated.War makes it alright is B S.If you let it go than your as guilty.No more talk NOW THE WALK.
Posted by: E Barry | July 13, 2009, 9:17 am 9:17 am
This is ridiculous. So 2000 Taliban died? That’s 2000 less for our troops to fight today, in 2009. I always thought it was total BS to “allow” the Taliban to flee, as we did when we invaded Afghanistan. They lived to fight another day… TODAY! All the bleeding hearts liberals out there, including PHR, need to run right over there and get on the front lines and fight the Taliban who were not killed years ago in the original invasion.
And how about Gitmo? Horrible to hold them there, right? Wake up, liberals. The ones that were let go are fighting us again, RIGHT NOW. Stupid liberals!
Posted by: yeppy | July 13, 2009, 9:34 am 9:34 am
“Great quotes from William Tecumseh Sherman:”
Don’t be usurping Sherman to exonerate your right-wing baloney. Sherman was certainly cruel, but only in his war against civilian property. He certainly never even entertained the idea of massacring civilians and deposing of their bodies in mass graves. You do him a great injustice.
Posted by: Skip | July 13, 2009, 9:37 am 9:37 am
The sooner this clown is out of office the safer we will be.
Posted by: Bob | July 13, 2009, 9:40 am 9:40 am
He certainly never even entertained the idea of massacring civilians…
While this statement is true too I meant to say ‘prisoners’.
Posted by: Skip | July 13, 2009, 9:44 am 9:44 am
Obama is bent on destroying our CIA and linking Bush to anything possible. The CIA is covert for reasons and Obama needs to leave it at that. How can we expect our CIA to do its’ work under the scrutiny and possible charges from the government. Our nation is weaker today than it was Jan 19th.
Posted by: lfrichar | July 13, 2009, 9:45 am 9:45 am
Obama should return Afghanistan to its rightful owners: The Taliban. Karzi is just a Bush-Cheney puppet.
Posted by: Justice | July 13, 2009, 9:58 am 9:58 am
This is why bush has been so quite and cheney so vocal. They know they committed war crimes. They know they violated the Constitution. They know the CIA (on cheney’s instructions) lied to Congress and the American people. I hope bush, cheney and the whole lot of them go to prison for a long, long time. Make an example of them so this NEVER happens again.
Posted by: libertyrulz | July 13, 2009, 10:01 am 10:01 am
“He certainly never even entertained the idea of massacring civilians…”
On further reflection I remember that Sherman did indeed suggest such actions against Native Americans. I therefore officially withdraw my defense of Sherman.
Posted by: Skip | July 13, 2009, 10:03 am 10:03 am
===Human rights groups applauded President Obama’s remarks.===
He gets lots of applause from his remarks. He is a very good remarker.
Posted by: Axey | July 13, 2009, 10:04 am 10:04 am
===This is why bush has been so quite and cheney so vocal. ===
Bush has been quiet and Cheney vocal because…well, I can’t even begin to guess how that means both are guilty of something.
Posted by: Axey | July 13, 2009, 10:06 am 10:06 am
With all due respect Mr. Obama, stop the reviews. We’re moving forward, no?
You’re entire administration has more than enough full time work on this economy. Should we not “be all hands on deck with this issue, because the people are”? People are hurting badly and you want an investigation on how the previous President kept us safe? The facts are we have not had an attack since 9/11. The fact is I voted for you. The facts are this economy is in worse trouble than I have seen in my 56 years of living and NOT getting any better. You keep saying “Give the Stimulus time”. The fact is we Citizens know when a stimulus works and the facts are this monumental Stimulus abomination didn’t and wont. Fire, ready, aim………
Posted by: Seymour | July 13, 2009, 10:22 am 10:22 am
“Bush has been quiet and Cheney vocal because…well, I can’t even begin to guess how that means both are guilty of something.”
–Now keep quiet, let me do the talking–
You’ve never heard that anywhere before?
Posted by: Skip | July 13, 2009, 10:24 am 10:24 am
===–Now keep quiet, let me do the talking–
You’ve never heard that anywhere before?
Posted by: Skip | Jul 13, 2009 10:24:54 AM===
No. And if that is the evidence being presented here as guilt, you need to follow your own advice.
