you reap, reap, reap, just what you sow...
So.
A British combat unit came under attack from a group of youths throwing rocks, bottles and HOME MADE HANDGRENADES. Rather than opening fire, as almost any other army would have done, they captured four of the perpetrators. And rather than having them imprisoned for years they gave the trouble makers a good thrashing and sent them on their way. It happened two years ago. And none of the lads made a formal complaint, mainly I suspect, because they felt they had got off pretty lightly.
But now there is a video & we're supposed to be outraged?
pah and foo-ey.
A British combat unit came under attack from a group of youths throwing rocks, bottles and HOME MADE HANDGRENADES. Rather than opening fire, as almost any other army would have done, they captured four of the perpetrators. And rather than having them imprisoned for years they gave the trouble makers a good thrashing and sent them on their way. It happened two years ago. And none of the lads made a formal complaint, mainly I suspect, because they felt they had got off pretty lightly.
But now there is a video & we're supposed to be outraged?
pah and foo-ey.
posted by Old Man Rich at 11:02 AM
18 Comments:
hmmmm not sure I agree. It all seemed a bit over the top to me. A few kids throwing stones doesn't deserve that sort of beating, this was beyond their duty, they seemed to be enjoying it, certainly the camera man was.
How they would have been dealt with by other forces is irrelevant, our troops are supposed to uphold the law and represent our country and it's monarch. Hearts and Minds eh?
A few kids throwing stones?
It was a riot & they were throwing grenades.
These are soldiers, not social workers. I think they showed admirable restraint. Hearts and minds doesnt mean smiling whilst they kill you.
too much velvet glove. not enough iron fist. When the hordes come over the wall who do you want to defend you? Highly trained troops who kill without hesitation or the cast of the waltons? A kicking was too good for those scum. A bullet in the head will make them think twice about throwing stones at our fine lads.
Do I detect a note of sarcasm?
the boys got a deserved beating.
more importantly, its a trivial matter & in no way justifies the outcry, TV airtime, million pound enquiries and rightious indignation and embassy burning thats about to follow,
I say again
Pah and foo-ey
Have you actually seen the video Rich? There are no grenades, no firebombs, just a bunch of kids with stones who ran like the wind when the troops legged after them. Hardly a hard core militia equipped with RPG's was it?
I don’t think it's trivial; this sort of behaviour puts other soldiers at risk from reprisal attacks and brings into question the honour of the British Forces.
Of course I want bad ass mean troops to protect my Country should it ever come to it, but they have to know when and where to implement their training and to what degree and kicking the shit out of a 15 year old is as about as honourable as filming it.
Yup. several times.
The report says that home made handgrenades were used. And I've had worse kickings than that on a fun friday in worcester. You throw rocks at people, their gonna get cross. You throw grenades at soldiers your gonna get killed.
I say again, they had it coming.
they got off light.
The guy who filmed it was a bit of a prat, but thats unfortunately not a crime.
its an overblown non story.
Pah & foo-ey.
Next time punish them properly.
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1722413.html
"The soldiers are shown apparently dragging four youths into an army compound from the streets where groups of young Iraqis had been throwing stones at soldiers."
A bunch of kids chucking stones.
I didn't realise all you had to do be in the army these days is be able to kick the crap out of a child.
To be fair rich, any beatings you've had are probably well deserved! :)
Beat a child? cheap shot Merk. They looked like teenagers to me - as are many of our soldiers.
And what did you want our solidiers to do exactly? They are there at the request of (or at least with the consent of) a democratically elected goverment to help ensure/restore law and order. A gang of youths is throwing stones (and the BBC news 24 said a home made grenade) at them. They can run away, thereby conding violent protest, ensuring it continues & failing in their duty. They can wait until someone loses an eye & then open fire. Or they can spank a few lads & scare the crap out of them so they don't do it again. I think they made the right choice. But my main point is, people are blowing the crap out of each other all over the place. Genuine outrages abound and are ignored. These thugs were not beaten to death, tortured, or maimed. And all over the world people are. Four violent thugs getting a bit of a kicking is not front page news. Its being blown out of any sense of proportion.
