previous post next post  

Sigh.

By The Armorer on July 11, 2006 | | Comments (16) | TrackBacks (2)

Yes, I know about the video. No, I'm not going to watch it or link to those who have it. Truth? My own little slice of perspective-driven truth? It's not news any more. The fact that our opponents in the Middle East hack off heads for malicicious, sadistic, makes 'em funny-in-the-pants terroristic purposes is not news. And an orgy about it in the blogosphere and MSM adds nothing to the debate but ups the Google count for those sites hosting the video, linking to it, etc - and spreads the message-by-proxy. I did do Nick Berg. That was then, this is now. Does it truly inform us of anything? If you needed that to buck up your flagging resolve, your resolve isn't a core value. Hey, your mileage may differ, and if you need to see the video, Google will point you there.

This is *not* the criticism of those sites linking/hosting the video you might think. From a conventional perspective it's still news, and it's new because they're American soldiers, and at least one of those sites has established itself as a serious source for this kind of information. But I'm not jumping onto that bandwagon which will be covered by others and I have nothing new to offer.

The leadership in the box now has a fresh challenge - keeping the lid on the troops, keeping 'em focused, and making sure we have no acts of vengeance, carried out in the heat of the moment, involving innocents. Always a challenge for the junior leader in combat, moreso with something like this to fuel the flames.

Like it or no, frustrating or not, we need to maintain our discipline, ruck up, and soldier on - as professionals.

And I'm sure we will.

Lastly, this result needs to inform the Courts Martial of those soldiers whose actions seemingly sparked this event, if that connection can be made with evidentiary rigor. Not in the guilt or innocence phase - but in the punishment phase.

Actions have consequences - and the unintended ones are as much a part of it as the intended ones.

And this in no way excuses the perpetrators of these acts of desecration.

Here at Castle Argghhh! we will remember Privates First Class Kristian Menchaca and Thomas Tucker as soldiers, not news fodder.

PFC Kristian MenchacaPFC Thomas Tucker

Now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dance: In Memoriam.

Share This Article:

Categories:

2 Trackbacks

TrackBack this entry at http://www.thedonovan.com/cgi-bin/mt41/mt-tb.cgi/5889

That video from CDR Salamander on July 11, 2006 12:04 PM

Really, I think John at Argghhh!!! says just about all all I want to say. I know the folks over at HotAir and Jawa think differently, but not me. I link to them only because, well, they have a different opinion - and Allah and Rusty's opinion count a... Read More

Castle Argghhh! Has it Right from Blue Star Chronicles on July 11, 2006 9:09 PM

John at Castle Argghhh! has it right. Read More

16 Comments

By Maggie on July 11, 2006 8:20 AM
Perfect.
 
By Barb on July 11, 2006 10:06 AM
I echo Maggie ... I knew you would remember the most important thing - our soldiers.
 
By AFSister on July 11, 2006 12:49 PM
Personally, I think they're using the murder/rape charges as an excuse after-the-fact. If the insurgents were really out for revenge, they would have advertised it BEFORE the killings, or immediately after... not after the funerals.
 
By John of Argghhh! on July 11, 2006 1:33 PM
Hence my use of the term "evidentiary vigor". And it almost doesn't matter in the regard - whether a planned or fortuitious propaganda coup, it is what it is.
 
By beth on July 11, 2006 1:53 PM
Perfect is right!
 
By Cricket on July 11, 2006 3:54 PM
Amen.
 
By Cassandra on July 11, 2006 4:03 PM
You know, it is days like today which make me glad I don't follow the news closely.
 
By MCart on July 11, 2006 4:18 PM
If the revenge statement were accurate, it would suggest something fairly frightening regarding the insurgents intel gathering abilities. I don't quite buy it. Thier track record doesn't indicate this kind of ability, to me.
 
By Murray on July 11, 2006 7:35 PM
We're dealing with murders and sadly a media who use the enforcing of 17 UN resolutions in disarming Saddam as an excuse for Sept 11. A little time line smears that little claim. They need no excuse. This is their way. Ours is to stop them and those like them. These two soldiers fell doing just that.
   
By Wild Thing on July 11, 2006 10:54 PM
I agree I want to remember them as soldiers, and I want to thank you for your post about this. Some news really is not fit to print and this is one of those times.
 
By Bubblehead on July 12, 2006 1:40 AM
I respectfully disagree with you on this one, while recognizing that your point is very valid. I did watch the video, and while I didn't need the reminder of what we're fighting against, I think there are those who do (not on this site, but other places). It's like the video clips of people jumping from the WTC; we still need to be convinced, as a nation, that the world should learn to fear the reaction of the "American street", and maybe not do the things that would set us off.
 
By Murray on July 12, 2006 6:02 AM
Bubblehead, I accept your position but nothing that look at will make me alter my thinking in anyway shape or form. This is as angry as I get and I've been this way for a while. I want you to consider one word for a bit. Dignity.
 
By John of Argghhh! on July 12, 2006 7:28 AM
Bubblehead - like I said, if you need the boost, your resolve on this issue is not a core value. Which means you are correct - those who would lead in this war (and war it is, these are but campaigns ((Hi Dave!)) in a larger context that is but dimly understood by *everyone* (see Hundred Years War for an example) have to periodically do the leadership thing and remind people Why We Fight. Just not here. This is more a place to escape the breathlessness and chill for a bit, chew the fat, and then move back out to the fray. We're one of the pubs on Blog Row. And, since I didn't have anything to add to the breathless-to-sober stuff on other sites, I did what I do best round here. I'm not a pundit, really. I'm not a journalist, either. I'm more a chronicler in the auld sense of the term. And I honor those I chronicle, when apt. It's what I do. Though I do occasionally kick over the traces and get seized by the ranting disease. Dusty is better at that than I am, if we can get him in his cockpit. Which means getting him out of a real cockpit, which makes it *rather* a challenge!
 
By tommy in nyc on July 12, 2006 7:39 AM
The purpose of the sadists who made that video and no I do not need to watch it is to try to recruit more mujhadeen to become martyrs. It really isn't anything more than a crude recruiting video. Well I guess the GWOT will continue........which sucks but what else can we do?
 
By Trias on July 13, 2006 5:13 AM
Two more soldiers who should be alive. We know this is a brutal war. One side though small has no depth to which they will not go. John it's your call. To me showing the video is either or. I have no interest in seeing it personally. As for the claims. They are worth nothing to me. If there is something to be said, let the right claimants make the claim in the right place.
 
© 2008 John Donovan
All rights reserved.