For what it's worth I think it is unfair and immoral to send groups of armed young men into situations like we see here and expect them NOT to react in this way.Giving a good hiding to those who have just been involved in trying to kill you is not unreasonable IMHO,and I'm amazed there's not more of it.
I find it hypocritical when the great and the good get on their high horses about it.When was the last time they had rocks and petrol bombs thrown at them?
I'm not ex military but I have been in vaguely comparable situations in my youth and I showed rather less restraint at times than those squaddies.So I won't condemn them from the comfort of my living room.

Ignoring the political back drop of Iraq I feel we must be aware that the alien environment of dealing with street militia and crazed hoardes of civilians is not something that your average soldier receives in depth training on.

The beating that was metered out which was shown so graphically in the video cannot be justified,however some empathy with the average young soldier who receives provocation at every turn.

We can judge from the safety of our homes pictures brought to us via satellite, as we carry out our "normal" lives. But it must be so easy to snap in those situations,when people who one minute are seemingly going about their everyday business,suddenly begin pelting you with rocks and whatever else they can lay their hands on. Nerves must be taught as wire at the best of times.

There are games of "dare" going on also where, as life has no future for so many of these people they can only hope to bask momentarily in the admiration of their twisted comrades.


This beating was not acceptable to any decent person,nor might I add is the twisted rhetoric and butchering of innocents that the "insurgents" are so proud to stage for cameras at the drop of a hat.

As an aside, those that just condemned this beating out of hand,are you equally outraged about the two prison officers battered to a pulp in Bellmarsh prison over the past few days? Attacked with both a snooker queue(sp) and tins of tuna concealed inside a sock,(believe me being hit with that when it has been swung at you is damned painful) And the perpetrators where? Islamic extremists! :twisted:

So, there is a teacher, and 3 of his students key up his car. He knows they do this, but cant proove it. Cant do anything about it. So, in class, he refers to them as niggers. What's the answer nigger? And so on.

This is ok? No. It's unacceptable. Its that simple. Its unacceptable behaviour. It should, and will be punished.

Yup.
It doesnt mean that I think its fine for the officers to beat seven shades of shi'ite out of them the following day. I would defend officers using fatal force to defend themselves in a situation. I would do the same. If its me or him, and he is the aggressor, its him.

Its differant to go in a while later, and batter them.

This is vengence.

Phil Mac-----I'm sure you are correct,but for the life of me I can't see the connection between what I wrote and what you said in reply.

:lol: ha ha ha. Sorry mate.

All I am saying is if a person of authority, a soldier representing his government and his country is, while under duress, just lashing out and doing low vengeful things, he cannot use "I was under duress" as an excuse and expect things to work out fine for him.

Sorry I should have elaborated more.

I just think the press ought to think before they publish stuff like this. It's not just people in Iraq reading it. The London bombings were an indirect result of coverage here changing the mindset of guys who at one time were as benign as you and I. Having seen the footage I agree it's totally wrong to beat up what looks like young teenagers, but then again you're seeing kids of 10 on the news carrying Kalashnikovs so why should they not be considered a threat?

The whole Middle east thing is one big f*** up ,and maybe there is no way of resolving it - short of the complete decimation of one side. Who can tell? In historical timescales, it's not so very long since Europe was just as volatile.

Sorry mate, misunderstood your position a little. Personally I'd say that these guys played completely into the hands of these extremists- giving those scumbags ammunition isn't what I'd call wise. But I think that to blame the press for reporting it is just wrong-headed, they don't make the situation, they just tell the story.

But then, I think I've overlaboured that point ;)

I think it would take restraint beyond the average person's to meet the standards that some on here expect.

Perhaps. But then again, we have thousands of troops in Iraq just now and not all of them are beating the crap out of teenagers.

Whatever I might think about the war, our troops have exceeded all expectations in Iraq... They've been absolutely magnificent. IMO it's a tragedy that the actions of a minority are going to overshadow that for the time being.