Comments on "On my wrist, there is Arabic for F-you ... because that is my choking hand."
Why didn't this obviously disgruntled soldier talk to his commanding officer if he had these problems?
way to fucking kill my buzz!
omg @ 3:37
Yeah, I'm waiting for tomorrow. Saw too many good bands tonight.
Thanks for the warning.
This is from newsproject.org, not newsreport.org, which is a right wing blog / 9-11 tribute thing. American News Project is a progressive thing.
@5: Thanks, corrected. Zzzzz.
So this guy is a documented war criminal and I'm supposed to feel sorry for him? I hope this is a tribunal and not some kind of "journalist" forum. Fuck this guy. Put him in prison.
On my wrist, there is English for I love you baby ... because that is my wanking hand.
you can find extensive coverage of the winter soldier hearings at www.democracynow.org ("winter soldier" on their site engine).
it's too bad nobody heard about this when the event took place...
How come he didn't mention anything about the Iraqi people welcoming us as liberators?
And, not a very balanced story. Why no comment from soldiers who terrorized families and shot the innocent, but don't feel sorry about it?
For the squeamish who don't want to see the 12-year-old: Close your eyes around 3:37, when he says "...for all those who can't be here to talk about the things we went through." By the time he says "I just want to say that I am sorry..." it's safe to open them again.
I'm with "Chris in Tampa" and "heywhatsit" -- why is he allowed to vent freely like this, as if his actions were the inevitable result of things? He admits that he had the tattoo put on his wrist before he even went over. This is disgusting not just on the level of what he's admitting to, but because it implies that U.S. soldiers have no choice but to act like jackals from the beginning of their service. Breaking down over the course of war is understandable and sad and is why war should be avoided at all costs, but this didn't stir my sympathy at all.
His character will be played by Brad Pitt in the George Clooney-directed movie "My Choking Hand."
Soldiers ordered by superiors to commit atrocities, and who faced reprisals because they refused, have my sympathy.
Soldiers who committed atrocities, and who had "fuck you" tattooed on their "choking hand" in Arabic BEFORE being sent to Iraq do not.
Not sure why a few of you think this guy is seeking sympathy. He's going the opposite direction, far as I can tell; he's martyring his character to expose the sadistic culture that is thriving--and being encouraged by superior officers--in occupied Iraq. (And if you really think it makes a difference where he got tattooed, then you're missing the whole point of US military indoctrination, which appears to currently get our young men and women geared up on bloodlust rather than duty.)
I think the tattoo on his choking hand underscores the interviews in Fahrenheit 911 where some soldiers talked about how fun it was to blow shit up and the type of music they liked to listen to as they blew shit up. Then, they actually saw the bodies and the carnage, and it wasn't quite so fun anymore.
Playing war is fun, being in a war isn't.
If you're desperate to sympathize with a US soldier, try this dude:
Sam M-
This clip is just a few minutes of testimony from the Winter Soldier event that took place in Silver Spring, Maryland (close to Washington, DC) on March 13-16, 2008. It was hosted by Iraq Veterans Against the War. This clip of Jon Turner is heavily edited- he spoke for about 18 minutes. You can watch more here: http://ivaw.org/wintersoldier Click on "Watch testimony video." Turner's bit is in the section titled, "Rules of Engagement: Part 2." There are so many testimonials... I can't bear to watch them all.
You are right, he is definitely not seeking sympathy. IVAW is just trying to give an "accurate account of what is really happening day in and day out, on the ground." Did you know that yesterday was the "Northwest Winter Soldier" event? I didn't see anything on Slog about it. http://www.givoice.org/northwest-winter-soldier
As the PI put it, they "share their troubling and sometimes graphic war stories in the hopes that they will inspire and motivate a largely silent public to call for an end to the military occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan." (Can't put in the URL because of the spam filter, but you can find it on the front page right now.)
News from Dan Savage's glorious war on Iraq:
Mia Farrow's Nephew Dies in Iraq -- Uncle Pens Angry Letter to Editor of Vermont Paper. AN EXCERPT:
"Because of Bush's abusive stop-loss policy, Jason had been sent into an unwanted third tour of duty. He was a father of three and could not afford to lose his pension. Some 'volunteer Army'.
