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Missing the Mark -- Again
· Friday, January 13, 2012
WASHINGTON -- Our so-called mainstream media have launched a new anti-military feeding frenzy. The furor is over a crude 39-second video showing four Marines apparently urinating on the bodies of three dead Taliban combatants. In hysteric rhetoric akin to "news reports" on the 2004 Abu Ghraib photos, hordes of print and broadcast "correspondents" rushed to describe the viral video, which surfaced Jan. 11, as evidence of an "atrocity" and "desecration" that reflects the "depravity" of our military in general and the U.S. Marines in particular. As usual, the effort to denigrate our armed forces means that the potentates of the press ignored far more important stories.
On Wednesday, before Marine Corps or U.S. officials in Afghanistan could even verify the origin or authenticity of the video, it was up on more than a dozen websites and produced an instant firestorm. Marine Commandant Gen. James Amos described what appears on the video as "not consistent with our Corps values" and ordered an immediate investigation of "every aspect of the filmed event to determine the facts." He pledged, "Once the investigation and preliminary inquiry are complete and the facts have been determined, then the Marine Corps will take the appropriate next steps."
That's what should happen. But that wasn't enough for the masters of the media. Within hours of the video's appearing on the Internet, "reporters" launched a global race to interview any and all who were willing to express righteous outrage over "the actions of our servicemen" and thereby disparage the reputations of the millions of soldiers, sailors, airmen, guardsmen and Marines who have served honorably and courageously in more than a decade of war.
By Thursday, with no new facts yet in hand, White House spokesman Jay Carney felt compelled to tell the world that President Barack Obama finds the event to be "deplorable" and "reprehensible." Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's spokesman described the "hideous" incident as "egregious, disgusting behavior." Secretary of State Hillary Clinton found a microphone to express "total dismay at the story concerning our Marines."
And as we found with Abu Ghraib and Newsweek magazine's phony 2005 story about a Quran's being flushed down a toilet at the Guantanamo Bay detention center, blanket criticism of U.S. military personnel quickly goes global. In Kabul, Afghanistan, before the nationality of any of the apparently dead enemy combatants could be confirmed, President Hamid Karzai accused "American soldiers" of "desecrating dead bodies of three Afghans."
From neighboring Pakistan, Taliban leaders -- who never have denounced the murder, torture or beheading of a single Christian and have killed thousands of innocent civilians with roadside bombs -- condemned the video as "barbaric" and claimed: "No religion that follows a holy text would accept such conduct. This inhuman act reveals their real face to the world."
Absent from any of these oft-repeated excerpts is any recognition that the video in question apparently involves just four individuals -- five if you count the person holding the camera. Yet even before the perpetrators in the video could be identified by the Marines, the entire U.S. military is indicted once again by media elites for the egregious deeds of a few, without mention that such acts never are condoned by any American commander.
Prolonged commentary and repetitious reports on what investigators now call the "urine incident" have also spiked and displaced stories that warrant extensive coverage. Where are the in-depth "good news" reports on U.S. Navy sailors and Coast Guardsmen putting themselves at risk to rescue Iranian seamen from pirates and a sinking vessel? With Tehran racing to acquire nuclear weapons and threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, weren't Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visits this week to Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba worth more attention than a brief mention? In these perilous times, doesn't it matter that preparations are under way for "Austere Challenge 12" -- the largest and "most significant military exercise ever conducted by the U.S. and Israel"?
These important events received scant notice in the hysteria over "the video." This indicates an absence of judgment and perspective by those who determine what's "newsworthy" in today's "instant news" environment. Members of the mainstream media inevitably overhype any negative story -- true or false -- about even a single member of the U.S. armed forces and tarnish all who serve. This blatant anti-military bias is especially evident when producers and editors repeatedly make such atypical events the "lead story" and accord these rare incidents headline treatment for days on end. They must know that demonizing our troops with such nonstop "coverage" is far more effective at demoralizing a nation at war -- and destructive to those who fight it -- than losing any battle.
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mmccrindle
Ok, so a few marines kill some enemies that were trying to kill them and they pissed on the bastards. So what.