PAH & FOO-EY
Well we're going to have to agree to disagree on this, just because worse shit happens elsewhere doesn't mean this should go ignored. Of course you are right that other stuff goes on without the blink of an eye, that is wrong.
You're right, the troops are there to maintain law and order, not dish out their own brand of punishment as and when they please.
If you think these kids (and they were kids, no more than 15 years old) wont grow up thinking of avenging those who where there to give his country freedom but instead kicked them in the nuts then you're more misguded than I thought.
Think of the outcry if this was in the UK - Law and Order is the key here, how can you promote law and order when your troops cant even keep to it themselves.
On a lighter note. we're having post work drinkies in the crown if your up for it. Will be in 'bout 6.
You start throwing stones at police during a protest over here and watch the police wade in with boots and batons. This is how we keep the peace.
I also notice you don't say what you think those soldiers should have done. May be they should have put those violent offenders through the Iraqui justice system instead. But I'm betting that a beating was preferable option.
I remember when I was a kid getting caught putting lighted fireworks in car exhausts by the local bobby & getting a serious thick ear. And being very pleased that he didn't arrest me. Or tell my dad. And I don't go out seeking revenge against all police. I was doing something I knew was wrong & I got caught and punished. fair play.
If you throw rocks at soldiers then dont be surprised if they give you a good slapping.
And if you want to claim outrage at something trivial whilst happily ignoring far more important issues that don't support your agenda, well go burn a Danish embassy.
I will try & pop in. I might throw a few rocks at your head as this is clearly now acceptable behavior. :-)
xxx
I'm not claiming outrage, I just don’t think its right, and I don’t think it should be swept under the carpet now it's out. For me this has nothing to do with any 'agenda' so I hope that wasn't aimed at me specifically?
I think the troops should have done what the other 20 or so did and that was chase them off and return to your barracks.
The police here would wade in certainly, but they wouldn't drag people into their compound and beat the fuck out of them. If they did, there would be questions to answer - just like there is now.
It wasn't.
It was aimed at the predictable response in the Arab press.
If the victims had been beaten to death, or seriosly hurt or even deliberately humiliated then maybe I would give a toss. But they wern't, they were throwing rocks at squaddies & got a kicking for their trouble. ce la vie. happens most fridays in aldershot.
But the press have chosen to sensationalise it and now I am going to have a fortune of my tax money wasted on an enquiry because a group of youth threw stones at squadies & got a kicking for it.
which ther frankly deserved.
so pah & foo-ey
I have quite a few army mates and to be honest this shit happens a lot.
That puts me with OMR on this one, you are under constant threat, day in, day in, in a fucking horrible environment, life at risk and all that; trying to follow orders to do something you might not even agree with.
The stone attacks and home made bombs are quite common, most of the time the UK tropps keep a lid on it and stay out. Sometimes you get so fucked off with the constant shit that you take that anger out on the kids/young people.
That's war, that's life. There are no rules just men and women doing the best they can.
Peace.
Good to read some rational debate on this. If anything, this story cements for me the notion that one in a position of authority (no matter how slight) cannot give up one's dignity (no matter how tempting).
In my case, that means I never lay hands on a kid--not to nudge his feet off a desk, not to prevent her from walking out of the classroom, and certainly not to show any kind of force. But there's a world of difference between being a teacher when the kids go home at 2:30 and being in a war when people are constantly trying to kill you . . . .
Apparently a poll has revealed that 72% of the british public felt that the soldiers acted reasonably. Since if it had been the republican gard, the Saudi police, or indeed almost any other armed force, those boys would be dead I tend to agree, they're doing a tough job better than anyone else could.
Interesting that this was outed by the news of the world - previously noted for there 'support our boys unconditionally or your a traitor, all forigners deserve a beating' editorial style. Could it be that they realised that this would do our armed forces absolutely no harm whilst waving a red rag to the anti western extremists in the Arab world. Who are leaping on it with glee. There are people determined to drive a wedge between east and west, they're not all muslim extremists, we have our share of extreme right wing scum, many of whome work for our tabloids.
Post a Comment
<< Home