let me get serious for a second...

[Dan]

I've learned my lesson about getting political on the board, but I can't help myself. Also, I'm not posting this in the general sections because I'm not trying to start some big argument, just letting everyone know how I feel...

For some reason, Andy Rooney never struck me as someone who I would agree with so fully, and yet this is about as true as anything I've read on the war:

If you were going to make a list of the great times in American History, you’d start with a day in 1492 when Columbus got here. The Revolution, when we won our independence would be on the list, beating Hitler, putting Americans on the moon; we’ve had a lot of great days. Our darkest days, up until now, have been things like presidential assassinations, the stock market crash in 1929, Pearl Harbor, and 9/11, of course.

The day the world learned that American soldiers had tortured Iraqi prisoners belongs high on the list of the worst things that ever happened to our country. It’s a black mark that will be in the history books in a hundred languages, for as long as there are history books. I hate to think of it. The image of one bad young woman with a naked man on a leash did more to damage America’s reputation then all the good things we’ve done over the years have helped our reputation.

What were the “secrets” they were trying to get from captured Iraqis? What important information did that poor devil on the leash have that he wouldn’t have given to anyone in exchange for a crust of bread or a sip of water? Where were your officers? Someone told you to do it? Tell us who told you. If your officers were told, we should know who told them. One general said our guards were “untrained”. Well untrained at WHAT? Being HUMAN BEINGS? Did the man who chopped off Nicholas Berg’s head do it because he was untrained?

The guards who tortured prisoners are faced with a year in prison. A year for destroying our reputation as decent people. I don’t want them in prison anyway. We shouldn’t have to feed them. Take away their right to call themselves Americans. That’s what I’d do. You aren’t one of us. Get out. We don’t want you. Find yourself another country of a dessert island somewhere. If the order came from higher up, take him with you.

In the history of the world, several great civilizations that seemed immortal have deteriorated and died. I don’t want to seem dramatic tonight, but I’ve lived a long while. And for the first time in my life I have this faint far away fear that it could happen to us here in America, as it did to the Greek and Roman civilizations. Too many Americans don’t understand what we have here or how to keep it. I worry for my grandchildren, my great grandchildren. I want them to have what I’ve had. And I sense it slipping away.

In my opinion the Americans in those pictures need to be locked up for a long long time. Obviously, they're not fit to live in normal society, I think.

And, sadly, in my mind, this whole thing has made this war look like a major debacle to all of our opposers. You can argue statistics all you want, but statistics aren't what the average anti-American muslim is seeing all over the place anymore. And, while I realize these prison people were a very small group out of a huge regime, they're getting all the airtime while the honorable soldier is being ignored, which just pisses me off even more. I have a sinking feeling that this incident is going to cause more terrorism than ever before.

And, in addition to that, one of my very good friends is being shipped off to the army tomorrow, and probably Iraq soon.

And to top it all off, the Senate is voting on a bill that will bring back the draft, and the new proposed draft will not exempt college students.

Sorry to get so long on here, this stuff's been bothering me a lot lately, and I needed to vent. As much as I know it irks most people on here, I'm probably voting Democrat in November.

 

[Johnney]

yeah that was disgusting what those retards did, and yes they should get something out of it. but my problem is this; when everyother country breaks the geneva convention its no big deal "thats how they do things over there". when we do it, its the end of the world.
by the way... why take fucking pictures of yourself actiing like a fucking idiot while committing shit like that

 

[Jack]

Hey Dan,

isn't funny how the liberals and probably all your professor's make such a big deal out of it. Second World War the Germans shot many of our prisoners and the Japs cut heads off. This is war. Also why doesn't Rooney make a big deal about the beheading or the civilians who were killed burned and hung from bridges. Only the liberal media will keep this story going and anything that might hurt Bush and it seems you fall into that trap. Like Zel Miller "who is a Democrat " said better to have panties on your head then no head at all.