US Troops Posed with Body Parts in Afghanistan | Common Dreams
US Troops Posed with Body Parts in Afghanistan
US soldier says he released the photos to the LA Times to show breakdown in leadership and discipline
The Los Angeles Times this morning has released photographs, leaked by a member of the US Army, showing American soldiers posing with the dead and mutilated bodies of Afghan suicide bombers.
A soldier from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division with the body of an Afghan insurgent killed while trying to plant a roadside bomb. The photo is one of 18 provided to The Times of U.S. soldiers posing with corpses. The soldier who provided the photos did so on condition of anonymity. The Times did reveal that, “he served in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne’s 4th Brigade Combat Team from Ft. Bragg, N.C.” and said the soldier released the shocking images to “point to a breakdown in leadership and discipline that he believed compromised the safety of the troops.”
The soldier who released the photos told The Times, that at the time his fellow soldiers “felt a sense of triumph and satisfaction, especially after learning that the insurgents had been killed by their own explosives.” He said, “They were frustrated, just pissed off — their buddies had been blown up by IEDs” — improvised explosive devices — “So they sort of just celebrated.”
Recognizing this episode is not an isolated incident of US troops’ disregard for Afghan life, the Times notes: “In January, a video appeared on the Internet showing four U.S. Marines urinating on Afghan corpses. In February, the inadvertent burning of copies of the Koran at a U.S. base triggered riots that left 30 dead and led to the deaths of six Americans. In March, a U.S. Army sergeant went on a nighttime shooting rampage in two Afghan villages, killing 17.”
The US Army asked the LA Times not to publish any of the 18 photos it received. Times Editor Davan Maharaj said, “After careful consideration, we decided that publishing a small but representative selection of the photos would fulfill our obligation to readers to report vigorously and impartially on all aspects of the American mission in Afghanistan, including the allegation that the images reflect a breakdown in unit discipline that was endangering U.S. troops.”
An Army investigation into the incidents has been launched.
* * *
The Los Angeles Times: U.S. troops posed with body parts of Afghan bombers
The 82nd Airborne Division soldiers arrived at the police station in Afghanistan’s Zabol province in February 2010. They inspected the body parts. Then the mission turned macabre: The paratroopers posed for photos next to Afghan police, grinning while some held — and others squatted beside — the corpse’s severed legs.
A few months later, the same platoon was dispatched to investigate the remains of three insurgents who Afghan police said had accidentally blown themselves up. After obtaining a few fingerprints, they posed next to the remains, again grinning and mugging for photographs.
Two soldiers posed holding a dead man’s hand with the middle finger raised. A soldier leaned over the bearded corpse while clutching the man’s hand. Someone placed an unofficial platoon patch reading “Zombie Hunter” next to other remains and took a picture.
US Troops Posed with Body Parts in Afghanistan | Common Dreams.
About Laura
One Comment on “US Troops Posed with Body Parts in Afghanistan | Common Dreams”
Leave a Reply
Donations via Paypal would be highly appreciated
Purchase Inelia Benz’s Online Course Trough This Site – Affiliated Link
Purchase Inelia Benz’s Online Course Trough This Site – Affiliated Link
Multidimensional Ocean/ Laura Translations Index
visitors
My Youtube Creations
Recent Comments
Gabriel Raio Lunar Channels SaLuSa
Donations to 2012 Indy Info would be highly appreciated
Pirchase Inelia Benz’s Online Course Trough This Site – Affiliated Link
Posts I Like
Contact: lauratyco@gmail.com
Blogs I Follow
Purchase Inelia Benz’s Online Course Trough This Site – Affiliated Link
Top Posts & Pages
Multidimensional Ocean
Recent Comments
AuroraDreamflight
Site Visitors
You know , I am disgusted by these wars and the needless killing as much as anyone. However, has it dawned on anyone to verify that these photos are indeed genuine? That first pic withthe soldier smiling with the hand on his shoulder and the dead Afghan lying behind him. Has anyone taken a close look at that photo and the fact that the soldier supposedly moving or searching the body has a suspiciously missing hand. His right hand is completely visible and yet his left hand seems to be disappearing into the body of the Afghan person. It would seem to the discerning eye that the pic has been photoshopped. That being the case then what assurances have we that the others have not been doctored to portray a morbose portrait of an already horrible situation for reasons other than truth?
Again please allow me to reiterate that I want these damn wars to end . The endless death and killing to be stopped and for all of our soldiers to return home where they belong. However, when one has to stoop to manufacturing photos to portray a situation that has not happened for sensationalism. Even if the outcome they seek is the end of the very same. Is it honorable to smear the names and images of people that we do not know, have not met and have no knowledge of whatsoever to achieve these goals? In this case I would say the end does not justify the means as these soldiers will have to come home and face their own people for a horrible crime that they never committed.
I agree that those who are guilty should pay for the crimes they have committed, but to go out of ones way to fabricate evidence is inexcusable. IMHO.