Regarding the video of alleged Marines urinating on the dead bodies of Taliban fighters that went viral Thursday, Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) had some intense words for anyone criticizing the military.
Here’s an email he sent to The Weekly Standard:
“I have sat back and assessed the incident with the video of our Marines urinating on Taliban corpses. I do not recall any self-righteous indignation when our Delta snipers Shugart and Gordon had their bodies dragged through Mogadishu. Neither do I recall media outrage and condemnation of our Blackwater security contractors being killed, their bodies burned, and hung from a bridge in Fallujah.
“All these over-emotional pundits and armchair quarterbacks need to chill. Does anyone remember the two Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division who were beheaded and gutted in Iraq?
“The Marines were wrong. Give them a maximum punishment under field grade level Article 15 (non-judicial punishment), place a General Officer level letter of reprimand in their personnel file, and have them in full dress uniform stand before their Battalion, each personally apologize to God, Country, and Corps videotaped and conclude by singing the full US Marine Corps Hymn without a teleprompter.
“As for everyone else, unless you have been shot at by the Taliban, shut your mouth, war is hell.”
West is a former Army Lieutenant colonel.
Submitting your tip... please wait!
BelindaB
Jan. 24, 2012 at 10:37amI SALUTE YOU, Allen West, you are a TRUE AMERICAN HERO.
Report this comment
BelindaB
Jan. 24, 2012 at 10:36amThank you, Allen West !!! You are a true American!! Most that condemn your statements did not EVER READ about the torture, gutting, beheading, and booby trapping our soldiers dead bodies…They are the sort of people that have NEVER served, or acknowledged the treatment of our soldiers at the hands of the enemies. So, their comments are out of ignorance.
Report this comment
rayman65
Jan. 17, 2012 at 10:03amTo All Who wrote including Mr. West!!
This my reply to “urninating on the enemey! I own the rights to a bumper sticker that says ” America fight for it or leave it ” So to that I add nothing should be done about the soldiers for what they did. If need be a quiet behind the doors don’t do this is enough. Besides we the public DO NOT NEED TO KNOW WHAT the military does at any time . The news people can’t wait to bring this kind of reporting to us.
To Mr. Allen …. Shame on you for talking out both sides of your mouth. First you say leave them alone and then you go on to say hold a informal hearing and make our soldiers say this, do that!!!. And put a letter in their jacket that is a crock . But I’m just a guy who served Uncle Sam !!!
Report this comment
RaymondA
Jan. 16, 2012 at 9:13pmThank you Mr. Allen West for not running away from the main issue. You are right that the Marines should be punished in accordance with military laws. You are also right that most people don’t understand what really happens with the war. The military is not the Boy Scouts. The military is also filled with human beings who do make mistakes, even if they are professionals. These matters of what happens in the military should stay with the military. Everyone seems so ready to condemn American Soldiers while keeping quiet about what others do to them. So, all I can say is Thank You Sir for your understanding, support, and belief.
Report this comment
Arc
Jan. 16, 2012 at 2:20amLet me see if I have this straight. All military personnel receive a certain amount of training to survive in combat. This includes learning several ways of killing your enemy. Some are more grisly than others but describing them here would disturb the sensibilities of those who have never been in combat.
Politicians make the comment about ” writing legislation” as” making sausage” A necessary evil but not one that’s easy to look at. This comment is usually said in a joking manner. Nothing could be further from the truth when dealing with combat.
Yet, if I were to ask you, ” Which is worse??” What the Marines did immediately before they urinated on the enemy or what they did after killing them. Do I need to describe the manner in which they were killed before you can make a comparison. I’ll make it easy for you. When it comes to combat, the publics right to know what happens stops at the end of their nose. By accepting the enlistment of men and women into the military, training them to fight your wars yet placing restrictions on them because YOU DON”T HAVE THE STOMACH for combat. LEAVE THEM ALONE. Better still, go to a VA hospital and ask some of the PTSD patients to describe the feeling of combat. TO TOUGH????? Then back off the admonishment of the braver men/women than yourself.. Just make sure the VA is funded to take care of the bravest of the brave
Report this comment
Return2Freedom
Jan. 16, 2012 at 1:31amThank you Allen. You speak from the heart of true blooded American Patriots.
Report this comment
The Third Archon
Jan. 15, 2012 at 10:54pm“armchair quarterbacks”
Don’t you mean “armchair generals”? Lol.
Report this comment
Heatwave
Jan. 15, 2012 at 8:56pmWhat garbage… Let’s rationalize very poor – incredibly stupid behavior that is counter to our war efforts because of the behavior of the type of scourge we stand against? There is no excuse. And we don’t need to sink to the lowest level of human behavior just because our enemies have. This is throw them red meat editorial writing. I’ve served – but with honor…as have my father, step father and son. And there was outrage against the examples mentioned. Maybe Allen wasn’t paying attention…
Report this comment
RobinClay
Jan. 15, 2012 at 5:37pmSee
http://www.vetvoice.com/
Report this comment
Donallen
Jan. 14, 2012 at 10:50pmI pray that Allen West will sign on to run this country. This is the man we need in the White House.
