News Four U.S. soldiers charged with rape and murder

[vanesch]

These things happen in war all the time, and shouldn't come as a surprise.

It's one of the advantages of the job of being a soldier. It's a hell of a job, being a soldier, you risk your life, you're far from home, there's a lot of noise, the working hours are crazy, people are rude, and so on, but, but... now and then you get to shoot some guy or to rape some juicy young girls. These are the pleasures of the profession. Every profession has its pros and cons.

 

[Gokul43201]

What?

58% of those serving in country say the U.S. mission in Iraq is clear in their minds

42% said it is either somewhat or very unclear to them, that they have no understanding of it at all, or are unsure.

85% said the U.S. mission is mainly “to retaliate for Saddam’s role in the 9-11 attacks,”

77% said they also believe the main or a major reason for the war was “to stop Saddam from protecting al Qaeda in Iraq.”

That's 192%. What's wrong here? Are these different polls?

No, they aren't. How did you get 192%?

It's theoretically possible that 100% of the troops polled could have fallen under #1, #3 and #4 above. That doesn't mean there's a total of 300% - the questions are not mutually exclusive (well #1 and #2 are, so those numbers should add to 100%).

 

[Astronuc]

No, they aren't. How did you get 192%?

It's theoretically possible that 100% of the troops polled could have fallen under #1, #3 and #4 above. That doesn't mean there's a total of 300% - the questions are not mutually exclusive (well #1 and #2 are, so those numbers should add to 100%).

Certainly 58% and 42% add to 100%. Of those 85% believe . . . and 77% also believe. Certainly, not additive. Also, I think the 192 was supposed to be 162 = 85 + 77, or 262 if all percentages stated were added.

I don't really see the value of the poll regarding what soldiers believe is their mission. The military tells them what to believe!

I heard an interview with one of the soldiers stationed at Abu Ghraib. He could not get a straight answer from superiors about rules of engagement! He was basically told, if they look like the enemy (which do him 'they all' did) then shoot them. He then related the physical and psychological abuse and torture which was visited upon many innocent Iraqis. The documentary, also discussed a number of Iraqis who died as a result of injuries inflicted during torture. In essence, members of the US government (e.g CIA or Military Intelligence) or agents under contract with the US government have committed murder and those acts are being covered up.

See - the HBO documentary film "http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/ghostsofabughraib/index.html"

Contrary to Bush's assertion, the Iraqi people are not free. They are under occupation by the US and in some or many cases, they are being brutalized by either the US military or those under contract with the US government.

 

[Gokul43201]

Cortez's sentence was handed out a couple days ago:

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1593040,00.html

FORT CAMPBELL, Kentucky — A U.S. soldier was sentenced to 100 years in prison Thursday for the gang rape and murder of an Iraqi girl and the killing of her family last year.

Sgt. Paul E. Cortez, 24, also was given a dishonorable discharge. He will be eligible for parole in 10 years under the terms of his plea agreement.

Cortez, of Barstow, Calif., pleaded guilty this week to four counts of felony murder, rape and conspiracy to rape in a case considered among the worst atrocities by U.S. military personnel in Iraq.

In his plea agreement, he said he conspired with three other soldiers from the Fort Campbell-based 101st Airborne Division to rape 14-year-old Abeer Qassim al-Janabi. The girl, her parents and a younger sister were all killed.