Black Jack Pershing took Islamic enemies crammed them onto stakes and made sure to let a few go so the message would make it back to their leaders.
I'd certainly be inclined to do more than piss on them after winning a fire fight.
Ok, OK, give the jarheads an Article 15 (small fine) and tell them to "fight nice now" and go out and kill more of them.
Posted January 13, 2012 at 8:42:06 AM
Craig
All of the hype should be expected from the state media. Communists all.
Posted January 13, 2012 at 9:26:57 AM
Mark S
I couldn't agree more with mmccrindle. But I wouldn't give 'em an article 15. I'd quietly promote 'em. Watching Clinton shoot her mouth made me wretch. Funny how Abu Ghraib quickly turned to an excoriation of Bush, but none of this will affect Obama in any way.
Posted January 13, 2012 at 11:12:30 AM
wjmccrindle
The true crime is the media villifying all military based on the actions of a few. The jihadi cockroaches probably needed to be pissed on, as they ambush and detonate bombs, and use civilians as shields, and hide in mosques, and are warned by rules of engagement that the Marines are coming. I applaud the Marines. They need to go and piss on Chairman Obamao and his Islam loving jihadist regime, and all the self serving lying media agents of propoganda.
Posted January 13, 2012 at 11:20:44 AM
Holmes Simons
When the facts come out, I imagine that, instead of urination, it will be proven that the only four queers in the Marine Corps were ejaculating as they joyously showed one another their stiffies. Or maybe they were just trying to wash away the pig feces previously dumped on the innocent muzzie murderers by the only two Afghan Christians that are still alive.
Obama is certain to outlaw pissing in the field as a result of the incident, and soon more Marines will die from exploding bladders than from friendly fire. Remember boot camp? Just hold it, boys. Semper Fi.
Posted January 13, 2012 at 11:40:53 AM
wjmccrindle
@Holmes Simons
You may be on to somethning with the homo angle. If proved, look for Obamao and the queer lovers to make it a mandatory training video.
Posted January 13, 2012 at 11:45:43 AM
Holmes Simons
@mccrindle: In his efforts to reduce government and military spending, Obama might provide his private video collection, starring who else but himself at Man's Country, as a training film for all queer Marines who want to learn how a real queer acts. I understand that there are several episodes available - in black and white, of course.
Posted January 13, 2012 at 12:59:15 PM
Richard Ryan
If we had a Republican president who was a member at Man`s Country and rode a woman`s bicycle while wearing a sissy helmet you`d be hearing non-stop ridicule from the so-called mainstream press. Funny how it`s completely ignored with the limp wristed wimp currently occupying the White House.
Richard Ryan
Lamar,Missouri - Birthplace of Harry S Truman
Posted January 13, 2012 at 1:54:22 PM
John Sutherland
Of course the media picked up on this and, like a pack of hungry wolves, tore into a situation without first finding out the truth. The media has no idea what truth is, nor do they care. If it causes a sensation and captures "air time", it does not matter who they hurt. What is really pitiful is that our elected leadership buys into all this crap, sadly at the expense of our military. And, this same "leadership" appears to enjoy fanning the flames, again ignoring the truth. What would make an even better picture would be to see the media being urinated upon. Ooops, here I go volunteering again!!
John L. Sutherland, COL, U.S. Army, (Ret)
Posted January 13, 2012 at 3:09:33 PM
PDK
Also, just as recently, A Saudi Islamic women had her head cut off for something less than urinating on dead enemy soldiers.
How much air time did the liberal MSM give that story, none.
Time to devide our country give the liberals their half, then wall them off. Good riddence to them.
Nobama 2012, vote republican. Thank you.
Posted January 13, 2012 at 7:59:50 PM
Mike Schuerger Sr.
Our enemies murder our people - including civilians - on film, mutilate the dead, drag them through the streets, hang them from bridges ....
urinate on them all you wish.
Just don't be stupid and film it from now on.
Oh, wrap them in pigskin, too.
What part of "enemy" don't these idiots get?