Report this comment
kindling
Jan. 14, 2012 at 10:17pmI LOVE this guy. I wish he was running for president…..then I would have someone to vote for. Maybe if there is a USA left in 2016 we can vote for him then. GOD BLESS you Rep. West!
Report this comment
Singletrack2k
Jan. 14, 2012 at 9:36pmSomeday soon, we are going to find out who the real Oath Keepers are. Those so ready critize the Marines in order to posture for political purposes are weak and part of the reason our Great Country is heading for disaster.
Lt. Colonel West is right on point. To paraphrase one of his sayings “… if you are in a fair fight, your tactics suck…”
The punishment described is the appropriate amount.
But, just watch the monkey trial that will take place in the coming days and look for those who pony up to the stage to bask us in their own wonderfulness. They are the ones who are diminishing their oath.
P-ss on them.
Oorah!
Report this comment
Vheismyfather
Jan. 14, 2012 at 8:32pmSecretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta have been making the media rounds lately, speaking out against the US Marines urinating on the corpses of slain Afghans with the intention of telling the world that urinating on the dead bodies is not appropriate behavior; it doesn’t reflect the standards of the American armed forces. It’s just “not consistent with our core values,” in the words of Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.
True, it’s a disgusting thing to do, but I can’t help asking: what exactly are our core values these days, Mr. Panetta? It’s kind of confusing. You give the orders to invade and occupy their country, Afghanistan, and that it’s perfectly fine to drop bombs from drones and massacre these people who are attempting to defend themselves in their own country, (a little wee fact that we tend to forget), you give the orders to slaughter them on sight, which have turned our U.S. soldiers into ruthless killers, and then you scold them for urinating on their dead bodies-because, it’s just not “consistent with our core values”.
So let’s get this straight: It’s okay for the U.S. Marines to kill Afghans in their own country, but they must never urinate on the slain men after the Marines made a bloody pulp out of their bodies with hundreds of bullets. Keep killing, no urinating.
I’m confused. Again, I must ask: What exactly are our core values, Mr. Panetta? I really would like to know. Army Sargent Shane _ _ _ _ _Censored
Report this comment
Saminala
Jan. 14, 2012 at 9:21pmI hate to insult you, especially since you are obviously a “ruthless killer”, yourself. By the way, learn how to spell Sergeant, you phony! I can’t stand little posers like you spouting off and acting like you are, or were ever, a serviceman. I don’t normally comment on these things, but I’d hate for somebody to think that you are legit.
Our troops, Americans all, are not in Afganistan killing a bunch of peace-loving farmers and musicians. They are pushing the Taliban into a confined space where they can be dealt with. The Taliban wears no uniform. They hide behind women children while posing as unarmed peasants. We send our young men and women into villages to provide protection to the Afgans from these wolves in sheeps clothing. We send teenagers and brave young Americans into the field every day to do a hard job that can get good people killed or have international implications when done improperly. Those young American soldiers and Marines do an exemplary job day in and day out. You should meet some of them some time. They represent the finest level of professionalism that our country can show to the world. Now, go re-evaluate your values and stop playing soldier. Saminala is a Marine.
Report this comment
custodydoc
Jan. 14, 2012 at 7:57pmHurahh, finally someone speaking sense.
Report this comment
Madmadgrandma
Jan. 14, 2012 at 6:19pmCorrect…War IS Hell and what happens, happens.
Report this comment
Madmadgrandma
Jan. 14, 2012 at 6:17pmExactly right sir! Exactly right!
Report this comment
happyfeet24
Jan. 14, 2012 at 5:09pmI couldn’t say it better
Report this comment
Demre
Jan. 14, 2012 at 11:05amOur service men can’t even be American over there. What is socially acceptable here is not acceptable over there! Our men have no outlet to help them cope with the horrors of war! If they urinated on dead bodies so what! What those animals have done to our service men and even civilians is, by far, worse than demonic! Our Service men need our support 100% and 100% of the time! The last thing they need to worry about during war time is having trumped up charges made against them and then being made examples of!!! Like Congressman West said, “unless you have been shot at by the Taliban, shut your mouth, war is hell.”
Report this comment
vashli19
Jan. 14, 2012 at 4:01pmWRONG, WRONG, WRONG! You can not justify this action by claiming “its not as bad as…” Such a statement is so horribly illogical and hate filled. They were enemies. They are dead. Mission accomplished. I will NOT support these marines as they pissed on the very oath I took and upheld when I was in Desert Shield/Storm
Report this comment
PeachyinGA
Jan. 14, 2012 at 6:18pmDEMRE, I could not agree with you more and COL West. Media needs to take a deep breathe, Marines should receive some type discipline appropriate to their bad behavior and those who have no compassion for what our troops live through don’t need to weigh in on the subject.
