Behind the American 'Kill Team' in Afghanistan

I don't think it's anything to be ashamed of America about. This is just a reality of war. Give a man a gun and then drop him into boredom with a license to kill and his morals begin to shift even more than they did during training. Everyday he can feel the nagging in the back of his mind for some excitement. He already KNOWS how to kill, but now he wants to experience the rush for himself. The power to end a man's life at his whim; to feel like a god for even just a second. Anyone in this situation would face these temptations, as the need for conflict is built into us.


Suggested viewing:

http://restrepothemovie.com/
RESTREPO is a feature-length documentary that chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. The movie focuses on a remote 15-man outpost, "Restrepo," named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. It was considered one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military. This is an entirely experiential film: the cameras never leave the valley; there are no interviews with generals or diplomats. The only goal is to make viewers feel as if they have just been through a 90-minute deployment. This is war, full stop. The conclusions are up to you.
 
Makes me sad how these individuals don't even think once about the fact their actions are going to have a big effect on the world stage.
You do something like that as an American soldier and to the rest of the world, it speaks volumes of the character of the US and its people.

Now, not saying I necessarily think that way, as this forum certainly proves with its American members that some of you US guys are cool folk indeed, but you can be sure a lot of the world is going to think that way (i.e what I said in the previous paragraph)
 
Sloan said:
Suggested viewing:

http://restrepothemovie.com/
RESTREPO is a feature-length documentary that chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. The movie focuses on a remote 15-man outpost, "Restrepo," named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. It was considered one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military. This is an entirely experiential film: the cameras never leave the valley; there are no interviews with generals or diplomats. The only goal is to make viewers feel as if they have just been through a 90-minute deployment. This is war, full stop. The conclusions are up to you.
Click to expand...

+1. I saw this recently, its amazing to take a non-Hollywood glimpse of what the soldiers are actually facing everyday.
 
drew_drummer said:
And people wonder why planes get flown into buildings and bombs get set off under the tube.
:mad:
Click to expand...

^^This^^

It's not as if this particular conflict is the first time the west have been ass holes in the middle east. You go into someones country, blowing their shit up and acting like general dicks and then get all horrified (not to mention superior) when a small minority of them want to kill us!
 
This is an example of horrible leadership. I have read about this unit before. Their squad leader was the root cause of all of the problems they caused. He fostered a social environment were such acts could be considered and discussed out loud. The minute one of his men suggested committing such acts he should have jumped down their throats. A squad leader is like a father figure to his young soldiers. Their soldiers are usually young kids that will eventually emulate their leaders in every way without even realizing it.

Here from personal experience is how a dirt bag works up to asking others to help them plot a crime. They start out with making a crude joke that involves the committing of such crime. Then depending on the response of the people around them they know if others are on their side. If their fellows are disgusted they can say it was just a joke.

I did indeed have this experience in Iraq and I recognized it for what it was. I got in the soldiers face and let him know I didn't think it was a joke and that if he went through with it I'd put a bullet in his head. He backed the fuck down. I wasn't kidding around; I had zero fear of going to prison or death at the time and no opposition to killing anyone, including my fellow soldiers.
 
I have the feeling that many people in the army is insane. I don't know if they join the army cause they are insane, or they just go mad because of being in the army.
Probably Midget can anwser this question.

I knew a couple of guys in my childhood that were obsessed with war, weapons, they used to buy fake guns, survival knifes, militar magazines and stuff like that... one is in a mental institution, the other one was killed in a settling of score for drug traffic.

+1 to John C
+1 to Drew
 
Sloan said:
I don't think it's anything to be ashamed of America about. This is just a reality of war. Give a man a gun and then drop him into boredom with a license to kill and his morals begin to shift even more than they did during training.
Click to expand...

War isn´t something that "just happens", it´s decided by the dudes people vote to represent their will. I have no sympathy for the killers and I couldn´t care less about movies to make me feel sorry for them. It does not justify.
 
MindMunch said:
War isn´t something that "just happens", it´s decided by the dudes people vote to represent their will. I have no sympathy for the killers and I couldn´t care less about movies to make me feel sorry for them. It does not justify.
Click to expand...

I don't think Sloan was saying it was justified, but that it's likely to happen, whether the person in question is in America or not. If people have guns and can get away with using them indiscriminately they probably will regardless of nationality. There hasn't been a war yet that has been free of civilian casualties. It's not right at all, but I guess it isn't surprising that it's happened. I don't think anyone feels sorry for those guys that did it.
 
Genuinely horrifying article, don't really know what to think - I mean, how can I, as an American citizen, do anything about this? I vote for my state representatives, local representatives, and president, but clearly it hasn't done much, but what else can I do? Just kinda thinking out loud here, both out of some guilt but more frustration at the implication that this is the fault of the representatives I and the people I know "voted in to represent our will."
 
MarcusGHedwig said:
Genuinely horrifying article, don't really know what to think - I mean, how can I, as an American citizen, do anything about this? I vote for my state representatives, local representatives, and president, but clearly it hasn't done much, but what else can I do? Just kinda thinking out loud here, both out of some guilt but more frustration at the implication that this is the fault of the representatives I and the people I know "voted in to represent our will."
Click to expand...


I don't understand how this article could make people feel guilty for being American - I feel guilty for being a human being after reading it.
 
^ exactly

cause there hasn't been fucked up people in every military from every country in the goddamn world since the aliens built stonehenge

I want to say something else much more pointed and directed but it'll just get ugly and its not worth my time to stir up a fight
 
The entire military training process is based around dehumanisation, cutting you off from your empathy for other human beings so you have the will and ability to kill, so you are capable of being the cog they want you to be so you can serve the machine as a whole...
And people are surprised by this?
 
Sloan said:
Suggested viewing:

http://restrepothemovie.com/
RESTREPO is a feature-length documentary that chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. The movie focuses on a remote 15-man outpost, "Restrepo," named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. It was considered one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military. This is an entirely experiential film: the cameras never leave the valley; there are no interviews with generals or diplomats. The only goal is to make viewers feel as if they have just been through a 90-minute deployment. This is war, full stop. The conclusions are up to you.
Click to expand...

That shit is amazing. I show it everyone I know.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

grywolf627
Holy Crap Aussies! Stay dry!
Replies
27
Views
1K
Bar
antiheroinc
A
kev
Gibson on the sue again...
Replies
3
Views
406
Bar
Where She Wept
W
J.DavisNJ
I know how to revive the American economy.
Replies
44
Views
1K
Bar
Dead Children Speak No Lies
D
Para Bellum
"Eaten" lyrics.
Replies
17
Views
2K
Bloodbath
OminousInane
O
ThXinc
Hurricane season
Replies
24
Views
1K
ProgPower USA Lounge
Pellaz
P
Top Bottom
Back