Marine Who Was Fined, Demoted for Urinating on Taliban Corpses: 'Do I Regret Doing It? Hell No

Sgt. Joseph Chamblin, who was fined and demoted for urinating on Taliban corpses in Afghanistan in 2011, says he regrets any negative impact his actions had on the Marines, but he isn't sorry. In fact, he claims he'd do it again.

“I regret maybe any repercussions it might have had on the Marines. But do I regret doing it? Hell no," Chamblin told WSOC-TV.

Sgt. Joseph Chamblin (WSOC-TV)

A video of the now infamous incident was posted on YouTube last year and made headlines worldwide as many condemned the action. Others expressed fear that the video could open up Afghan troops to retaliation.

For Chamblin though, it was personal.

"These were the same guys that were killing our family, killing our brothers," Sgt. Chamblin said.

Chamblin, who was on a mission to stop Taliban insurgents from making roadside bombs, lost one of his sniper team members, Sgt. Mark Bradely, when a buried bomb exploded and killed him,

“We’re human…Who wouldn’t if you lost your brother or mother? Wouldn’t you want revenge?" he asked.

AP

When he and his fellow Marines were urinating on the corpses of the Taliban fighters, Chamblin said he wasn't thinking about how it might endanger other troops. They were more focused on the psychological effect the act would have on the enemy -- "because if an infidel touches the body, they're not going to Mecca or paradise," Chamblin explained.

“So now these insurgents see what happens when you mess with us,” he added.

Chamblin, along with eight other men, were court-martialed. Chamblin pleaded guilty in December to urinating on the bodies and dereliction of duty for not stopping junior marines, according to WSOC-TV.

“Do you want the Marine Corps to be a group of Boy Scout pretty boys or do you want guys that will go out and kill the people trying to take advantage of your country and kill Americans?” he said. “Which do you want? Because you can’t have both.”

Chamblin is now writing a book called "Into Infamy" and plans on retiring in September. He will dedicate the book to Sgt. Bradley.

(H/T: Washington Times)

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