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aeroplane
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
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Location: Valhalla
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 Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2006 2:18 pm Post subject: UK Troops Filmed Beating Iraqi Children |
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UK soldiers 'filmed beating Iraqis'
Sunday, February 12, 2006; Posted: 6:17 a.m. EST (11:17 GMT)
(CNN) -- Britain has opened an investigation into new allegations of abuse by its forces in Iraq after a newspaper released what it described as videos showing soldiers savagely beating Iraqi youths.
The News of the World said on Sunday the eight soldiers' attack, which followed a scene showing youths throwing stones at the soldiers, was videotaped in southern Iraq in early 2004. CNN has not confirmed the authenticity of the film.
Britain's defense ministry said it was aware of the "serious allegations" and that a military police investigation was looking into them.
"We condemn all acts of abuse and brutality and always treat any allegations of wrongdoing extremely seriously," said a spokesman.
Allegations of mistreatment have been leveled at British troops before, but not on the scale of the abuse carried out by Americans against prisoners at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib jail in a scandal that shocked the world in 2004.
Three British soldiers were jailed last year in a case brought after the publication of pictures taken in 2003 that showed Iraqi prisoners being beaten and forced to pose in sexually humiliating positions.
But another set of photos, which appeared in the Mirror newspaper, proved to be a hoax.
The News of the World said the latest scenes, which lasted about two minutes, were videotaped by a corporal "for fun," apparently from a nearby rooftop.
On the tape, the youths' pleas for mercy are ignored. The beatings include what appears to be a British soldier kicking one of the youths, shown pinned to the ground by other soldiers, in the genitals.
In another case, a soldier puts a boy in a headlock, then releases him only to butt his head against the boy's, then strike his fist on the boy's head.
The youth's cries can be heard on the tape, which shows a minute's worth of the attack -- with 42 blows counted, according to the newspaper. .
The tape includes what sounds like a running commentary of approval from the cameraman. "Oh yes! Oh yes! You're gonna get it. Yes, naughty little boys!" the narrator can be heard saying as the blows land. "Die! Ha, ha!"
The News of the World said the video was shown to friends of the corporal in Europe, and one of them reported the incident to the tabloid newspaper.
The paper said it chose not to identify the soldiers' unit and regiment for security reasons.
The paper quoted the informant as saying: "These Iraqis were just kids. Most haven't even got shoes on. Those eight soldiers were pumped up and out of control. They're an insult to the thousands of soldiers who have worked so hard in Iraq with courage and dignity for so long.
"They're nothing but a gang of thugs."
Soldiers jailed
British Brigadier Martin Rutledge, chief of staff of the adjutant general, described the images as "extremely disturbing."
"We condemn all acts of abuse and always treat any allegations of wrongdoing extremely seriously.
"Over 80,000 service men and women have served in Iraq since military service operations began. And a tiny number are alleged to be involved in instances of deliberate abuse. The most important thing now is that we now establish the facts and allow the legal process to run its course."
British Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn called for troops alleged to be involved to be suspended.
"I think it's awful and I think it will cause a lot of trouble in Iraq and I think it will also emphasize the whole point that the continued presence of British and American forces in Iraq are part of the problem, not the solution," he told ITV on Sunday. |
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/02/12/iraq.beatings/index.html
_________________
"Penalties against the possession of a drug
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Johnny J
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
Joined: 14 Dec 2005
Posts: 141
Location: Chicago, Illinois
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| Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2006 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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aeroplane --
Thanks for this invaluable post.
virtually all of the american public is uneasy about the Iraq operation, but most of them 'Support' the 'decent' american (& brit) boys & girls trying to 'help' those poor people. according to most americans, the 'liberal' press does not show all the 'good' things that the U.S. is trying to do. I myself have personally spoken to such people. they see abu ghraib, the summary killing of prisoners in Fallujah, this film, etc. as isolated examples, or choose not to think about them at all.
the occupation is brutal and repressive and designed to cow and intimidate the Iraqis to submitting to american will. Iraqis want the U.S. & their British stooges out of Iraq immediately. the very fact this occurred in the British section, which 'presumably' was 'pacified, allied & friendly' shows the depth of the resentment & anger of the Iraqis.
Johnny J!!  : |
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aeroplane
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 1472
Location: Valhalla
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:15 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe they would be happier with news footage like this:
Is This The Way To Armadillo?
Whaddya think? 
_________________
"Penalties against the possession of a drug
should not be more damaging to the individual
than the drug itself."
US President Jimmy Carter
Last edited by aeroplane on Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:27 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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aeroplane
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 1472
Location: Valhalla
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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But they probably would not like this one to be aired on the news.
Fallujah: The Hidden Massacre
_________________
"Penalties against the possession of a drug
should not be more damaging to the individual
than the drug itself."
US President Jimmy Carter |
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Johnny J
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
Joined: 14 Dec 2005
Posts: 141
Location: Chicago, Illinois
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| Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2006 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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"It's a long way . . . to Tiperrary, . . . its a long way . . . back home . . ."
I spent a night once in Amarillo, just down the road from Tucumcari . . . I'm not sure which place is better -- Amarillo or Iraq.
I'll have to give this to the Brits -- they do imperialism with much more style and panache than the Americans.
Johnny J!! : |
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aeroplane
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 1472
Location: Valhalla
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| Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Johnny J wrote: |
"It's a long way . . . to Tiperrary, . . . its a long way . . . back home . . ."
I spent a night once in Amarillo, just down the road from Tucumcari . . . I'm not sure which place is better -- Amarillo or Iraq.
I'll have to give this to the Brits -- they do imperialism with much more style and panache than the Americans.
Johnny J!! : |
You're right 'bout that, JJ. The yankie version of that song was so boring and serious that it fell out of ranking months ago.  The australian version ain't too bad though. 
_________________
"Penalties against the possession of a drug
should not be more damaging to the individual
than the drug itself."
US President Jimmy Carter |
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