Report this comment
Saminala
Jan. 14, 2012 at 9:42pmVASHLI19, just keep in mind that this video has no context. There is a story that extends beyond the frame of the camera that took place before the video started, continued after the video ended and that took place simultaneously out of view. I won’t justify the behavior, but, you cannot know whether or not that situation was dealt with in the field, and you know as well as I do that the Marine Corps is fully capable of competently dealing with this situation. I, too, was in Shield/Storm, so understand that I get your perspective, but Stanland ain’t Sandland. It’s f-ing grueling, hard, paranoid work. Half of the good guys aren’t in uniform and none of the bad guys are. It’s a totally different war. Mistakes happen sometimes when people are under stress for a long time. We just need to let the Corps handle it and keep rolling so we don’t lose sight of the end game. What the White House and HRC need to be saying is that it happened, it’s unfortunate, it will be dealt with, and let’s not forget that we have a lot of dedicated men and women who are working really hard, putting everything on the line in order to protect the Afgan people from the Taliban. Let’s keep it in perspective, learn from this and finish the mission.
Report this comment
mdwarren
Jan. 13, 2012 at 9:28pmI support the Marines in their actions and will fight to the death for them. They were civil based on what they had been through and what they have seen. Liberal Americans and the controlled government media are always looking for ways to diminish American Fighting Men and Women. The American Government and their MSM are always on the hunt to destroy the fabric of American Military.
Thank you Colonel for your support and to hell with McCain, Obama, Clinton and all the others who do not support our Troops and America. If you have never tasted war than shut up.
Disabled Vietnam Corpsman.
Long live American and the Corp… To hell with everyone else.
Report this comment
CulperGang
Jan. 13, 2012 at 10:44pmI second that motion.
Report this comment
retiredLEO
Jan. 13, 2012 at 7:51pmAllen West is a hero and a great American who should be running for President, IMHO. He is right about all his remarks, but the PC of the left will definatly kill these Marines careers, perhap some civilian employers will hire them and pay them well for what they did and for their service to their country.
Report this comment
Doctor Nordo
Jan. 13, 2012 at 7:56pmI respect his military service highly, and even respect the decisions he made that led to his retirement, but I could never vote for him for President. Not when he supports the Patriot Act and NDAA.
Report this comment
RobinClay
Jan. 15, 2012 at 5:36pmHmmm…
See
http://www.vetvoice.com/
Report this comment
WOLFENII
Jan. 13, 2012 at 4:47pmKUDOS TO ALLEN WEST. Only one I see in gov’t who has any common sense and true sense of duty.
Report this comment
ACA
Jan. 13, 2012 at 4:37pmThis is why we need Warrior Patriots in the halls of our government!
Report this comment
TOMSERVO
Jan. 13, 2012 at 4:34pmThis idea of “they did these worse things so this is ok” seems completely at odds with the conservative idea of American Exceptionalism.
Report this comment
copatriots
Jan. 13, 2012 at 4:54pmAren’t you quite the propagandist? Teading comprehension and/or truthfulness really isn’t your strong suit, is it, Tom? Col. West said the “indignation” expressed over these acts by our biased media and politicians was hypocritical. Further, he proposed appropriate military action against the soldiers calling their behavior “wrong”. Too bad what Col West really said doesn’t suit your agenda.
Don’t you think Obama is single-handedly trying to destroy whatever Exceptionalism America has had?
Report this comment
copatriots
Jan. 13, 2012 at 4:55pm“Reading” not “Teading”
Report this comment
PoohbearA2
Jan. 13, 2012 at 5:00pmNo one said the behavior was OK. And taken on the whole, YEP, America is an exceptional force for good.
Report this comment
TOMSERVO
Jan. 13, 2012 at 5:17pmNo, it wasn’t “indignation” with how American soldiers were treated, it was horror. Just as seeing this video of soldiers peeing on corpses also filled me with horror. Both are disgusting and dispicable acts.
Report this comment
Doctor Nordo
Jan. 13, 2012 at 7:58pmI sympathize with any outrage over the actions of these Marines. The fact of the matter is that we should hold ourselves to a higher standard than these people that we are supposedly trying to civilize. With that said, Col. West is also correct that they are being disciplined and that we should leave it at that.
Report this comment
copatriots
Jan. 14, 2012 at 10:19amTOMMY, you are going to be extremely “horrified” when the Taliban cut-off your head for being an infidel. Nah….you’ll probably convert and tell them you believe in whatever they want you too.
Given the atrocities I have learned of against our military, I am numb to just about any thing the enemy does. While the behavior of these men may be displeasing, I am certainly glad they are there to protect my country. And even more glad that it clearly isn’t the weak-willed men of metrosexuals like you.
Report this comment
khill
Jan. 14, 2012 at 5:30pmTry again. But first, review the meaning of “American Exceptionalism”, you have it completely wrong.
Report this comment
Psychosis
Jan. 13, 2012 at 4:11pmOH HELL YA
eddie ……………………please put this on the front page of the blaze !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report this comment
copatriots
Jan. 13, 2012 at 4:14pmAGREE!!!!! TOP STORY this one!!!!
And please someone convince Allen West to run for President!!!
Report this comment