The Morality of Killing Iraqis

Andrew Fletcher · #1 11-21-2005, 06:41 PM

A friend of mine recently told me that one of our classmates has peculiar hobby. He downloads videos of U.S. soldiers killing Iraqis and watches them for fun. Apparently there are several websites that offer such videos, allegedly filmed by soldiers themselves and uploaded to an independent website.

I can’t vouch for the authenticity of the films. For all I know, they are nothing more than home movies with low-budget special effects sold to stupid college kids. Still, the fact that this guy downloads this stuff for enjoyment is really scary.

This guy is the type of person who would be outraged by Iraqi college students watching movies of American soldiers being killed. He clearly has some kind of mental block that allows to him to apply different standards to Iraqis than to people who happen to have been born in the United States.

I guess my question is: what is to stop this logic from allowing people to accept the mass murder of people who live in the United States? Couldn’t someone simply “other” an ethnic group (like Jews, for example) and kill them for entertainment?

There is something very scary about certain streams of philosophy and standards that run through U.S. culture.

RJT · #2 11-21-2005, 07:06 PM

Slow down. You seem to be saying that there are some footages of U.S. soldiers in Iraq who killed what they think or in fact are (I am presuming) I guess I can use the word the “enemy”. And that some folk here are watching these footages, like some watch porn. Is this what you are saying to begin with?

If that is what you are saying, I don’t see how the rest of your post makes any sense. It certainly doesn’t seem to be relevant to the videos at any rate.

theweatherman · #3 11-21-2005, 07:18 PM

probably due to the systematic media blitz telling the public we are the good guys fighting evil. Dehumanizing the enemy is the greatest tool to recruit an army.

RJT · #4 11-21-2005, 08:03 PM

Icarus,

This whole thing smacks of Urban Legend. I suggest some links or ignore it. And if the links are pay sites, I suggest you have credible evidence that they are what they portend.

RJT

BluffTHIS! · #5 11-21-2005, 08:34 PM

Your buddy is still on the soft core stuff. I have seen actual army footage of soldiers on the island campaigns in WWII using a flame thrower to clear out caves of Japanese soldiers (this isn't stuff that has ever been on the history channel). What killed them wasn't necessarily the flames if they were in deep enough, but asphyxiation due to the flames comsuming all the oxygen. Then the footage showed the insides afterwards. The results weren't pretty.

But as for the morality of US soldiers killing in Iraq, if they are following the rules of engagement and thus only fighting with those fighting them, then they are merely defending their own lives. And since the insurgency is targeted not just at US military but also the lawfully and democratically elected Iraqi government, then those insurgents cannot claim to be in the moral right, because they are only engaged when they initiate such action or refuse arrest for their crimes.

#6 11-21-2005, 08:34 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Icarus,

This whole thing smacks of Urban Legend. I suggest some links or ignore it. And if the links are pay sites, I suggest you have credible evidence that they are what they portend.

RJT

[/ QUOTE ]

Do a search. There are plenty of videos online.

RJT · #7 11-21-2005, 08:38 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Icarus,

This whole thing smacks of Urban Legend. I suggest some links or ignore it. And if the links are pay sites, I suggest you have credible evidence that they are what they portend.

RJT

[/ QUOTE ]

Do a search. There are plenty of videos online.

[/ QUOTE ]

No thanks. Since this seems to be common knowledge than I'll accept that. The OP seems to be suggesting these are random killings for kicks. Is that the case, is that what he is suggesting?

RJT

Andrew Fletcher · #8 11-21-2005, 08:54 PM

How do I edit my OP? I want to clarify the point I am trying to make.

I'm not trying to criticize the soilders who are killing Iraqis. They are doing their job. The war is the responsiblity of the policymakers, not the soilders who are in combat.

I'm trying to understand this kid who enjoys watching people get killed. It's fun for him to watch people getting their brains blown out. That's very confusing to me.

BluffTHIS! · #9 11-21-2005, 08:56 PM

You can't edit a post after like 30 minutes. If that kid gets off on that, then he is prime psychopathic material.

bobman0330 · #10 11-21-2005, 08:59 PM

[ QUOTE ]

I guess my question is: what is to stop this logic from allowing people to accept the mass murder of people who live in the United States? Couldn’t someone simply “other” an ethnic group (like Jews, for example) and kill them for entertainment?

There is something very scary about certain streams of philosophy and standards that run through U.S. culture.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure there's any kind of "logic" behind your friend's fixation. I would say instead that he's a sick bastard (no offense intended). I wouldn't attribute it to US culture either. There are lots of Muslim youths in France who get a kick out of setting cars on fire, which is only a step or two up from your friend.