The Last Tool of Diplomacy.

[entropic_system]

I suspect this one will make the rounds today.

Warning: The video's graphic. Like jodfoster, the transcript is here: Transcript.

Click to view

"Cry 'Havoc', and let slip the dogs of war, that this foul deed shall smell above the earth with carrion men, groaning for burial."

Julius Caesar ~ Shakespeare

"My answer is bring 'em on."President George W. Bush ~ July

Comments

[playmoby]

I totally agree with this. Totally insensitive. That is why I commented (below) that it sounds like they are playing a fucking video game.

[entropic_system]

Remember that it is a war. It's kind of what I'm getting at. Soldiers undergo LOADS of training to desensitize them. To get them to the point where they can kill other human beings and not question orders

[jodfoster]

Yes, that bothered me a lot. As did the urging of the wounded guy to just show a weapon of any kind. I swear, I bet if he'd put his hand into the shape of a gun it would have been enough justification with the way they were responding to the situation.

I do commend the soldier actually trying to help the wounded children, only to be (no pun intended) shot down when asking to take them to a good army hospital. How do you avoid taking your kids into a "war zone" when your whole effing country is one, exactly?

I'm mad about their justifications in the report when the video clearly shows otherwise (tank driving over bodies, saying they're tying to help the kids as much as they can yet turning them over to the IP). I'm sure they assumed the footage would never get out.

Shouldn't be there in the first gdamned place. Gah...but hey, at least Halliburton and KBR are making some bucks. Good for them. Dollar bills sure don't soak up blood that well, unfortunately.

[playmoby]

My fucking God, they talk like they are playing a fucking video game.

On the same token, yes.. I can see why they shot at those people. I mean, there are people over there that are trying to kill the military. They dont care or have any regard who they kill, as long as they make as much destruction as they possibly can.

and it's sad. I mean, my ultimate hope is that everyone in the world will just get along. I mean, I know it is a never gonna happen hope, but I still have it. I have to have it.

Have you seen the Hurt Locker? It's very good. and very eye opening. And very sad.

[jodfoster]

Like Mike said, you see what you want to see. Shoot first, ask questions never. As a photographer and sometimes filmmaker, I saw the equipment they had. But yeah...whatever. rah rah kill em all

I've seen The Hurt Locker. Very tense, very good movie. So glad it won so many awards. Deserved them all.

[entropic_system]

Since I answered above, I'll just say: I haven't seen Hurt Locker, but I really want to. I've heard amazing things about it.

[scearley]

I find it odd that this story is getting traction when gang violence erupts in America. Don't talk about wildings in America, that might be racist. Instead, talk about the military shooting kids.

[jodfoster]

Yes, our news is fucked up. But this is still news. One of the clearest examples of how effed up our priorities are this comparison screen shot of CNN vs Al Jazeera from yesterday (you might have seen it on my twitter, Sean).

http://i.imgur.com/NVih0.jpg

[scearley]

It's not even the news. Where are the Jesse Jacksons and Al Sharptons? All news reports (local, obviously) are saying that Easter shootings are expected. But where are the people, where is leadership to do something about it? How about saying something before it happens before it starts?

Because, simply, anyone who says something will be called racist.

ETA: DAMMIT FIREFOX

In the end the news looks at the military. Maybe it's because the military, maybe it's because they're overseas, because news that happens further away is easier to report on. This is news. But so is what happened in NYC. It's not being talked about. That's the biggest news story.

[entropic_system]

Agreed. And the fact that we've tossed 715 billion dollars down the drain for Iraq is a little sickening. Imagine what that money could have been used for.

[entropic_system]

Well put.

[dakotaluna]

I just thought I'd tell you this sparked an hour+ long discussion at 3AM this morning, tinged with Vicodin. We went all the way back to WWI, the bomb, Vietnam, etc. It was interesting.

Anyway, Robert does not want see The Hurt Locker. It's in my Netflix queue. I could bring it over when I get it, if you'd like. An excuse to hang out and see the kids.