(T)eflon(S)hadow
R.I.P. Neda
+456|6840|Grapevine, TX
This "Letter of Apology" was written by Lieutenant General Chuck Pitman, US Marine Corps, Retired:   

         For good and ill, the Iraqi prisoner abuse mess will remain an issue. On the one hand, right thinking Americans will abhor the stupidity of the actions while on the other hand, political glee will take control and fashion this minor event into some modern day massacre. 

                 

                 I humbly offer my opinion here:                 

                 I am sorry that the last seven times we Americans took up arms and sacrificed the blood of our      youth, it was in the defense of Muslims (Bosnia, Kosovo, Gulf War 1, Kuwait, etc.).                   

                 I am sorry that no such call for an apology upon the extremists came after 9/11.                 

                 I am sorry that all of the murderers on 9/11 were Islamic Arabs.                   

                 I am sorry that most Arabs and Muslims have to live in squalor under savage dictatorships.                 

                I am sorry that their leaders squander their wealth.

                 

                I am sorry that their governments breed hate for the US in their religious schools, mosques, and       government-controlled media.                   

                I am sorry that Yassar Arafat was kicked out of every Arab country and high-jacked the Palestinian "cause."                 

                I am sorry that no other Arab country will take in or offer more than a token amount of financial help to those same Palestinians.                 

                I am sorry that the USA has to step in and be the biggest financial supporter of poverty stricken Arabs while the insanely wealthy Arabs blame the USA for all their problems.                   

                I am sorry that our own left wing, our media, and our own brainwashed masses do not understand any of this (from the misleading vocal elements of our society like radical professors, CNN and the NY TIMES).
               
                I am sorry the United Nations scammed the poor people of Iraq out of the "food for oil" money so they could get rich while the common folk suffered.                   

                I am sorry that some Arab governments pay the families of homicide bombers upon their death.                 

                I am sorry that those same bombers are brainwashed thinking they will receive 72 virgins in "paradise."                 

                I am sorry that the homicide bombers think pregnant women, babies, children, the elderly and other noncombatant civilians are legitimate targets.                 

                I am sorry that our troops die to free more Arabs from the gang rape rooms and the filling of mass graves of dissidents of their own making.                 

                I am sorry that Muslim extremists have killed more Arabs than any other group.                 

                I am sorry that foreign trained terrorists are trying to seize control of Iraq and return it to a terrorist state.                 

                I am sorry we don't drop a few dozen Daisy cutters on Fallujah.                 

                I am sorry every time terrorists hide they find a convenient "Holy Site."                 

                I am sorry they didn't apologize for driving a jet into the World Trade Center that collapsed and severely damaged Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church - one of our Holy Sites.               

                I am sorry they didn't apologize for flight 93 and 175, the USS Cole, the embassy bombings, the murders and beheadings of Nick Berg and Daniel Pearl, etc....etc!                 

                I am sorry Michael Moore is American; he could feed a medium sized village in Africa.                   

                America will get past this latest absurdity. We will punish those responsible because that is what we do.                 

                We hang out our dirty laundry for the entire world to see. We move on. That's one of the reasons we are hated so much. We don't hide this stuff like all those Arab countries that are now demanding an apology.                 

                Deep down inside, when most Americans saw this reported in the news, we were like - so what? We lost hundreds and made fun of a few prisoners. Sure, it was wrong, sure, it dramatically hurts our cause, but until captured we were trying to kill these same prisoners. Now we're supposed to wring our hands because a few were humiliated?                 

                Our compassion is tempered with the vivid memories of our own people killed, mutilated and burnt amongst a joyous crowd of celebrating Fallujahans.                 

                If you want an apology from this American, you're going to have a long wait!  You have a better chance of finding those seventy-two virgins.
                 

                Chuck Pitman             

                Lieutenant General, USMC
EDIT removed old pic link, no longer available

Last edited by (T)eflon(S)hadow (2006-10-10 14:31:16)

Eckzack
The east-german Fuxxer
+37|6856|Germany / Saxony
Wow, he has n1 ribbons...
https://bf3s.com/sigs/384f5f7318c23ecb5909f14b157d6d31e8b5a332.png

IRNV-Field 3... New School Shit...
Phalphalak
Member
+0|6622|Germany
I am sorry for having read this.

