Two U.S. Soldiers From Wikileaks ‘Collateral Murder’ Video Apologize In Open Letter

[AllieBaba]

And not subject to the same ethical considerations that other media outlets are.

 

[Oscar Wao]

And not subject to the same ethical considerations that other media outlets are.

You think CNN, MSDNC, FAUX, et al. care about ethical reporting?!

 

[PatekPhilippe]

And not subject to the same ethical considerations that other media outlets are.

You think CNN, MSDNC, FAUX, et al. care about ethical reporting?!

They have more ethics than CBS and PrisonPlanet!

 

[PubliusInfinitum]

AN OPEN LETTER OF RECONCILIATION & RESPONSIBILITY TO THE IRAQI PEOPLE

From Current and Former Members of the U.S. Military

Peace be with you.

To all of those who were injured or lost loved ones during the July 2007 Baghdad shootings depicted in the “Collateral Murder” Wikileaks video:

We write to you, your family, and your community with awareness that our words and actions can never restore your losses.

We are both soldiers who occupied your neighborhood for 14 months. Ethan McCord pulled your daughter and son from the van, and when doing so, saw the faces of his own children back home. Josh Stieber was in the same company but was not there that day, though he contributed to the your pain, and the pain of your community on many other occasions.

There is no bringing back all that was lost. What we seek is to learn from our mistakes and do everything we can to tell others of our experiences and how the people of the United States need to realize what have done and are doing to you and the people of your country. We humbly ask you what we can do to begin to repair the damage we caused.

We have been speaking to whoever will listen, telling them that what was shown in the Wikileaks video only begins to depict the suffering we have created. From our own experiences, and the experiences of other veterans we have talked to, we know that the acts depicted in this video are everyday occurrences of this war: this is the nature of how U.S.-led wars are carried out in this region.

We acknowledge our part in the deaths and injuries of your loved ones as we tell Americans what we were trained to do and carried out in the name of “god and country”. The soldier in video said that your husband shouldn’t have brought your children to battle, but we are acknowledging our responsibility for bringing the battle to your neighborhood, and to your family. We did unto you what we would not want done to us.

More and more Americans are taking responsibility for what was done in our name. Though we have acted with cold hearts far too many times, we have not forgotten our actions towards you. Our heavy hearts still hold hope that we can restore inside our country the acknowledgment of your humanity, that we were taught to deny.

Our government may ignore you, concerned more with its public image. It has also ignored many veterans who have returned physically injured or mentally troubled by what they saw and did in your country. But the time is long overdue that we say that the value of our nation’s leaders no longer represent us. Our secretary of defense may say the U.S. won’t lose its reputation over this, but we stand and say that our reputation’s importance pales in comparison to our common humanity.

With such pain, friendship might be too much to ask. Please accept our apology, our sorrow, our care, and our dedication to change from the inside out. We are doing what we can to speak out against the wars and military policies responsible for what happened to you and your loved ones. Our hearts are open to hearing how we can take any steps to support you through the pain that we have caused.

Solemnly and Sincerely,
Josh Stieber, former specialist, U.S. Army
Ethan McCord, former specialist, U.S. Army

The Coolest part of this post is how easy it is to dismiss, because of the signature wherein the idiot in question confuses the detention of those seized in war, and those arrested through the criminal justice system.

There seems to be no end to the depth of idiocy you people are willing to admit to...

 

[Oscar Wao]

And not subject to the same ethical considerations that other media outlets are.

You think CNN, MSDNC, FAUX, et al. care about ethical reporting?!

They have more ethics than CBS and PrisonPlanet!

Oh, man...wow. I never thought I'd see the day a neo-con endorsed the liberal facets of the media!

 

[nraforlife]

Your critical thinking skills are a failure. Name one pro war activist group.

Certainly Hannity Forums would qualify

Wrong. Try again.

Fool you have wasted enough of my time.

 

[CurveLight]

You think CNN, MSDNC, FAUX, et al. care about ethical reporting?!

They have more ethics than CBS and PrisonPlanet!

Oh, man...wow. I never thought I'd see the day a neo-con endorsed the liberal facets of the media!

Isn't it a cool tool? If the msm reports it and they don't like the story they say it's bullshit because the msm is liberal. If something isn't reported in the msm then it didn't happen. Unless of course it's talking about people getting beat up for wearing sarah palin buttons......

I predicted how PP and other punks would ignore the letter because they are that predictable and after it has all been verified they will whine that these Vets were brainwashed by liberal kool aid and forced to write the letter and forced to speak out against the occupations. Remember, that isn't a camera....it's an rpg!

 

[SFC Ollie]

15-6 showed that there was indeed a RPG among other weapons found.


Too bad, so sad.


And these young troops did not write this letter, they signed it, some code pink type lawyer wrote it.

 

[CurveLight]

15-6 showed that there was indeed a RPG among other weapons found.


Too bad, so sad.


