These are Iraq War veterans accounts of war crimes committed in Iraq and their involvement (requires Flash or Windows Media video).

All are members of Iraq Veterans Against the War.

http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&products_id=205390-1

According to this group, 'war crimes against civilians were encouraged by unit commanders'.

some people are willing to exploit things, and make up anything for their 15 minutes of fame. If this was the case I am sure there would be far more people standing up and telling the truth. I have a lot, and I mean a LOT of friends in 2 branches of the service and never once have they ever descrived anything like that

So just because it contradicts the official Bush Administration spin on the Iraq War means it isn't true, that these things never happened?

Have you ever thought that your friends never described anything like that because they couldn't or just didn't want to talk about them?

no because a lot of them are the same people I shared the sandbox with. Soldiers don't lie about anything like that to their brothers. The bond among soldiers who shared combat is far more than the average person will ever know

yeah, that sure looks like official united states policy, and an indicator of normal soldier behavior. There are videos of anti war demonstrators attacking people, is that normal of you guys too? If you didnt spend any time of there you are doing a huge disservice by believing this **** to our men in uniform

nice edit, I wil repost what you said and place the url back up if you do not. Your choice

originally posted by mnhiker

There was a video on Youtube of soldiers abusing children, throwing a puppy off a cliff and shooting at a civilian by the side of the road. I just can't find it right now.

These things have and do happen no matter what you say.

The majority of soldiers do not do these things, but they happen and there is video footage to prove it.

Duck your head in the sand like an ostrich and pretend they don't happen just like all of the other brainwashed sheeple.

and anti abortion folks bomb clinics to "preserve life", peace time soldiers in japan rape children, priests molest children, liberals attack conservatives, conservatives attack liberals. There are examples of abuse by people in all walks of life during all times, it doesn't make the exception the rule anymore in iraq than anywhere else. You people puff your chest, and point your fingers whenever you find the smallest, pettiest example of something you do not believe in. I am sure you yourself have never teased, taunted or bullied another person at anytime in your life. You yourself have done dishonorable things in your past whether you want to admit to them or not. Nobody is perfect, everyone has done things they wish they could turn the clock back on. Do not characterize the average united states soldiers behavior by a rare example of misconduct on you tube

Did I ever say that this is what the average soldier does?

You're twisting my words the way you want them.

The fact that these things happen at all is proof that there are some things that are seriously wrong.

Long tours of duty, boredom, etc... these all lead to this type of behavior.

It's as much a problem of how the soldiers are treated than the acts themselves.

so explain the behavior of these other people who do wrong things in times of peace, and/or peaceful professions? There is not always an easy explanation for it, nor is the real explanation the one you always expect it to be

Typical misdirection.

I'm not going to defend or condemn what other people do in other walks of life.

The topic here is the Iraq War, and the f**ked up things that happen in it, not what some lawyer does in New Jersey or what some polygamist does in Texas!

Stay on topic!

I have kept up with this testimony and they do have valid concerns. I feel badly for them.

lol, I am on topic. You are basically saying that the war has forced people to throw puppies off cliffs, and tease kids with water bottles. While the fact that people who are over here in "civilization" do the same thing is irrelevant. You can't have it both ways,if you claim that this is a byproduct of iraq you must first explain how the same behavior is exhibited here first

Who knows? Man's inhumanity to man.

I was in the military for 4 years.

When you're in the military, you represent the United States to the citizenry of whatever country you're in.

I had to and I've done 2 Persian Gulf tours.

If a soldier represents the United States badly, then the civilians remember this and it could be the deciding factor for them to fight for the insurgency against Americans.

yes just as a police officer who is corrupt, or a politician, or a firefighter, etc. I know it sucks to see these examples, but they are not brought on by the war, they are brought on by a persons character, or lack of. I do not support that behavior, but it is not the norm of the us soldier as you well know. Some people are hateful no matter what clothes they are wearing. I completely agree with you on your representative speech, but it is not caused by the conflict

Well it's good we can agree on something.

Whatever it's caused by, character or something else, the military needs to do a better job at trying to identify it early on before these incidents happen.

yes we can certianly agree on a lot of things.Just because I don't agree with your position, I can certainly sympathize with the frustration with the war. I do not agree with the way it is being fought. I do not agree with the free pass people have been given, I do not believe that the patriot act is in the best interest of the american people, and I do not believe that we have enough soldiers there to contain the situation

Well I guess we agree on more things than disagree.