I am sorry for this General being a polemic, uneducated and impudent moron.
Marconius
One-eyed Wonder Mod
+368|6705|San Francisco
I am sorry that this guy hasn't pulled the wool from over his eyes and looked at the big picture.  He's only seeing the world from a soldier's perspective, and not from a realistic one.
notorious
Nay vee, bay bee.
+1,396|6758|The United Center
the american way isn't the only way.

also, it looks like he has the airborne ribbon.  what a fag, thats like the easiest ribbon in the game.
(T)eflon(S)hadow
R.I.P. Neda
+456|6840|Grapevine, TX
Ill agree to disagree with you Marco. Number one, he not a solider, he is a Marine. I surmise that after fighting for ones own country, it give me a different perspective. Your freedom is not free.  Freedom is an intangible, that I believe, is bestowed upon every human in the world. It does not have prejudice for race, color, age, sex, culture, political preference, personal morals, religion, spirituality, atheism, etc.
Don't you guys study history? It repeats it's self. I am a very open minded person, but what I can't understand is  how people don't see that, I believe, we are trying to make this world a better place, for all man to live free and enjoy the same life style we have here in America.

I submit that I am slow to understand this: Most people don't know what it means to sacrifice their own life and freedoms so that others, won't have to know what that sacrifice is.
Darth_Fleder
Mod from the Church of the Painful Truth
+533|6817|Orlando, FL - Age 43

Phalphalak wrote:

I am sorry for having read this.

I am sorry for this General being a polemic, uneducated and impudent moron.
Yes, I am sorry that you read this too. It is not for the weak of heart.


Marconius wrote:

I am sorry that this guy hasn't pulled the wool from over his eyes and looked at the big picture.  He's only seeing the world from a soldier's perspective, and not from a realistic one.
Yes, Marconius, we all know that you have an absolute lock on the 'big picture' and having the 'proper' perspective. Have you ever stopped to think that maybe it's you that have the wool over your eyes? Rose colored glasses?

A little reasearch into the matter also shows that the general was not the author.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/pitman.asp

However, I happen to agree with most of its content.

(T)eflon(S)hadow wrote:

Ill agree to disagree with you Marco. Number one, he not a solider, he is a Marine. I surmise that after fighting for ones own country, it give me a different perspective. Your freedom is not free.  Freedom is an intangible, that I believe, is bestowed upon every human in the world. It does not have prejudice for race, color, age, sex, culture, political preference, personal morals, religion, spirituality, atheism, etc.
Don't you guys study history? It repeats it's self. I am a very open minded person, but what I can't understand is  how people don't see that, I believe, we are trying to make this world a better place, for all man to live free and enjoy the same life style we have here in America.

I submit that I am slow to understand this: Most people don't know what it means to sacrifice their own life and freedoms so that others, won't have to know what that sacrifice is.
QFE
(T)eflon(S)hadow
R.I.P. Neda
+456|6840|Grapevine, TX

ThomasMorgan wrote:

the American way isn't the only way.

also, it looks like he has the airborne ribbon.  what a fag, that's like the easiest ribbon in the game.
ThomasMorgan, I realize that. My perspective on living free is just that. Living free. It's all I know. It's not just an "American way" thing. It's the same freedom you know and enjoy. Nothing more, nothing less.

I will refrain from saying what I would like to personally do to you after disrespecting this man. Please, in the future, keep your pointless and demoralizing comments to your self. This is Not BF2s, Not BF2.

And the badge is a Naval Aviator Badge. An Airborne Badge has a parachute on it.
notorious
Nay vee, bay bee.
+1,396|6758|The United Center

(T)eflon(S)hadow wrote:

ThomasMorgan wrote:

the American way isn't the only way.

also, it looks like he has the airborne ribbon.  what a fag, that's like the easiest ribbon in the game.
ThomasMorgan, I realize that. My perspective on living free is just that. Living free. It's all I know. It's not just an "American way" thing. It's the same freedom you know and enjoy. Nothing more, nothing less.

I will refrain from saying what I would like to personally do to you after disrespecting this man. Please, in the future, keep your pointless and demoralizing comments to your self. This is Not BF2s, Not BF2.