"During his three 15-month tours in Iraq, exposure to roadside bombs and other job-related injuries caused Jason to be hospitalized several times for concussion and internal bleeding and other injuries. Recently, Jason's condition was such that the Department of Defense flew him from Iraq to Dover Air Force Base for surgery. He was released from the hospital into the loving arms of the government who sent him directly back into Iraq. He was put on active duty while he was still on a liquid diet, unable to eat solid food because of a throat hemorrhage due to a botched surgery at a military hospital.
"After his second tour Jason returned home with severe mental and physical issues. He was certainly in no condition to be pressed into a third tour. He wanted out of the army. But Jason was a victim of the liar's back-door draft...
Because of George Bush, the arrogant, the corrupt, the liar, the war criminal, my nephew is dead and my sister and the rest of my family are devastated."
News from Dan Savage's glorious war on Iraq:
Mia Farrow's Nephew Dies in Iraq -- Uncle Pens Angry Letter to Editor of Vermont Paper. AN EXCERPT:
"Because of Bush's abusive stop-loss policy, Jason had been sent into an unwanted third tour of duty. He was a father of three and could not afford to lose his pension. Some 'volunteer Army'.
"During his three 15-month tours in Iraq, exposure to roadside bombs and other job-related injuries caused Jason to be hospitalized several times for concussion and internal bleeding and other injuries. Recently, Jason's condition was such that the Department of Defense flew him from Iraq to Dover Air Force Base for surgery. He was released from the hospital into the loving arms of the government who sent him directly back into Iraq. He was put on active duty while he was still on a liquid diet, unable to eat solid food because of a throat hemorrhage due to a botched surgery at a military hospital.
"After his second tour Jason returned home with severe mental and physical issues. He was certainly in no condition to be pressed into a third tour. He wanted out of the army. But Jason was a victim of the liar's back-door draft...
Because of George Bush, the arrogant, the corrupt, the liar, the war criminal, my nephew is dead and my sister and the rest of my family are devastated."
Fuckity fuck fuck eat an asshole blow a dick of your choice look what Dan Savage, America's favorite cocksucker (can't join the ARMY) wrote back in October 2002:
"In the meantime, invading and rebuilding Iraq will not only free the Iraqi people, it will also make the Saudis aware of the consequences they face if they continue to oppress their own people while exporting terrorism and terrorists. The War on Iraq will make it clear to our friends and enemies in the Middle East (and elsewhere) that we mean business: Free your people, reform your societies, liberalize, and democratize... or we're going to come over there, remove you from power, free your people, and reform your societies for ourselves."
ps Fnarf-don't you have a fucking life? Everytime I drop by here for a little danthewarmonger spamming to let his fans know what a deplorable war supporting asshole he is, you are in the thread. Somebody please! Invite Fnarf over for a blow job. Gomez? Mr Poe?
Fuckity fuck fuck eat an asshole blow a dick of your choice look what Dan Savage, America's favorite cocksucker (can't join the ARMY) wrote back in October 2002:
"In the meantime, invading and rebuilding Iraq will not only free the Iraqi people, it will also make the Saudis aware of the consequences they face if they continue to oppress their own people while exporting terrorism and terrorists. The War on Iraq will make it clear to our friends and enemies in the Middle East (and elsewhere) that we mean business: Free your people, reform your societies, liberalize, and democratize... or we're going to come over there, remove you from power, free your people, and reform your societies for ourselves."
ps Fnarf-don't you have a fucking life? Everytime I drop by here for a little danthewarmonger spamming to let his fans know what a deplorable war supporting asshole he is, you are in the thread. Somebody please! Invite Fnarf over for a blow job. Gomez? Mr Poe?
I can't believe you dumbfucks believe this shit. The entire Iraq war is clearly being staged in a top secret hangar in New Mexico.
www.ivaw.org/wintersoldier
do some investigation... you'd be more knowledgeable that the Stranger staff
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