Posted by: Axey | July 13, 2009, 10:27 am 10:27 am
Obama the traitor
Posted by: Manu | July 13, 2009, 10:28 am 10:28 am
Thanks for putting it in plain language, WWTPress, when you wrote, “Poll numbers sinking? Attack Bush. Blame Bush for what a warlord did.This is getting old. If the NYT’s and Newsweek published reports in 2002, how was it covered up again?” You are precisely right.
Notice this comes as another call goes forward for an investigation of CIA not telling enough congresspeople enough information about an operation that never became, well, operational. And as Eric Holder, it is leaked, is considering prosecuting Bush administration folks regarding what some consider ‘torture.’
It’s time for a diversion to remind voters that we are supposed to focus our frustrations on Bush and the Republicans, who were in charge in the past, rather than on Obama and the Democrats who are in charge now. Health care not getting anywhere? Unemployment moving higher faster than anticipated? Unhappiness with the stimulus plan mounting? Poll numbers falling? Michael Jackson is dead and buried, so now we need another sideshow, one with a familiar set of villains– Bush and Cheney. I am hoping people see through this.
Posted by: moderate | July 13, 2009, 10:40 am 10:40 am
This is breathtaking hypocricy. Obama drops bombs on civilian areas in pakistan all the time. Enough already with the hypocricy. Why not investigate yourself.
I am so tired of Obama and his moral lawyer authority when he has his own crimes to answer for. He can’t have it both ways either investigate yourself and the past administration or no one. Obama has broken precedent by going after the previous administration.
Posted by: Dan | July 13, 2009, 10:59 am 10:59 am
Just more smoke and mirrors from Bo and Joe, the economic comedy team.
Posted by: buckaroobonsai | July 13, 2009, 11:03 am 11:03 am
“It’s time for a diversion to remind voters that we are supposed to focus our frustrations on Bush and the Republicans”
But on the other hand you think it’s better that we just forget about them? I think not. If we forget the past we might be dumb enough to repeat it. Like Iran-Contra where a Republican administration illegally funded terrorists in Central America. Oh I know, the slaughtered women and children were socialist rebels fighting against huge corporations so it was OK. Now during another Republican administration a guy apparently on the CIA payroll is massacring prisoners. But that’s just a diversion from much more important issues like what’s affecting your wallets.
Posted by: Skip | July 13, 2009, 11:04 am 11:04 am
I was glad to see Bush and Cheney go because I didn’t view the war in Iraq as being in our national interest. But I have no problem with Dostum killing a couple of thousand Taliban fighters. If they were still alive, we’d either be fighting them in Afghanistan or arguing about what to do with them (as we’re now doing with respect to the Guantanimo detainees). I remember reading about this in ’02, thinking, “just as well”. We’d probably have been better off if even more Taliban fighters had been eh “massacred”. There is no reforming religious fanatics. We Americans like to live in a fantasy world in which competing religions respect each others right to exist. That just isn’t the reality in a place like Afghanistan; leaving creeps like that alive would just have prolonged the war and caused the death and suffering of more innocent civilians. Let’s hope Obama is smart enough to spike this investigation before it goes anywhere.
Posted by: PCL | July 13, 2009, 11:04 am 11:04 am
Obama why not investigate Bill Clinton for authorizing the CIA to shoot down civilian planes on drug runs in Peru. 14 civilian planes were shot down in Peru under Clinton.
Bush didn’t turn around and investigate him when he got into office. Why not investigate holder and panetta for sending terror suspects to be tortured in morocco and egypt. The CIA operations head under bush was brennan who is now obama’s homeland security advisor.
Posted by: Dan | July 13, 2009, 11:09 am 11:09 am
Obama needs to focus on us now. Our CIA needs to be left alone to do their job. OMG they might have paid a warlord to kill Taliban fighters? Good. After 9/11 we were all upset and Bush reflected our feelings in his foreign policy until we got tired of it. I remember 9/11 and couldn’t care less as to our CIA’s attempts to take care of business. Obama, it’s the economy and stimulus stupid. How about focussing on that?
Posted by: lfrichar | July 13, 2009, 11:11 am 11:11 am
=== But that’s just a diversion from much more important issues like what’s affecting your wallets.