And the badge is a Naval Aviator Badge. An Airborne Badge has a parachute on it.
i obviously wasn't serious.  if this was in the "debate and serious talk" section, i wouldn't have said that.

you said that you want everyone to live like we are able to in america.  however, not everyone in the world wants to live like we do.  living in america is nowhere near perfect either.  what right do we have to serve as a global police force, forcing our way of life on others?
<G.O.P>Cookism
Member
+0|6635
Chuck Pitman for president 2008, That man is who Every American boy should want to be when they grow up!
Phalphalak
Member
+0|6622|Germany
I agree, freedom is not free. But IMHO the greatest danger to freedom is bigottry and biased opinions being carried in the mind of people who only want to hear and see what they want because it is most convenient. I wish every problem could be solved by easy means. War is surely the easiest but also cruelest. Latter should make one think twice whether it´s really worth sacrifising young soldiers and innocents lifes - especially because violence tents to no solve the problem but make it worse.
I truely respect the will to fight in order to defend freedom but that doesn´t imply the existance of such a fight that will actually achieve this goal. Also, some people don´t want to see there are other means of fighting than brute force. Sometimes it even seems to take more guts to express aloud your opinon around the type people who would agree with the former letter (fake or not).
We know that war makes rattling good history, while peace is poor reading. So why bother to differentiate and deal with the complexity of a conflict when you can plain and simply unload your hate onto some stereotype villain and even feel good doing so?
$kelet0r
Member
+16|6693
what an ass - is he sorry he participated in the illegal invasion of Iraq? not a chance
he's got his head so far up his ass it must hurt to be him

Deep down inside, when most Americans saw this reported in the news, we were like - so what? We lost hundreds and made fun of a few prisoners. Sure, it was wrong, sure, it dramatically hurts our cause, but until captured we were trying to kill these same prisoners. Now we're supposed to wring our hands because a few were humiliated?
sad really

Cant wait for the American flag waving that this thread will induce - error doesnt enter the equation it seems

Last edited by $kelet0r (2006-03-22 10:29:25)

Darth_Fleder
Mod from the Church of the Painful Truth
+533|6817|Orlando, FL - Age 43

Phalphalak wrote:

I agree, freedom is not free. But IMHO the greatest danger to freedom is bigottry and biased opinions being carried in the mind of people who only want to hear and see what they want because it is most convenient. I wish every problem could be solved by easy means. War is surely the easiest but also cruelest. Latter should make one think twice whether it´s really worth sacrifising young soldiers and innocents lifes - especially because violence tents to no solve the problem but make it worse.
I truely respect the will to fight in order to defend freedom but that doesn´t imply the existance of such a fight that will actually achieve this goal. Also, some people don´t want to see there are other means of fighting than brute force. Sometimes it even seems to take more guts to express aloud your opinon around the type people who would agree with the former letter (fake or not).
We know that war makes rattling good history, while peace is poor reading. So why bother to differentiate and deal with the complexity of a conflict when you can plain and simply unload your hate onto some stereotype villain and even feel good doing so?
Well, I have to say that this post is certainly better than your first.

Over and over, the simple truth has to be explained to you peaceniks. This war in Iraq was not done on a whim or a moments notice. It was preceded by TWELVE years of diplomacy.

It takes more guts to offer up silly or uninformed opinions because they illustrate your lack of understanding of history and human nature. What's easy is to sit back behind your computer and offer up an immature opinions based strictly upon feelings.

Phalphalak wrote:

So why bother to differentiate and deal with the complexity of a conflict when you can plain and simply unload your hate onto some stereotype villain and even feel good doing so?
Isn't this exactly what you are doing when launch into your anit-Bush diatribes and in your first post in this topic?
Phalphalak
Member
+0|6622|Germany

Darth_Fleder wrote:

