An Afghan Abu Ghraib? America shamed by 'kill squad' photo leak

[Karmadillo]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/an-afghan-abu-ghraib-america-shamed-by-kill-squad-photo-leak-2248940.html

An Afghan Abu Ghraib? America shamed by 'kill squad' photo leak
By Julius Cavendish in Kabul
Tuesday, 22 March 2011

The US Army has been forced into an acutely embarrassing apology after photographs emerged of American soldiers posing with the corpses of Afghan civilians in scenes reminiscent of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal during the Iraq war.

In one picture, a US soldier grins wolfishly for the camera while gripping a corpse's hair, pulling back its head like a hunting trophy, in what could become an enduring image of how the West lost its way in Afghanistan.

The picture, one of three published by the German news weekly Der Spiegel, has forced the US Army into a rare public apology and attempts to distance itself from a handful of rogue troops who are charged with killing Afghan civilians for fun. The photographs depict "actions repugnant to us as human beings and contrary to the standards and values of the United States Army", it said in a statement yesterday. "We apologise for the distress these photos cause."

The US military had tried to suppress the photos, which are part of the evidence seized in a case against 12 US soldiers accused of crimes ranging from murder to hoarding body parts as trophies, and which it believes could incite riots and attacks on its personnel in Afghanistan.

more...

[gratuitous]

1. Shamed by the leak, not the photos

If it's any comfort, these are just the ones we know about. But I'm sure they're the only ones. Pretty sure. Sorta sure. Well, the survivors of the deceased surely won't hold any of this against us Americans. I mean, unless they're real ingrates or something for all the freedom we've brought to their country, in which case we need to murder a few more of them.

[Hugabear]

2. This is why we need to get the hell out of these places

Wage war on a country long enough, and this shit is going to happen. We saw it in Vietnam, Iraq, why should anybody be surprised to see this happen in Afghanistan?

[texastoast]

3. Where is the outrage?

His lawyers have said that while he might be "physically responsible" for his crimes, "the people who are morally responsible are the American leaders who have us in the wrong war at the wrong time".

Wonder what the right war is?

[Bonobo]

4. Not shamed enough.

The blame must fall squarely on the shoulders of the American people.

For better or worse:

No one blamed individual Nazis. They blamed Germany.

No one blamed individual Japanese for their war crimes. They blamed Japan.

And they do to this day.

The US has been "at war" for over 10 years now and killed millions probably.

They have tortured and maimed thousands.

They will and should blame America.

[snappyturtle]

5. +1

[msongs]

6. not really. Only the commanders, participants, and advocates are responsible nt

[killbotfactory]

7. When were these photos taken? n/t

[Toucano]

8. Move along...it's just some bad apples.

The road to Victory is littered with bad apples, people.