What do soldiers have to do to stay sane?
Soldier writes offensive song, gets in trouble
A US marine has apologised after a video spread on the internet of him singing a song about the killing of Iraqi civilians. Cpl Joshua Belile, 23, said the song had been written as a joke and was never intended to cause offence.
BBC News: Marine ‘sorry’ for Iraq deaths song
Inspired by “Team America: World Police”, it’s a fictional ballad in which the marine falls in love with an Iraqi girl and is then ambushed by her parents. I’ve seen a few songs/videos on “YouTube” written by American servicemen, and it hardly seems appropriate for those of us in comfort and safety to persecute them for blowing off steam to keep from blowing their corks.
Soldiers have probably always written songs like this; we just didn’t always have YouTube where everybody could see them. No doubt the song offended a lot of Iraqis and some Americans but the human cranium can only take so much pressure.
Update:
See also: Imagine the moment in Fallujah
Sure they need to blow off some steam, and I agree that they can probably only take so much over there, but there are other ways to do so, and if not my tax dollars should be providing them with other means. Racial intolerance should not be accepted like this in the military. I know that the Marine’s video and/or song didn’t actually kill any Iraqis, but it could easily lead to much worse actions by military personnel. If it is ok to sing about killing Iraqis it must be ok to actually kill them. I of course cannot prove that anyone thought this consciously or subconsciously, nor do I think that every military member thinks this, but in a young, corrupt mind, similar thoughts may occur. If you don’t believe me, I accept that, but my friend that was in Iraq for two years as a Marine, and his brother that just got back have some horrifying stories. My friend has stories of Marines throwing candy out to young Iraqi children so that they would step out in front of convoys, and then laugh about it. Do I blame the Soldier or Marine for this, yes and no, but if we never went there in the first place… That’s about as far as I want to go with this comment.
Posted by webs05 on 06/15/06 at 12:43 PMOh, nobody of my age who wore the green remembers phrases like “Kill a commie for mommy”, do they…
Posted by mostly cajun on 06/15/06 at 08:04 PMI actually think that in spite of the very real offense that publication of the video generates, there can be a positive outcome.
The real offense, IMO, is the offense of war itself. Whether you want to absolve this marine (and I do not, but I do understand; there is a difference between understanding and approval) or not, this is a window into the reality of war.
My Lai in Vietnam was a tipping point for anti-war sentiment. In thinking about this nearly 40 years later, I don’t think American disgust was just for the actions of some marines. I think underneath that, subconsciously, people understand that war itself is fundamentally wrong and revolting, that war itself changes those who fight it.
Robert Byrd’s speechprior to the the current war is worth revisiting from time-to-time.
Posted by WeeDram on 06/15/06 at 08:07 PMThat speech was incredible, thanks for sharing it WeeDram.
Posted by webs05 on 06/15/06 at 09:54 PMAny of you experts ever been in combat and been shot at? Didn’think so.
Posted by james old guy on 06/16/06 at 09:00 AMI make no mention at any point of being an expert in warfare, and I do feel remorse for military personnel in Iraq and their families; since as I stated I have friends that were over there. Not sure if you read what I wrote or not James, but regardless, being shot at and war torn is no excuse for ethnocentricity. The insurgents are just defending themselves as anyone else would if their country got attacked.
Posted by webs05 on 06/16/06 at 10:14 AMJames, you need to read more carefully and not just react. Not sure what your point really is.
Posted by WeeDram on 06/16/06 at 02:27 PMHave you guys even heard or seen the video? To get in depth about the actual lyrics, he mentions nothing illegal. He follows a girl that wants him to meet her parents, then the parents pull out guns and are going to shoot him. A firefight ensues and he wins. I think it’s sad that “dirka dirka mohammad jihad” is considered racist. As OPFOR (the simulated enemy) I’ve been known to yell that, or Allah Akbar during firefights. I don’t know if you have spent any time around many soldiers (when they arn’t treating you like a civilian) but this is how it is.
James wasn’t merely pointing out an ineptitude for warfare, but that what this marine did was no different than listening to doctors joke in the operating room about humorous fatal injuries, or darwin awards.
When you are faced with shtf every day, these things become funny.
Posted by mhawk on 08/20/06 at 11:01 AM
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