Over and over, the simple truth has to be explained to you peaceniks. This war in Iraq was not done on a whim or a moments notice. It was preceded by TWELVE years of diplomacy.
First of all, i would ask you to refrain of calling me peacenik. I don´t like this type of polemiks. Trying to weaken the content of what i express by applying a dismissive label to me doesn´t really show much sign of maturity. I guess that points out why it is mostly impossible to have a decent argument with such fanatics. To the likes of you favouring peace seems to be a sign of weakness nowadays. I think it´s just human rationale. But ethics seems to be the first victim when justifing violence. Why is it so hard for you to reflect about this topic like a half-way educated human being? I´ve been many times to the US and met a lot of nice and decent people. That´s why I have trouble understanding the amount of such immature posts by US-americans.
So, concerning your simple (and probably overly convenient) truth that you keep explaining to those peaceniks over and over again: Where is your explanation?
The first conflicts had nothing to do with this one. It´s a different context. And FYI, this war was based on mere lies. Where are those weapons of massdestructions that you claim to have proof of? What did Iraq have to do with terrorists or even 911? Those islamic fundamentalists were even unwelcome by Saddam because they wree a threat to his position of power. I know you don´t have any arguments to counter that but will most likely make use of polemiks again and twist my words around by splitting hair or simply insulting me again (You are thinking about it, don't you?). I know the truth hurts.


Darth_Fleder wrote:

It takes more guts to offer up silly or uninformed opinions because they illustrate your lack of understanding of history and human nature. What's easy is to sit back behind your computer and offer up an immature opinions based strictly upon feelings.
What part of my opinion was it that you call uninformed again? And where is that lack of understanding of history and humand nature? It seems you are talking rather about yourself than me. Instead of coming aobut with arguments of your own to counter what I said you start to insult me. I take this as a sign that you ran out of those arguments (if you had any to start with). And as fas as my opions being strictly basd on feelings I have to say, that (a) it never hurt to show some signs of compassion and (b) I came up with arguments based on reason and thus don´t seem the accuracy of your claim. Talking of feelings: You haven´t reread your post of being reflecting about YOUR anger that you are expressing here, have you? Talking of reflecting: Isn´t it easy for you to sit back behind your computer and offer your immature opions based strictly on hatred?


Darth_Fleder wrote:

Phalphalak wrote:

So why bother to differentiate and deal with the complexity of a conflict when you can plain and simply unload your hate onto some stereotype villain and even feel good doing so?
Isn't this exactly what you are doing when launch into your anit-Bush diatribes and in your first post in this topic?
lol? I did not mention Bush once. Putting word´s in someones mouth is another proof why it is futile arguing with you. This having been my first post here seems to be surely a weighty argument of yours as well. Is that some sort of "I was first!"-cases?
unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,053|6783|PNW

I love it when people try to refer others to websites for their arguments, above all else. We all know what a monstrously reliable medium the internet is.
notorious
Nay vee, bay bee.
+1,396|6758|The United Center

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

I love it when people try to refer others to websites for their arguments, above all else. We all know what a monstrously reliable medium the internet is.
stfu.

ntrnt = srs bsns
Flaming_Maniac
prince of insufficient light
+2,490|6718|67.222.138.85
Best read ever.
HisInfernalDeath
Member
+23|6735|Belgium

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

Best read ever.
sfg-Ice__
Member
+4|6664
So a Marine explains the anguish and torment he feels about his job and some non-americans automatically start bashing.  If this guy was French or german I wonder what the responce would be?  GD people or so nationism or what ever the nation version of racism is.   Automattically assuming everything associated with a nation is the same thinking that drove Hitler to try to stamp out the entire jewish population.  But, nevermind, thats ok.  The US is doing something that needed to be done.  For whatever reasons, the people in IRaq are now free.  The horror you see on TV is nothing like the way it was under sadam.  ITs just now Televison is now allowed to go where ever they want. 

If you want to be spoon fed information from your media please do...when your ready to start understanding what is really going on without all the damn left or right wing versions giving differant spins on crap....then you can start to see th big flick.
Marconius
One-eyed Wonder Mod
+368|6705|San Francisco
I'm sorry that the US stepped into the Middle East in the early 60s in order to gain control of resources.

I'm sorry that the US spent $30 billion training the same enemies that we are fighting now.

I'm sorry that 51% of americans don't understand Cause and Consequence, especially in the long run.

I'm sorry that too many Americans confuse Nationalism with Patriotism.

I'm sorry that "The American Way or the Highway" is the sentiment being spread around the world currently.

