Anne Marlow at WSJ: Sometimes men do dumb things. This is one of them, little more.

Kevin sends us this from the Wall Street Journal in an article by Ann Marlowe so we can lower our blood pressure after reading that Paulian drivel this morning. She begins by pointing out that it was the LA Times that posted the photos on the internet, not the men involved;

In polite circles today—meaning circles in which few people under 60 have served in uniform—the American military is seen through distorted lenses. One lens exaggerates the good characteristics of those who serve, making even the most indifferent truck mechanic or supply-chain manager a “hero.” This does little for the real heroes, who have received less recognition in our Afghan and Iraq engagements than in any previous war. The other lens, measuring ordinary men and women against this impossible standard, labels every ordinary lapse of judgment as a grave indicator of the failure of a chain of command, a moral blemish, and a comfort to our enemies.

These young men should never have taken those photos. But that is the extent of their “crime.”
Was the picture-posing culturally insensitive? Probably less so in Afghanistan than it would have been here. Afghans themselves have often denied Islamic burial to suicide bombers.

When I was embedded with U.S. troops in Khost province several years ago, the Afghan governor allowed one bomber’s body parts to be left in tree branches as a deterrent to others.

Thanks, Ann, now, if you could go conk Mande Wilkes on her pointy head, we’d all appreciate it.

Category: Military issues