[Peace-discuss] Fwd: Veteran of "Collateral Murder" video speaks out

[Brussel Morton K.]

I reject a lot of what Josh says in his audio clip/video, excusing individuals as mere cogs in the military machine. Some don't succumb to the wanton brutality. Some don't laugh at killing from safe places. Some don't volunteer for the armed forces. He's playing "buddy-buddy". Yes, it is most probably true that the incident depicted was not unique or exceptional, but that does not excuse his excuses. Have we heard such excuses for the Nazis slaughtering civilians in WWII?  Yes, war creates beasts, but some don't so readily acquiesce.  --mkb

On Apr 13, 2010, at 7:43 PM, Karen Medina wrote:

> [A member of Iraq Veterans Against the War speaks about incidents like those depicted in the recently released brief video "Collateral Murder" in which over a dozen people, including two Reuters journalists were killed by US military helicopter shooters.-karen medina]
> 
> Dear IVAW Supporter,
> 
> "If these videos shock and revolt you, they show the reality of what war is like.  If you don't like what you see in them, it means we should be working harder towards alternatives to war."
> 
> These are the words of 
> 
> Josh Stieber who served with Bravo Company 2-16, whose members were involved in the incident captured in Wikileaks' "Collateral Murder" video.  The video depicting a July 2007 shooting incident outside of Baghdad in which over a dozen people, including two Reuters journalists were killed, has made national headlines.
> 
> "A lot of my friends are in that video." 
> Josh is a conscientious objector and member of IVAW who says that the acts of brutality caught on film are not isolated instances, but were commonplace during his tour of duty.  
> 
> Although he was not present at the scene of the video, he knows those who were involved and is familiar with the environment.
> 
> "After watching the video, I would definitely say that that is, nine times out of ten, the way things ended up. Killing was following military protocol. It was going along with the rules as they are."
> 
> 
> 
> Contrary to how military officials are describing the incident as 'isolated' and being carried out by 'a few bad apples,' Josh has been speaking out to paint the larger picture of how soldiers are trained, how rules of engagement in combat change from moment to moment, and other intstitutional realities of our military occupations.
> 
> Since Josh has been speaking out, other members of his Company involved in the incident have begun speaking publlicly as well.
> 
> Listen to an audio clip of Josh talking about the incident here.
> 
> Read Josh's own full analysis of the video here.
> 
> In Solidarity,
> 
> Iraq Veterans Against the War
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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