I'm sorry that so many Americans are putting their blind support into the same people who wrote and are currently enforcing the PNAC.
Phalphalak
Member
+0|6622|Germany

sfg-Ice__ wrote:

So a Marine explains the anguish and torment he feels about his job and some non-americans automatically start bashing.  If this guy was French or german I wonder what the responce would be?
I don't believe a french or german or other european general would have dared to write such a shallow inanity.

sfg-Ice__ wrote:

GD people or so nationism or what ever the nation version of racism is.   Automattically assuming everything associated with a nation is the same thinking that drove Hitler to try to stamp out the entire jewish population.  But, nevermind, thats ok.
Well, for some reasons you believe that the whole world is against everything asscoiated with the US. Often arguing that you are hated because you are envied or stuff like that. There may be a lot of places in the world that are less unfortunate but then again there are many that are content and do not lack anything. I would really suggest you stop assuming that everyone just plain and simple hates the US but instead has certain concerns and reasons to call your country's doing and attitude into question.

No clue what GD is supposed to mean, but the word you are looking for is nationalism I guess? Speaking of which, the US nowadays has become quite nationalistic. So nationalistic even that it starts to be scary. I don't get what you mean by "Automatically assuming everytihng...." neither. But speaking of comparison to the Third Reich (and every comparison to that shouldn't be drawn on a whimp) the US has become quite similar in some aspects. There is a lot of nationalism. There's also a lot of Fanatism about the righteousness of your own doing, while trying to impose or even force your "values" upon others and not questioning your own motives. This is the fundaments of fascism. And how history taught us over and over before the danger lies in people not realizing the impact of these circumstances until it is too late.  I think that there are certain lessons from mistakes learned, that the US didn't commit yet. Unfortunately I believe you are about to learn that very soon.

sfg-Ice__ wrote:

The US is doing something that needed to be done.  For whatever reasons, the people in IRaq are now free.  The horror you see on TV is nothing like the way it was under sadam.
The US is doing what YOU think that needs to be done. And the reason why the US went into Iraq was not to free the people there, which btw are far from free either. The lack of power there caused a huge gap, that is prone to be filled by islamic fundamentalists and other lunatics. And that was very predictable.
Where was the US in Somalia or in Kongo/Ruanda? First it helps the respective dictators to power which eventually results in them taking over the country as warlords or causing a civil war. After the US received a UN-mandate and sustained some unfortunate losses they back out again. A lot could have done to prevent the genocide and ethnic cleansing but unfortunately there weren't any ressources you were interested in. The losses (and profits) in Iraq on the US side on the other hand have been far greater.
I admire the will of people putting their lifes at stake for what they believe is to be a just cause. I just wished these good people wouldn´t be sent to a war that is far from this cause.

sfg-Ice__ wrote:

ITs just now Televison is now allowed to go where ever they want. If you want to be spoon fed information from your media please do...when your ready to start understanding what is really going on without all the damn left or right wing versions giving differant spins on crap....then you can start to see th big flick.
Indeed the US media is spoon-feeding all the war propaganda and some people here seem to be a perfect example of what fruit that yields. Why do you assume that "just now Televison is now allowed to go wherever they want"? The US had a close eye on the "war correspondents" only allowing to be shown what was in favor of the government. The more critical reporters simply got removed from Iraq or denied protection. What you could see on american TV was rather a commercial for the military than objective news. In general it seems that when comparing the media in other countries to the one in the states, almost no relevant information is broadcasted in the US and every bit of information is delievered as if it was directed to imbeciles. I refuse to believe the people in your country are more or less stupid than in other countries, but I believe that you have a big problem of who and what is controlling the media (see Italy or Russia).
I have to agree though, that this left/right wing polarization in the US is quite annoying. The political system there seems pretty much deadlocked to me.

Last edited by Phalphalak (2006-03-22 18:52:32)

MephistoJade
Member
+0|6775|USA/England

Marconius wrote:

I'm sorry that the US stepped into the Middle East in the early 60s in order to gain control of resources.

I'm sorry that the US spent $30 billion training the same enemies that we are fighting now.

I'm sorry that 51% of americans don't understand Cause and Consequence, especially in the long run.

I'm sorry that too many Americans confuse Nationalism with Patriotism.

