LA Times’ Sam Quinones lies
Reporting on the death of Marine Lance Cpl. Richard Rivera Jr. while he was working out in the base gym by, Aynoddin, a local police chief’s cabana boy, or tea boy or whatever, the LA Times’ Sam Quinones tried to make the attack look as if it was somehow related to the relationship between the Lance Corporal and the killer;
But on Aug. 10, Rivera was shot to death as he worked out in a camp gymnasium — where Marines are prohibited from bringing weapons — by a 15-year-old Afghan soldier he’d been training. Two other Marines also were killed in the shooting.
We know from the first articles on the attack that the murderer, which we wrote about last month, was a complete failure of whatever policies were in place that allowed the teenage jihadist to wander the base with unrestricted access while carrying a loaded weapon. Then, although Marines weren’t allowed to carry their weapons in the gymnasium, the jihadist was allowed in with his weapon while he was searching out unarmed targets for his nefarious plans.
In the original article, the Washington Post reported Aynoddin’s relationship to the police;
According to both U.S. and Afghan officials, his role on base was hardly formal: He was the unpaid, underage personal assistant of the district police chief.
It was clearly the failure of whoever made policy that allowed the teen to range the base with a loaded and forced Marines to leave their weapons out of the gym, but I guess that Sam Quinones has an agenda. The Post writes;
Aynoddin should never have been on the base in the first place, because Afghan and American security standards wouldn’t have allowed it. Those standards are often violated, however, especially by the country’s nascent police force.
Personally, I more concerned about the dipshit who won’t allow Marines to arm themselves, while at the same time allows a 15-year-old in an unofficial capacity to carry a loaded weapon around the same area. Since I’ve never been to J-school, I don’t have Quinones’ lack of common sense.
Thanks to Sandy for the link.
Category: Terror War
I don’t know about this one. I guess I’m missing something. I read the article and did not see anything to get pissed off about–the murdering little bastard aside.
I will call it as it is:
It is not a cabana boy, tea boy or whatever.
The boy is a victim of systematic and socially accepted rape and child toture.
These children are sold in to servatude ususally by their parents or adult guardians and it is sex based.
It some Afgan circles it is considered an appropriate right of passage.
These kids are damaged for life!
PERIOD.
@2. Man, I truly am missing something. Please explain with respect to the Marine’s murder. What do you mean by, “The boy is a victim of systematic and socially accepted rape and child toture.”
@ 3 … I was editorializing on the habit of young boys being victimized in Afgan. It is a known but tolerated practice. I was speaking about the Police Chief and his “cabana boy, tea boy or whatever”. Yes I did go off track but, it is something I personally abhor. Sorry if I detracted from the intellectual virtual discourse. It was unintentional and I will endeavour not to repeat myself today.
The entire situaltion is entirely tragic and beyond understanding. I did not mean to deminished the murder of the Marine at all. Sorry if it sounded that way.
@1, AirCav, For the first time we agree. I see nothing in the article to get pissed off about wither. It seems that the murderer’s status on base was confused or possibly mis represented. However, it dosen’t change the thrust of the story. Further, I would say that, if anything, it was mistake (calling him an Afghan Soldier vs Unofficial Assistant to the Chief of Police) rather than a lie.
Reminds me of the good ole USA, it seems like were ever there are Gun free zones, thats were the killers go to shoot people.
Kind of sounds like life in CA, don’t let the “good guys” have guns, but no control of the bad guys. I don’t understand the weapons policy in a fucking war zone…when I’ve deployed- even to quiet places like Bosnia, we had to be armed all the time—even going to take a shower.
What retard came up with the policy of no weapons at the gym in a war zone?
AirCav, the issue is that the “journalist” worded the article in such a way to imply that a) there was a pre-existing relationship between the Marines who were murdered and the chai boy (if there was one, I haven’t seen it reported anywhere; this furthers the “green on blue attacks are caused by personal grievances and not enemy action” lie) and b) that the US military is training child soldiers in Afghanistan.
Also, he conveniently leaves out the part where, after running out of ammo, the chai boy ran to the ANP outside and bragged to them about having just committed jihad.
And, you know, the part where an ANP police chief is raping a 15-year-old boy.
@6. In view of your opening line, I will reconsider the matter.
@9. Thanks. When I saw the training part, I honestly thought of weightlifting or some such thing.
@10 I expected as much. It’s not really the first time, just the firsty time we both commented in the affirmative. We agree on roughly 85% of the posts I see you comment on.
@9 I see how one could draw that inference regarding the prior relationship. However, I read the article several times and the take away message for me was that htree marines were killed in a place where they should have been safe. The thought that the US military is training child soldiers or that they were somehow asking for it didn’t register. There are several reasons that detail may have been left out, assuming the author knew it. I don’t think it is either convenient or inconvenient. It just is. Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn’t Green on Blue always represent Jihad?
I thought I was being clear when I noted that Quinones reported that the Marine had been training a fifteen-year-old boy. I’m pretty sure we’re not training teenagers like the Taliban does. I also took exception to Quinones’ hinting that there was a previous relationship between the two, propping up the Afghan and NATO claims that these killings were over disputes and cultural differences.
And yes, Aynoddin did run out to brag to his compadres in the ANA after deed. Quinones neglected to cover that tidbit.
My fault, I thought you guys followed the links I post instead of chewing my cabbage twice.
You were clear, Jonn – the phrase “a 15-year-old Afghan soldier he’d been training” Quinones used clearly but inaccurately implies a direct relationship between the two that predates the killing. Some folks just see the world through ideologically-tinted glasses, and it hampers their ability to perceive fact.
Hondo: What are you talking about? Who are some folks? If you have me in mind, say so.
@15 He’s probably talking about me. Though, if that’s the case he should say so. There we go again, agreeing about stuff publicly. We should stop that before it ruins our reputations.
@13 Why is it that any journalist who is not with Fox “news’ or the Washington Times must be lying if they get a detail wrong? You are right insofar as there is not a prior relationship between the victim and the killer. That is not evidence, however, of intent to “prop up the Afghan and NATO claims.” It also doesn’t do anything to prove that this incident was not motivated by “personal and cultural differences.” The most significant being that this twerp was brainwashed by an extermist ideology and a twisted faith that says its an individual’s duty to murder people.
@16. Okay, how about that when you agree with me, you pretend that someone else (let’s call him, um, Shirley) is wrongly using my tag for the comment that you agree with–and vice versa, of course.
@17 I can try that. But, it only works if you come back on and attack Shirley for wrongly using your tag. But that creates a problem, because then we agree taht your tag was being misused. It’s a conundrum of epic proportions.