More images from the burnings in Afghanistan.

[Ripley]

We posted a few hours ago about the airing by the Australian news program Dateline of a video showing US soldiers burning the bodies of Taliban dead in Afghanistan. The bodies were burned facing Mecca, and the troops taunted Taliban supporters in a nearby village as the bodies burned.

The Muslims faith holds that a body must be buried within 24 hours of death, so the burnings are not going to win the US any friends in Islamic countries. In addition, the burnings violate the Geneva Conventions, which require that the bodies of people killed in a war 'should be honourable, and, if possible, according to the rites of the religion to which the deceased belonged.'

So far, none of the stories we've seen online have included any images of the burnings. Admittedly, the video that Dateline aired is grisly, but so were the ones from Abu Ghraib. Nonetheless, news editors seem to have decided that the public doesn't need to see the pictures of what the US soldiers did. And, interestingly, the video of yesterday's Dateline program, which aired the pictures of the burnings, has been removed from the program's website.



http://magpieblog.blogspot.com/2005_10_16_magpieblog_archive.html#112977081142903491

This is some messed up shit.

[hatrack]

1. Great job, guys.

Winning hearts and minds wherever we go!!!

[Name removed]

2. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tocqueville]

3. another picture

[alfredo]

4. Attitude, like shit, flows downhill. If their leaders condone

atrocities, they will happen. If torture is condoned, torture will occur.

Such things will stop if the leaders, civilian and uniform were held responsible.

[Neil Lisst]

5. It's an important story, and it will hurt American soldiers in the end

They burned the bodies, as you said, Ripley, but you misunderstood the direction. They were placed facing WEST, away from Mecca, not towards it. That was part of the taunting to try to draw out other Taliban.

Shades of VC and Vietnam.

Terrorizing the locals is not going to work long term, and why would it?


http://www.webcomicsnation.com/neillisst/

[lpbk2713]

6. Another example of Compassionate Conservative foreign policy

(This message has been brought to you by the good folks at BushCo & Haliburton)


:eyes:

[reprehensor]

7. They hate us for our freedom.

Among other things.

[hiabrill]

8. absolutely

fucking barbaric....!!

[High Plains]

9. Such acts have consequences...

Or at least that's what the US Embassy in Kabul thinks. Below is a message they sent out today. As you can see from the message, things are already going so swimmingly well in Afghanistan that US officials are basically too scared to leave the fort, er, the Embassy.

Warden Message
October 20, 2005


The U.S. Army has initiated an investigation into alleged misconduct by U.S. service members, including the burning of dead enemy combatant bodies under inappropriate circumstances. The dissemination of this information may lead to demonstrations in Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan. The Embassy reminds all Americans to avoid demonstrations, as even those intended to be
peaceful may suddenly turn violent.

The Embassy continues to urge U.S. citizens in Afghanistan to maintain a high level of vigilance and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. The Embassy recommends that all Americans living and working in Kabul continue to restrict their movements, observe the strictest of security measures, and defer any unnecessary travel around the city. The Embassy particularly recommends that U.S. citizens in all parts of Afghanistan avoid traveling alone at any time.

The Embassy remains concerned about threats involving areas where foreigners are known to congregate. From time to time, the Embassy places areas frequented by foreigners off-limits to its personnel depending on current security conditions. The Intercontinental Hotel remains off-limits to Embassy personnel. Additionally for Embassy personnel, all restaurants continue to remain off-limits; unofficial travel is strictly limited and use of the Kabul-Jalalabad Road is off-limits due to ongoing threats of VBIEDs in that area. We again caution against movements in other potential target areas, such as:

* Key national or international governmentestablishments;
* National or international military facilities, including ISAF;
* Locations popular with the international community, including restaurants and Internet cafes; and
* Areas with high population density, i.e., bazaars.

Americans in Afghanistan are urged to monitor the local news and maintain contact with the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. As the Embassy continues to develop information on any potential security threats to U.S. citizens in Afghanistan, it will share them with the American community via the Warden System. We take this opportunity to remind the community of the continuing threats outlined in the current Travel Warning for Afghanistan and Worldwide Caution Public Announcement. The full text of each can be found at <http://travel.state.gov/>. Updated information may also be obtained by
contacting the American Embassy in Kabul at [e-mail]
<mailto:[e-mail]> or by calling the Consular Section on
020-230-0436.

The Department of State also shares information through its consular
information program documents, available on the Internet at
<http://travel.state.gov>. In addition to information on the Internet, U.S.
travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by
calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. or outside the U.S. and Canada
on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.

Sincerely,

Consular Section
United States Embassy
Kabul, Afghanistan

[FreedomAngel82]

10. Oh gosh

:( And people wonder why they hate us? Freedoms my freakin ass.

[Jara sang]

11. American soldiers are bloodthirsty animals.

[sandnsea]

12. It's on CNN International

Just now. So it's getting some play in this country. I guess this is the Afghanistan model Condi was talking about yesterday.