I'm sorry that "The American Way or the Highway" is the sentiment being spread around the world currently.

I'm sorry that so many Americans are putting their blind support into the same people who wrote and are currently enforcing the PNAC.
Marconius...no disrespect, but...

Is gaining control of resources, and thus enriching itself, not the point of a nation?

Were the enemies at the time not useful against what we percieved (rightly or wrongly) as a greater threat?

Okay....I gotta admit, 51% of the 25% of Americans that voted did so based on either limited information or limited critical thinking skills....or they were single-issue voters. 

To SIVs, perhaps they weren't voting for Iraq, but for the Bible/protection of 2nd amendment freedoms/their view on homosexuality/the medicare buyout.


The American way or the highway, again, seems to be the root goal of a nation, if looking at Statecraft, rather than what is publicly acceptable.

The PNAC, while repulsive to me personally, is probably the endgame that every state wants, but cannot achieve. 

The French, Germans, British, Americans, Mongols, Romans, Greeks, Persians, and so on have tried it.  So far, none have enjoyed success.  The US likely will have the same result- wonder who'll be next?  Personally, it appears to be China's turn.


Just my two cents.
Phalphalak
Member
+0|6622|Germany

MephistoJade wrote:

Is gaining control of resources, and thus enriching itself, not the point of a nation?
It seems that to be human nature to do so. But speaking in abstracts, isn´t the purpose of a nation/society to establish a safe environment to dwell and thrieve. By that I mean, that safety against other nations has to be established and maintained while on the inside laws and courts have to upkeep certain human rights. Thus it's aim is not necessarily to keep gaining control or resources.



MephistoJade wrote:

Were the enemies at the time not useful against what we percieved (rightly or wrongly) as a greater threat?
Yes, indeed. It might seem kinda provocative but it seems that the "enemies" profit from the same conflict in the same way. What could be a better way of recruiting and corrupting new followers for a perversion of islam  (or whatever current enemy) than western countries waging war on them. The damage caused by these movements and terrorist organisations gives reason to the people of those western countries to engage other conflicts and/or to pursue the course it is currently on. I refuse to believe there is actually a so-called clash of civilizations/cultures but if anything applies to that term than it´s exactely this phenomenon. As I believe the current western states to be the only party in this vicious cycle to be able to be reasonable and solve this conflict it is up to them to find a solution. I believe also that such a solution has to be made by refraining from war because that is what fuels the conflict in the first place.

MephistoJade wrote:

The American way or the highway, again, seems to be the root goal of a nation, if looking at Statecraft, rather than what is publicly acceptable.

The PNAC, while repulsive to me personally, is probably the endgame that every state wants, but cannot achieve. 

The French, Germans, British, Americans, Mongols, Romans, Greeks, Persians, and so on have tried it.  So far, none have enjoyed success.  The US likely will have the same result- wonder who'll be next?  Personally, it appears to be China's turn.
I think that is a very interesing remark. I wonder what the "endgame" implies though. Looking at Empires you mentioned, their fall was IMHO mostly caused by their size. They usually kept exanding their territory and influence until its government and/or society became prone to corruption and either fell apart or were annihilate by their enemies.
Most people see history as something that lies in the past not realizing that current events are part of it. The latest events lead me to the question whether the US is about to reach the final stage of this endgame and if so whether it can be reverted. I think that it´s not too late, though. I also agree that China seems to be next in queue eventhough I think they might not even have started to expand (in whatever way) far enough to collapse again.


Just my two cents.
TerrorisT²
Melbourne Shuffler
+214|6637|Gold Coast, Australia
So True, ALL OF IT. All these damn Arab extremists and anti- americans, should be hit (not killed, just hit hard) america did so much for them and they throw it back at them by killing thousands in the 9/11 attacks, they even use the weapons america gave them to shoot americans. If i was in command i would just bomb them till there is peace.
Phalphalak
Member
+0|6622|Germany

.:[CarelesS]:. wrote:

So True, ALL OF IT. All these damn Arab extremists and anti- americans, should be hit (not killed, just hit hard) america did so much for them and they throw it back at them by killing thousands in the 9/11 attacks, they even use the weapons america gave them to shoot americans. If i was in command i would just bomb them till there is peace.
What did they do for them?

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