Posted by: Skip | Jul 13, 2009 11:04:43 AM===
That is the question we are asking. Is this a diversion from Obama’s poll numbers dropping? Is that why he is campaigning again in editorials in the WaPo? Why his AG has suddenly gone rogue (snicker)? Why killing Taliban (which Obama is doing too) and looking for ways to kill AQ (which Obama claims he is for) has suddenly become an issue for the man who wants to look forward not backwards.
Posted by: Axey | July 13, 2009, 11:14 am 11:14 am
“Why killing Taliban (which Obama is doing too…”
Please spare us your lame attempts at obfuscation. Obama is killing the Taliban and AQ that are fighting us but under no circumstances is he advocating killing them under any circumstances, like after they surrender.
Posted by: Skip | July 13, 2009, 11:32 am 11:32 am
===is he advocating killing them under any circumstances, like after they surrender..
Posted by: Skip | Jul 13, 2009 11:32:06 AM===
But Bush and Cheney did? If only. Then we wouldn’t have Gitmo to deal with, would we?
Posted by: Axey | July 13, 2009, 11:34 am 11:34 am
Definitely Bush’s fault.
Posted by: LongT | July 13, 2009, 12:00 pm 12:00 pm
Listen barrack, your inexperience with the military and combat really shows.
During the first gulf war, 6 six Iraqis was surrendering to us after a firefight. We then told them to drop their weapons and walk towards us with their hands up. About 5 meters from us, one of them reached into his pocket and pull out a grenade trying to pull the pin. We opened fire and kill all of them. Later found was only 2 of the 6 have grenades on them.
It was a split second life and death decision. Are you going to prosecute us for killing the 4 that didn’t have a grenades on them. Maybe they were truly trying to surrender and we gunned them down. If we hesitated and think what would barrack do to us if we defend ourselves, we would probably be all dead.
War is combat barrack, not a freaking police action. We put ourselves out more than the enemy to save lives. Too bad you failed to see that as a CIC.
Posted by: Reality2009 | July 13, 2009, 12:40 pm 12:40 pm
Reality2009…Sounds like a NO BRAINER to me, I’d done the same thing and the h@// with everyone else…..
Posted by: Parallex View | July 13, 2009, 1:02 pm 1:02 pm
Reality2009 | Jul 13, 2009 12:40:47 PM
Non-sequitur, this has nothing to do with the rules of engagement or prosecuting American soldiers. It’s about operatives or associates of the US clearly murdering hundreds of unarmed prisoners and then our executives possibly trying to hide it.
Posted by: Skip | July 13, 2009, 1:20 pm 1:20 pm
Someone needs to tell Obama that this is a war and as everyone who wants to survive in a war believes that “ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR.”
Posted by: Parallex View | July 13, 2009, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm
sooo Skipper How many times have you had the opportunity visit the Middle-East in say the past 10 years…Hmmmm..This has all to do about tying the hands of our fighting forces and the right to survive..This just does not stop at the “management level” but filters down to the boots on the ground…Until you have been in a life and death situation and UNDERSTAND what it takes to survive your opinion really means nothing for the simple reason you cannot prevent loss of life from a point of ignorance and inexperience…
lives from inexperience
Posted by: Parallex View | July 13, 2009, 1:40 pm 1:40 pm
Personally, I’d bet its yet another distraction attempt. The more folks they get spun up about Bush, the less likely those folks are to realize the abomination the cap-and-tax 1500 page unread bill is and that much less likely to call your senators and tell them to KILL the thing. For trillions of dollars – YOUR DOLLARS – and an upheaval of every aspect of our lives it will supposedly reduce global temps by all of 0.1 to 0.2 degrees by 2100!!! That’s it!! And the House passed this abomination. Wanna be told exactly what light bulbs you can buy? Wanna SELL your house? First have to have an energy audit by an new gov trained and approved auditor who will tell you that you have to replace ALL of your old un-efficient appliances and update windows etc BEFORE you can even sell your own house. Wanna build a house? Well, you’ll have to do it to CALIFORNIA building codes, which everyone will have to implement and get up to speed on first. The crap and payoffs to everyone in this bill are unbelievable.
The more he can get us to talk about Bush, the less likely we are to do anything about cap-and-tax, health care, stimulus, immigration (its coming up, another he intends to ram down our throats before the end of this year) and so on.
