By Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times –
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — A Marine general from Camp Pendleton has been put in charge of the investigation into the video that Pentagon officials believe shows Marines urinating on dead Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, the Marine Corps announced Friday.
Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, commanding general of Marine Forces Central Command and the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, will direct the investigation and determine whether criminal charges should be levied or administration punishment meted out.
Commandant Gen. James Amos, in announcing the appointment of Waldhauser, said that he will “not rest until the allegations and the events surrounding them have been resolved.”
Waldhauser is a combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan. He is also the convening authority in the court-martial under way at Camp Pendleton of Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich in the killing of 24 Iraqis in Haditha in 2005.
The Marines in the video are from a battalion based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., according to the Pentagon.
Waldhauser has appointed Lt. Gen. Steven Hummer to oversee the preliminary investigation. Hummer will report to Waldhauser. The Marine investigation is separate from that of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
This is a great quote: “He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster.”
If we stoop to the levels those that rise against up stand on so firmly, what makes us any different than them?
Looks like Cassie needs to start reading some history books. It is amazing what all the veterans went through so she could have the freedom to voice her opinion. Read:”with the old breed”-“guadalcanal diaries””helmet for my pillow”-“the pacific”-“band of brothers”etcetcetc. Last but not least RUN out and buy “American Sniper. After reading it you would probably look for a dead Taliban to piss on too…
These troops are surviving in a environment of killing, car and road side bombs. Horrors most could not imagine if they haven’t walked in their shoes. They are under extremely high mental pressure at all times. So they let off a little steam, proper acceptable behavior?, probably not. Certainly not something we would do here in the comfort of our life styles. This really brings home the point that our troops need all the help our country can provide them. Counseling for sure. Punishment very light reprimand. Our government sends them over there to fight like animals and then our press screams foul when incidents like this happen. Our young men and women are caught in the middle and we need to show our support for them!
Probably not the correct thing to do,but far less then has been done to our dead in the past.
Yes some action needs to be taken, but I’m sure it should be far less then what will be handed out.
Cassie Mathews, ever go over seas and fight? Ever been in the military? Any family serve before? I don’t think so otherwise you would feel differently. I wouldn’t condemn these Marines till I’d walked in there shoes (oh, and do feel free to do so).
We have these young men trained to kill, we send them over to kill…they get pissed at a ruthless enemy and then some want to throw them under the bus when they act out. The issue should be addressed, but not severely and these marines may be in need of psychological help. War is ugly, yet some think it can be sanitized.
Appalling, lets get real. Beheading is appalling, dragging bodies through the streets until it turns to hamburger is appalling. Hanging a body from a bridge and setting it on fire is appalling. Pissing on the enemy might not be excepted behavior, but it’s not appalling. Unless you have experienced actual combat for more then 60 seconds, don’t condemn those that have. Freedom is not free, physically and mentally.
Considering what they would do to us, ie cut heads off and drag bodies down streets and hang corpses up around towns I say pee away !!!!! Maybe a number two or two.
The video is appalling!