And these young troops did not write this letter, they signed it, some code pink type lawyer wrote it.

How do you know they didn't write it? Even if they got help what difference does it make since they signed it?
Bush didn't write his speeches but I bet you never whined he didn't write them. Did you? (we know the answer)

As I said....do the painfully predictable and ignore the fact the pilots killed unarmed civilians. Damn bitch, you take my orders very well!

 

[SFC Ollie]

15-6 showed that there was indeed a RPG among other weapons found.


Too bad, so sad.


And these young troops did not write this letter, they signed it, some code pink type lawyer wrote it.

How do you know they didn't write it? Even if they got help what difference does it make since they signed it?
Bush didn't write his speeches but I bet you never whined he didn't write them. Did you? (we know the answer)

As I said....do the painfully predictable and ignore the fact the pilots killed unarmed civilians. Damn bitch, you take my orders very well!

Please continue to ignore the 15-6. It makes you look so pitifully stupid.

And you don't order shit; except maybe more fries.

 

[PubliusInfinitum]

15-6 showed that there was indeed a RPG among other weapons found.


Too bad, so sad.


And these young troops did not write this letter, they signed it, some code pink type lawyer wrote it.

How do you know they didn't write it? Even if they got help what difference does it make since they signed it?
Bush didn't write his speeches but I bet you never whined he didn't write them. Did you? (we know the answer)

As I said....do the painfully predictable and ignore the fact the pilots killed unarmed civilians. Damn bitch, you take my orders very well!

Well killing unarmed civilians is always a tragedy... In the case where it happens as a result of US actions, it is a result of a mistake; an error in judgment, where those innocent civilians are mistaken for the innocent civilians who have declared war on the US.

Now this in contrast to the innocent civilians who THE ENEMY OF THE US; innocent civilians themselves, kill... intentionally target...

And this ya see is why the Geneva Conventions and the international rules of war have outlawed terrorism; its the REASON why terrorism is not a legitimate tool of war; because it brings just this kind of hell to the civilian population.

Yet we saw above, the newby who is lamenting 'indefinite detainment'... who is crying about the rights of the innocent civilians... providing precisely the wedge; the aid and comfort to the illegal combatants... those INNOCENT CIVILIANS OF TERRORISM!

 

[CurveLight]

15-6 showed that there was indeed a RPG among other weapons found.


Too bad, so sad.


And these young troops did not write this letter, they signed it, some code pink type lawyer wrote it.

How do you know they didn't write it? Even if they got help what difference does it make since they signed it?
Bush didn't write his speeches but I bet you never whined he didn't write them. Did you? (we know the answer)

As I said....do the painfully predictable and ignore the fact the pilots killed unarmed civilians. Damn bitch, you take my orders very well!

Well killing unarmed civilians is always a tragedy... In the case where it happens as a result of US actions, it is a result of a mistake; an error in judgment, where those innocent civilians are mistaken for the innocent civilians who have declared war on the US.

Now this in contrast to the innocent civilians who THE ENEMY OF THE US; innocent civilians themselves, kill... intentionally target...

And this ya see is why the Geneva Conventions and the international rules of war have outlawed terrorism; its the REASON why terrorism is not a legitimate tool of war; because it brings just this kind of hell to the civilian population.

Yet we saw above, the newby who is lamenting 'indefinite detainment'... who is crying about the rights of the innocent civilians... providing precisely the wedge; the aid and comfort to the illegal combatants... those INNOCENT CIVILIANS OF TERRORISM!

This has absolutely nothing to do with....anything. It's soundbite gibberish.

 

[CurveLight]

15-6 showed that there was indeed a RPG among other weapons found.


Too bad, so sad.


And these young troops did not write this letter, they signed it, some code pink type lawyer wrote it.

How do you know they didn't write it? Even if they got help what difference does it make since they signed it?
Bush didn't write his speeches but I bet you never whined he didn't write them. Did you? (we know the answer)

As I said....do the painfully predictable and ignore the fact the pilots killed unarmed civilians. Damn bitch, you take my orders very well!

Please continue to ignore the 15-6. It makes you look so pitifully stupid.

And you don't order shit; except maybe more fries.

I haven't ignored the redacted report at all......

Do you stand by your accusation the Soldiers didn't write the letter? Do you think so little of our Soldiers that they couldn't write the letter? Or are you just whining like the coward principles you have lived your entire life by?

 

[Nonelitist]

The "LIE" that only one of the soldiers was in the video, not both of them?

So that's your only problem with the OP?

One soldier is apologizing for something he didn't even do!!! What's so hard to understand about that? If what they did was wrong WHY AREN'T THERE ANY CHARGES FILED? Ever think about that? If these soldiers did this on a daily basis like they claim WHY AREN'T ANTI-WAR ASS CLOWNS CALLING FOR THEIR TRIALS FOR WAR CRIMES!!!???

I'll slow it down for you:

What.... Is... Your... Point...?