Posted by: And Atlas Shrugs Yet Again | July 13, 2009, 2:19 pm 2:19 pm
“hundreds if not thousands of Taliban prisoners were killed by an Afghan warlord and buried in a mass grave”
Executing unarmed people en mass is fine as long as they’re not ‘our’ people? Sounds like Bosnia or Germany during the second world war.
Posted by: danita | July 13, 2009, 2:24 pm 2:24 pm
Parallex View | Jul 13, 2009 1:40:02 PM
I think you will find it highly unpopular to assert that for any US citizen’s opinion on this subject to mean anything they be required to see some combat in the Middle East–besides being absurdly impractical. However if we really want to help our troops when they are unfortunate enough to be captured then we better treat the prisoners we capture humanely, and demand the same of anyone operating in our interests. That was the whole point in having the Geneva Conventions and why regardless of whether or not you think I am qualified or not I will continue to exercise my right to vote for and support administrations that honor them.
Posted by: Skip | July 13, 2009, 2:34 pm 2:34 pm
===I think you will find it highly unpopular to assert that for any US citizen’s opinion on this subject to mean anything they be required to see some combat in the Middle East===
Yeah, no chickenhawk arguments, please. Who coined that phrase anyway?
Posted by: Axey | July 13, 2009, 2:49 pm 2:49 pm
?
“hundreds if not thousands of Taliban prisoners were killed by an Afghan warlord and buried in a mass grave”
Executing unarmed people en mass is fine as long as they’re not ‘our’ people? Sounds like Bosnia or Germany during the second world war.
Posted by: danita | July 13, 2009, 3:01 pm 3:01 pm
All, this is yet another attempt (and a lame one) to attack the previous administration in times of war. Why we can’t worry about today is beyond me, but IF this warlord was on the CIA payroll, I have to believe it didn’t say “we will pay you to slaughter Talibans”. Being on the payroll and his actions are most likely 2 different things.
Danita, do you hate this country? All of your posts are almost guilty until proven innocent. Our country has a serious problem with people trying to enter it not run away. Our morals are just fine, but sometimes bad things happen in war. Our idiots in Congress need to focus on now, not then.
Posted by: lfrichar | July 13, 2009, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm
POLITICS or POLL-ITICS
Polls are the barometer of politicians.
It seems like they only look at the polls to take real decisions.
Latest polls showed an underperforming in Obama´s economic policies, and therefore we have breakfast today with “CHENEY and the secret CIA files”.
But, … are we talking about economy or about Mr Cheney ???
Are we talking about saving the US of a deep economic hole or are we trying to remember again Bush admon practices ???
Ladies and Gentlemen, we have voted for a change. Let´s look into the future and solve current problems. Stop looking back and blaming others. Concentrate please on the real issues affecting us now !!!
Ohio unemployment rate is at 10,8%, together with Indiana, the highest since the 80s.
700 billion dollar stimulus plan is not reacting in a quick manner, and some analysts wonder if a new one is coming …
We are running out of time, since that huge amount of money put into the system, is not to be having effect in 4 years time. It is a shock plan to react now !!!… At least, that is what mr Obama said to the congress to be approved not that long time ago.
Are we again playing media games to tell people…” Maybe I am not that good predicting economy holes, but look how I try to close GUANTANAMO or how I blame Cheney for those past terms “.
Mr Obama, you received thousands of new democrat votes to do 2 things:
- Improve the economic chaos we are in now.
- Improve our international relations with arabs, russia and China.
Well, till now. You get a C- in all your semester marks.
Let´s hope you receive B or A+ in the next months. But concentrate please on real issues, not in POLLS that make you nervous and make you become as those you criticised so much during your campaign.
Jose Luis Revilla Escudero
Chairman & CEO
WWShares, Inc
-Global Wealth Management-
http://www.worldwideshares.blogspot.com
Posted by: JOSE LUIS REVILLA ESCUDERO | July 13, 2009, 3:06 pm 3:06 pm
Why the heck would we care about anything but making sure our honorable George Bush abd his fine, upstanding vp are free of any fault. To hell with anyone who is not a Christian conservative. We’re the only “saved ones” that really count.
Posted by: Disgusted | July 13, 2009, 3:09 pm 3:09 pm
“Danita, do you hate this country? All of your posts are almost guilty until proven innocent.”
I don’t hate the country at all, and I think President Obama is excellent!
What an amazing thing that a descendant of American slaves is now the First Lady in the White House!
