RE: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] Another Rant

["F Vernon Green" <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

OH, I guess I should have added that I too served. I taught combat to the
Seabees in Port Hueneme Ca, many of which served in Desert Storm using the
skills I taught them. I got out of the Navy 8 months before Desert Storm
started just long enough to get my Inactive reserve time completed or I
would have gone.

I used to teach Seabees how to handle prisoners of war and I assure you that
we never taught them to do these things.

-----Original Message-----
From: EMAIL:PROTECTED
[mailto:EMAIL:PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Heivilin, Jim
Sent: Monday, May 03, 2004 8:05 AM
To: MLUG Off-Topic Discussion
Subject: RE: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] Another Rant

> -----Original Message-----
> Vernon Green
> Subject: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] Another Rant
> 
> Since we are on the subject and I feel like ranting a little 
> bit, I need a minute to unload on those soldiers that were 
<snip>
> I remember a little scandal called "Tailhook" where a bunch 
> of female flyers screamed about being sexually harassed. Well 
> what do you think would happen to the poor male trooper that 
> posed like that in front of a captured female Iraqi? Women 
> groups all throughout the US would be up in arms. Where are they now? 
> 
Generally speaking some of the things I've read (mostly from round one,
if you presume there's a certain amount of truth in them) indicate that
captured western soldiers faced far worse that anything we've done to
Iraqi prisoners (again not having looked into the situation yet).  A
cultural thing again.  

> Oh, I am sure we will get the token, "We're shocked, we 
> should investigate" yadda yadda yadda. They should be calling 
> for this female soldiers head on a plate.
> 
While I've heard that the Pentagon knew about this since January, I also
know for a fact that the media will fail to mention things which reduce
the sensational aspects of a particular story.  It's not about facts,
it's about ratings (or circulation).  

> I would give the rest of this year's salary to be the 
> commanding officer of one of these soldiers, or even better 
> yet, sitting on the jury when these soldiers are tried.
> 
While you're here in that commander's shoes consider how you would feel
if you made a decision and it proved to be a bad call and several of
your soldiers died because of it.  That commander is the one who has to
write the letter home which starts "I regret to inform you ...".  

> I have no love lost for the people that were captured, I 
> would not shed a tear had they been beaten to within an inch 
> of their life, or even beaten to death, I have no problem 
> with that, but to humiliate them, pose in front of them and 
> treat them in such an undignified matter sickens me and I 
> hope and pray that the government makes serious examples out 
> of every person involved.
> 
Speaking as a former soldier I won't put myself in their place and would
hold anyone who hadn't served in less regard for these types of
comments.  Until you've been in the service (I have) and served in a
place like (I haven't so I can't claim any more right to talk about this
than I'm granting you) this you can't possibly know what they're going
through which might influenced how they behaved.  

That isn't to say that the whole deal isn't regrettable and shouldn't be
acted upon accordingly.  Just that it should be people who Know that
take the action rather than someone sitting comfortably back here
reading about it in the truthless media.  

However I've given thirteen years of my life in order for you to have an
opinion and the right to express it, even, nay especially if I don't
agree with it.  Ironic, eh? 

Jim 

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