Posted January 14, 2012 at 12:53:58 AM
BoFromTexas
Crop dust them with bacon bits. They will be so busy cleansing themselves, they won't have time to fight. Actually, if they were dead Al Queda or Taliban, I do not think they cared a lot about getting whizzed on, if that actually took place. Compared to what they have done, atrocitywise, whizzing on a dead body is like burping at the dinner table. Actually, but for political correctness running amok, most of my friends would probably pee on dead Islamic radicals simply to express their contempt for such vermin.
Posted January 14, 2012 at 1:57:33 AM
Big Red
"No religion that follows a holy text would accept such conduct. This inhuman act reveals their real face to the world."
Hmmm, I'm remembering this one for the next time I hear one of my idiot, liberal acquaintances claim that Islam is a Religion of Peace (tm)... Especially after a suicide bombing...
Posted January 14, 2012 at 5:28:46 AM
veritaseequitas
You would think that all those freedom loving patriots who are the public face of our government...you know the ones who take every political opportunity to have their media moments with our military and their families, to profess how much they appreciate all the sacrifices that our military men and women and their families are making to keep America free; you know, the ones with the cheesy make believe smiles that they can turn on and off with every photo op...yeah them. You would think, for once in their useless,self centered lives, they would keep their stupid mouths shut until a full investigation can be made into the incident. And then, whatever punishment that would be given to our Marines could be kept private. But no, they are a bunch of media whores who cannot pass up the opportunity to say something, no matter how anti American it may be. Personally, after all the damage that the fanatic Islamists of this world have inflicted upon our military personnel and our civilians, I could care less what our military personnel do to them. If it means pissing on a bunch of dead bodies, so be it. I can guarantee you, the dead don't care. The fanatics have once again proven that they can dish out any outrage that comes into their feeble minds, but they cannot take it.
I cannot wait until November when we elect a new president, and have a new administration who will have the cojones to make the world remember who the greatest country on the planet is. Enough of the apologizing already.
Posted January 14, 2012 at 10:20:56 AM
Mike Schuerger Sr.
Who was it I read recently who said that Political Correctness is the attempt to pick up the clean end of a dog poop?
Posted January 14, 2012 at 1:39:44 PM
Holmes Simons
I hope the immoral, multi-faced Washington politicians will keep their cowardly mouths shut. When they quit pissing on the Constitution and the American people, they can pass judgment. Besides, those skuzzy Taliban muzzies aren't dead; they just have a bad case of athlete’s foot.
Posted January 15, 2012 at 3:34:19 PM
Suzette
They must have been watching Shogun.
Posted January 15, 2012 at 6:19:43 PM
A.R. Nash
What if instead they had doused the bodies with gasoline and set them ablaze? Would that cremation be a "desecration"? What if they then urinated on the ashes to extinguish them? Would that be a desecration of the ashes, and what difference would it make? Should it be condemned also if they simply spit on them after the cretinous primitives had killed one or more Marines? Of course not. Nothing much matters if A. they are dead, and B. they are left physically unmutilated, un-decapitated, and un-dismembered.
The truth that everyone is missing should be pointed out and taken into consideration. That truth is that snipers are NOT "American fighting men"; they are NOT at all in the same category as combat soldiers. They march to a completely different drummer. Their life and training and psychological orientation are in a completely different ballgame than combat soldiers and marines. You can't ignorantly presume to judge them by the same standards of conduct because they are a different kind of creature. Just as Spartans were a whole different breed from all other Greek soldiers, so snipers and long range recon personnel are a different breed and are treated as such.
I learned this truth after listening to a Marine sniper in Vietnam tell me about things he'd done and seen and lived. These elite warriors bare a responsibility and sometimes run risks that wouldn't be expected of normal soldiers and marines.
They live a different lifestyle that is attuned to their different role and mental orientation. That role is not one of fighting and patrolling and taking or defending territory. Instead they exist solely for one purpose and one purpose only, and that is to execute people who are a threat. Like a British Secret Agent, they have a license to kill. And kill they do. Don't then be shocked when they've engaged in a meaningless action that hurt no one but merely demonstrated their disgust and disdain for a psychopathic enemy whose evil we secure civilians can't begin to grasp.
Posted January 16, 2012 at 6:08:50 AM