No one is claiming anything that you just posted. The claims are as follows:

A gunship opened fire on a bunch of civilian journalists.

Then opened fire on rescue vehicles, including vehicles with children in them.

A soldier who was there, and another soldier who was not there wrote a letter apologizing for it.


Now, let's get back to the point. Are any of the things I just stated not true?

Yes... many things are untrue.

They were armed.

The pilots had no idea that scumbag animals brought their children to a battle.

Not a rescue vehicle. To be a rescue vehicle you must be marked as such.

 

[SFC Ollie]

How do you know they didn't write it? Even if they got help what difference does it make since they signed it?
Bush didn't write his speeches but I bet you never whined he didn't write them. Did you? (we know the answer)

As I said....do the painfully predictable and ignore the fact the pilots killed unarmed civilians. Damn bitch, you take my orders very well!

Please continue to ignore the 15-6. It makes you look so pitifully stupid.

And you don't order shit; except maybe more fries.

I haven't ignored the redacted report at all......

Do you stand by your accusation the Soldiers didn't write the letter? Do you think so little of our Soldiers that they couldn't write the letter? Or are you just whining like the coward principles you have lived your entire life by?

Have i ever backtracked on any statement I make? I do not believe that they wrote that letter, at least not without some very strict guidance from some operation pink lawyer type.

And now you are calling the principals of the Non Commissioned Officer cowardly? My oh my you are such a big brave cyber warrior idiot.

 

[CurveLight]

Please continue to ignore the 15-6. It makes you look so pitifully stupid.

And you don't order shit; except maybe more fries.

I haven't ignored the redacted report at all......

Do you stand by your accusation the Soldiers didn't write the letter? Do you think so little of our Soldiers that they couldn't write the letter? Or are you just whining like the coward principles you have lived your entire life by?

Have i ever backtracked on any statement I make? I do not believe that they wrote that letter, at least not without some very strict guidance from some operation pink lawyer type.

And now you are calling the principals of the Non Commissioned Officer cowardly? My oh my you are such a big brave cyber warrior idiot.

You don't follow any NCO principles you simple fuxxing bitch. All you do is make claims you can't support then accuse anyone who disagrees with you of being anti American. You don't know the first thing what it means to be an American.

 

[SFC Ollie]

I haven't ignored the redacted report at all......

Do you stand by your accusation the Soldiers didn't write the letter? Do you think so little of our Soldiers that they couldn't write the letter? Or are you just whining like the coward principles you have lived your entire life by?

Have i ever backtracked on any statement I make? I do not believe that they wrote that letter, at least not without some very strict guidance from some operation pink lawyer type.

And now you are calling the principals of the Non Commissioned Officer cowardly? My oh my you are such a big brave cyber warrior idiot.

You don't follow any NCO principles you simple fuxxing bitch. All you do is make claims you can't support then accuse anyone who disagrees with you of being anti American. You don't know the first thing what it means to be an American.

You do have a mental problem. I suggest some serious professional help. Now you not only attack my principals but you have the idiocy to attack my Americanism? You are truly a total fucking idiot.
I will not argue my patriotism with you. You haven't earned the right to even address the issue. Now get off Mommies computer before you break something.

 

[CurveLight]

Have i ever backtracked on any statement I make? I do not believe that they wrote that letter, at least not without some very strict guidance from some operation pink lawyer type.

And now you are calling the principals of the Non Commissioned Officer cowardly? My oh my you are such a big brave cyber warrior idiot.

You don't follow any NCO principles you simple fuxxing bitch. All you do is make claims you can't support then accuse anyone who disagrees with you of being anti American. You don't know the first thing what it means to be an American.

You do have a mental problem. I suggest some serious professional help. Now you not only attack my principals but you have the idiocy to attack my Americanism? You are truly a total fucking idiot.
I will not argue my patriotism with you. You haven't earned the right to even address the issue. Now get off Mommies computer before you break something.

Thanks for proving you don't know the first thing what it means to be an American.

(Also try to learn the difference between principals and principles)

 

[SFC Ollie]

You don't follow any NCO principles you simple fuxxing bitch. All you do is make claims you can't support then accuse anyone who disagrees with you of being anti American. You don't know the first thing what it means to be an American.

You do have a mental problem. I suggest some serious professional help. Now you not only attack my principals but you have the idiocy to attack my Americanism? You are truly a total fucking idiot.
I will not argue my patriotism with you. You haven't earned the right to even address the issue. Now get off Mommies computer before you break something.

Thanks for proving you don't know the first thing what it means to be an American.

(Also try to learn the difference between principals and principles)

 

[Ringel05]

These guys are not the men from the video:

Adopt Resistance: Iraq Veteran, Josh Steiber, walks and bikes across the country listening, learning and sharing his evolvement with all who will listen.

Try to pay attention.

Try to make sense.

Isn't that like getting matter and anti-matter to merge?