On the other hand, we should not condone horrific acts just cause they’re done by ‘our’ side.
Posted by: danita | July 13, 2009, 3:17 pm 3:17 pm
“Are we talking about saving the US of a deep economic hole or are we trying to remember again Bush admon practices ???”
Why are these things mutually exclusive? There are articles today on this ABC page about the stimulus and healthcare. It sounds to me like you guys would desperately like us to ignore this particular article about war crimes for some reason. We’ve decided to walk and chew gum at the same time.
Posted by: Skip | July 13, 2009, 3:23 pm 3:23 pm
Posted by: danita”"”"”"”"”"”"”"‘On the other hand, we should not condone horrific acts just cause they’re done by ‘our’ side.”"”"”"”"”"”
I am not condonig them, but I don’t put the blame on the CIA just because this guys name was on a list of people we paid off. ABCNews is bltantly quick to try and link the previous administration with anything they can to make their Obama look good. I want Obama to do what he has promised and fix what he has to fix. he also said the past is just that and he wasn’t going to worry about it. But, he can’t control congress and they are running their own little agenda. Obama needs to control his congressional dems and focus on us right now.
Posted by: lfrichar | July 13, 2009, 3:26 pm 3:26 pm
Hmmm..Dostum who long fought the Taliban, before we even knew who they were decided to take the opportunity to kill captured Taliban…no surprise, he is a warlord. Note that, WARLORD, these guys are not generals who adhere to a West Point Moral Code. Moral codes are different among the tribal elements in Afghanistan. Any book that covers the region explains that clearly. Prior to the US invasion, the Taliban killed thousands of Dostum’s people. This is now tribal war is waged. If you are from a different tribe, you can be killed onsite, no questions asked because it is not a crime. As outsiders we try and impose or moral codes on these people and are laughed at for our weakness. These cultures are older and drastically different from ours. While we in the west should not condone it, we should not criticize it either. I suggest people read a few books on Afghanistan and the rise of the Taliban. Its not a clean history, warlords change sides often.
Posted by: Chip | July 13, 2009, 3:29 pm 3:29 pm
Hi Danita,
You wrote…
What an amazing thing that a descendant of American slaves is now the First Lady in the White House!
———–
Didn’t MLK tell us that it should not be the color of the skin, but the content of the character?
In that light, a certain school-teacher from Texas handled her term in the the White House with grace and class for 8 years. Let’s wait to judge Mrs. Obama’s handling of this position for a little longer and see how she does…
Posted by: Terry | July 13, 2009, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
Posted by: Skip “”"”"”"It sounds to me like you guys would desperately like us to ignore this particular article about war crimes for some reason. “”"”"”"
Then print the article of a congressionary medal of honor winner dying yesterday. If you are bringing up some warlord killing Talibans, then let’s show some respect for the war heros too. ABC is completely in Obama’s pocket and it makes me sick. The Talibans certainly haven’t shown the same reguard for any of their prisoners or people for that matter. “Eye for an eye” comes to mind, but WE don’t know what went on with Taliban and warlords anyway and as crazy as they have all proven to be, we shouldn’t care or waste resources on what might have happened. Let’s put resources in what we need for our country.
Posted by: lfrichar | July 13, 2009, 3:32 pm 3:32 pm
Posted by: Chip Jul 13, 2009 3:29:05 PM
Now that was a good post.
Posted by: lfrichar | July 13, 2009, 3:34 pm 3:34 pm
Posted by: danita “”"”"”"To throw off those chains and prejudices of the past . … it’s a tremendous light for the entire world.”"”"”"
We don’t elect presidents for anything but working for the better of our people. While it is nice that we have this “tremendous light” effect around the world, he wasn’t elected because of his skin color. The stimulus was passed to save us “from the brink” in Obama’s words. We are no further from the brink now than we were then. If anything, indicators are worsening. We could better use our resources elsewhere.
Posted by: lfrichar | July 13, 2009, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
lfrichar . …
It’s just plain sad you don’t understand or can’t acknowledge the significance of what happened in terms of American history. Even for one brief moment . . .
Posted by: danita | July 13, 2009, 3:52 pm 3:52 pm
Axey | Jul 13, 2009 2:49:02 PM
I believe ‘chickenhawk’ was coined by the new junior senator from Minnesota: Al Franken.
