U.S. Troops pose w/ body parts from suicide bomber

Wow, I get to agree with Major Whiteapples.

My compliments on choosing the word "terrorists" instead of "muslims." Well done, sir.
 
I did not know those photos were taken 2 years ago.
and panetta had asked the LAT NOT to publish the pics our of concern for our people still there.

How is the readership of the LAT? Is it decreasing?
 
WS
So you hink Panetta and all those at the DOD's concern for the safety of our people over there is nothing?

AFter the LAY refused to NOT publish pictures from 2 years ago the DOD asked the LAT for time to put extra security in place ti try to protect our people there. AS they all at the DOD explained these pics the LAT published put our peioke in increased danger.

I am guessing YOu WH like Per have no loved one or friend over there. no innovent loved one or friend who was put in extra danger due to the LAT publishing 2 year old pics that the DOD had already said was being investigated and the people who were this stupid would be punished.
or many like Per you don't think Panetta or anyone at DOD would really dollow through.

But you keep silly snarky view and don't worry about any innocent person still over there who might get killed as revenge/ The LATwill probably get a spike out of this and that is worth a few American lives, right?

I pity you .
 
I come at this from both sides: 1) I've served in combat; 2) I spent 30 yrs as a newspaper guy.

FWIW, here's what I think:

1. The troops who did this are stupid. Having said that, it's happened in every war. It happened in WWII, Korea, Vietnam (I know. I saw it), etc. "Being in combat" doesn't justify it but it probably explains it.

2. Serving in combat doesn't make you stupid. It does make you callous. That is simple self-preservation. If you get all emotional every time you see a dead body you are not going to last. You see it. Accept it. Say "Better him than me" and move out. It may take a toll later but you learn to live with it at the time.

3. Most of the time that kind of behavior is a dick-measuring contest. One guy starts it with "Hey, look at this." Meaning "This **** don't bother me." It's a bit of a game of oneupmanship. Not always but usually. Each guy feels like he has to take part so he doesn't look like a ***** to buddies.

4. Nothing new here. What is new is A) Digital pix; B) Social media; C) Internet. Having your pic taken, or taking the pic, in that situation is just stupid. You have to know it's going to get out. If you don't you should and that makes you stupid.

5. What they don't realize now (but will in 40 yrs) is that the worst picture is the one you can't get out of your head but that's another issue.

6. As to the LA Times, it has every right to publish those photos. Having the right and making it right are two different things.

7. All that crap posted about "inciting the terrorists" and "protecting our boys" and "the liberal press" is just that, a buncha crap. The photos are two years old fer chrissakes. Most of the guys in those pix probably aren't even in the Army any more and if they are they probably are not in Afghan and if they are it's not in the same area.

8. The Taliban doesn't need any more motivation to kill Americans than they have now. Those photos are and the hoo-ha surrounding them are PR only...on both sides. Taliban: "Look what the evil infidels are doing to our brothers." (Hey, they don't give a **** and everyone knows it). Pentagon: "You are putting our troops in danger." (What it means is that several generals retirement pay is being put in danger and a few Colonels are now sweating out making the next Generals' list). The "public positions" of both sides are *********.

9. If I had been at the LAT I wouldn't have published the photos for a simple reason. They have no news value. I would have been smacked down and reversed by my bosses because without question the pix have shock value. No matter what the LAT "public position" is it's ********* too. It's not unlike the troops dick-measuring contest that started it all.

10. The LAT was saying to the NY Times, WaPo, et.al, "Hey, **** you. Look what we got and you didn't." I guarantee you that the photos and the stories around them will be submitted in next year's LAT Pulitzer Prize entries.

11. So, there you have it. It's got squat to do with the 1st Amendment, nati'l security, "force protection" or any other high-minded purpose. It's all, "Hey, look how big my dick is." And it's all damned stupid.
 
Shark You know how much I respect you and the service you gave to out country. The pics of youe helos are pretty awesome so I respect your opinion on this. And your point about yes the LAT has the right. But that doesn't mean it is right is well put

I also though think Panetta and the General in cpmmand in Afghanistan, Allen ,who spoke out against showing these pics should be given credence since they are in charge and in place now.
Panetta tried to get them to not show the pics
"The officials had asked The Times not to publish any of the photographs, a fact that the defense secretary, Leon E. Panetta, reiterated on Wednesday as the images spread across the Internet.

“The reason for that is those kinds of photos are used by the enemy to incite violence, and lives have been lost as the result of the publication of similar photos,” Mr. Panetta said at a news conference."
General Allen expressed his concerns directly to the editors.

and this from a Pentagon spokesperson
'“Our concern is not about embarrassment,” George E. Little, a Pentagon press secretary, said in a telephone interview after Mr. Panetta’s news conference. “We recognize that this is inexcusable behavior depicted in the photos. This is all about force protection in Afghanistan.” "


Once the paper decided it would publish the images, the military officials asked, and the editors agreed, to wait for extra security precautions to be put in place in Afghanistan. The newspaper waited more than 72 hours.

“We did have to bump up our security posture in the country,” Mr. Little said. “If the story had run without the photos, I’m not sure that we would have had to undertake those additional security measures.”


So these people including the Generalin charge who is over there say this does create further danger for our forces there.

It could all be for show but when you have a loved one and friends over there you are willing to take their word for it and pray every second of the day for all their sagety. You also hope we wouldn't do anything to further fan the hate. which is what the LAT did, according to people who should know.

Of course we know they hate us and want to kill everyone over there but these people including the SecDef think this kind of thing does ramp it up. Why do that?

this from the Times justifying this
"At the end of the day, our job is to publish information that our readers need to make informed decisions."

Informed decisions about what? Nrong all our foces home NOW. We didn't need to see 2 y o pics to want to do that>

shark is right. This was strictly about gaining more readership and more awards.
I just pray no one gets killed just so LAT can brag.
if you have loved ones there I know you are praying or hoping they stay safe.
I wish the LAT and those on here who think it was fine for the LAT to do this would also have a thought/ pray/ hope for those in harm's way.
 
Can't disagree with most of that Shark. Good post. I would only add that the DOD point that this is a counter insurgency operation, and that winning hearts and minds is the primary mission undercuts a lot of the macho bullshirt defense of what they did. They are professionals, and should know better. That said, they are also soldiers that may have been pretty young, I don't know.
 
A significant issue to me is that this guy is not a "trophy" of what the 82nd accomplished but rather a guy that was trying to blow up some Americans and blew himself up in the process. I can definitely see and understand the sick humor in that situation.
 
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