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Seems pretty simple to me. Who are THEY? They are "the bad guys" as opposed to us who are supposed to be "the good guys".
As long as there are wars there will be bad guys and hopefully good guys as well.
We need to make certain that we live up to the obligation to be the good guys. This does not allow us the questionable luxury of bending or breaking our standards of conduct just because the bad guys ignore the rules of civilized conduct. If there is no difference then what's the point of all of this anyway.
Now, I can tell you from first hand experience that your Army has by and large conducted itself in a manner of which you all can be very proud. I am appalled by the conduct of a few guards with respect to the Iraqi prisoners. I full well expect that the UCMJ will be applied harshly to set the tone of what MUST be the norm of our conduct. I full well expect that those who instigated, condoned, or ignored dishonorable acts will be delt with severely. I also expect that we will continue to root out terrorists and bring them to justice.
I see no comparison between the scum who murdered an American and these cretinous guards. (Please note use of word "MURDERED". Please remember that only a legitimate government can execute anyone. Homicide admits murder or manslaughter. Execution is a legal procedure reserved for governments. Gangs of thugs and terrorists can only do murder or manslaughter) (As an OBTW, I am pretty much opposed to capital punishment in general but I have little or no problem with what happens when soldiers conduct legitimate combat operations). I am horrified by the actions of the terrorists and I am disgusted by the actions of our few rotten apples. This is of great concern to me because it is axiomatic that a large group of armed people must operate under absolute rules of honorable and disciplined conduct or we face the alternative of a mob with weapons and training in how to use them. Besides all that we come back to the basic point here: We are the good guys. We cannot tolerate those who would corrupt that simple reality, WE ARE THE GOOD GUYS.
Rambling on a bit, but I needed to say a couple of things. Now I need to say a prayer for a guy who got caught by the bad guys and was murdered by them. Orate fratres...
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