And I don’t think I’m making a chickenhawk argument since I’m not a hawk.
Posted by: Skip | July 13, 2009, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
Posted by: danita”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”It’s just plain sad you don’t understand or can’t acknowledge the significance of what happened in terms of American history. Even for one brief moment “”"”"”"”"”"
And you don’t understand this has NOTHING to do with American History. It has zero significance to American history. An afghany warlord killing Talibans has nothing to do with us. What he was doing n our payroll will also not affect our history.
Posted by: lfrichar | July 13, 2009, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
danita—————If there’s one thing after my 20 years of military service, I don’t see colors, I see people. Black, white. yellow or blue means nothing to me. The effort is what we are all after. While I am sure having Obama as our first is significant to many, it is not surprising at all to me as I have worked with Powell and many high ranking intelligent individuals of color. I want him to get the job done and I don’t believe this issue is worthy of our resources and attention. It gives the appearance of trying to take our attention off reall issues affecting us today.
Posted by: lfrichar | July 13, 2009, 4:21 pm 4:21 pm
“An afghany warlord killing Talibans has nothing to do with us. What he was doing n our payroll will also not affect our history.”
Well if you’re so confident then you shouldn’t have any concern over an investigation. After all, Obama has been more supportive of Bush intelligence policies than most Democrats have liked.
Posted by: Skip | July 13, 2009, 4:32 pm 4:32 pm
Yeah Skip, the Geneva Convention has worked great for our side…LOL As shown below:
Capt Micheal Speicher, (MIA), USArmy Spec Ahemd Alatie (missing/captured), USArmy Spec Keith Maupin (missing/captured), USArmy Spec Byron Fouty (missing/captured), USARMY Alex Jimenez (missing/captured, USARMY J Anzack (missing/captured)found shot and tortured….SHALL I GO ON…Please note that most are missing or captured???? Who knows, but I am pretty sure that according the your “Geneva Convention” there is a protection clause for family rights in other words let the other side know you have captured their person..
As far as my previous statement and your rebuttal, No you do not have to be in the military to have an opinion..BUT YOU DO NEED TO BE IN A LIFE AND DEATH SITUATION TO UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF SELF-DEFENSE AT THE POINT OF KILLING ANOTHER HUMAN IN ORDER TO SURVIVE…DON’T SPIN MY STATEMENT IN ORDER TO FLUFF UP YOUR REBUTTAL…
Posted by: Parallex View | July 13, 2009, 5:44 pm 5:44 pm
Parallex View | Jul 13, 2009 5:44:26 PM
I’m just not going to buy into justification for the ‘eye for an eye’ argument. To me there is a lot more to being the good guys besides the good guys being us and the bad guys being them. If we’re going to claim to be the good guys then we have to really be the good guys and in this case that means conforming to our agreements in regards to the Geneva Conventions regardless of whether our enemies do or not. You certainly cannot prove that our treatment of prisoners does not effect how our POWs will be treated. Several captured soldiers have been rescued which shows that they are not all being immediately killed.
“BUT YOU DO NEED TO BE IN A LIFE AND DEATH SITUATION TO UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF SELF-DEFENSE”
What does this have to do with self-defense? Am I to understand that you believe this warlord’s men were in immediate danger and defending themselves when they killed unarmed prisoners by the busload and threw them in a ditch?
Posted by: Skip | July 13, 2009, 6:26 pm 6:26 pm
Skip…As usual I again need to repeat..Don’t put your make believe spin on my comments..I have NO IDEA what was the reasoning behind the warlords actions, DON’T CARE.. .NOT GOING TO CRY AND LOSE SLEEP OVER THE LOSS OF TALIBAN LIVES; futhermore, unless you were there, you have no idea either. With that said, AGAIN, I am ONLY concerned with our soldiers and if they are required to use force or kill in order to save their or their buddies lives so be it..Something you have obviously do not understand. As far as your opinion on the Geneva Convention rules go, I would say you have an misguided view on international laws…Can’t pick and choose..Can’t argue for the Geneva Convention for only one side…
Posted by: Parallex View | July 14, 2009, 2:03 pm 2:03 pm
If we don’t at least pretend to care about mass murder, we betray our ideals and play into the hands of our enemies.
Posted by: signseeker17 | July 14, 2009, 9:17 pm 9:17 pm