D'oh - dupe by 1 min - U.S. Town Sees GIs as Real Victims in Iraq Abuse

[Barrett808]

U.S. Town Sees GIs as Real Victims in Iraq Abuse
By Cyrille Cartier

CUMBERLAND, Md. (Reuters) - For many in the sleepy town of Cumberland, home of the military company at the heart of the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal, the U.S. soldiers are the real victims and the Iraqis had it coming.

In bars, shops and throughout the town of 21,000 people, residents gathered on Friday to watch Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld testify to Congress about the abuses that involved soldiers from their local 372nd Military Policy company.

For some, shock mingled with embarrassment over their hometown's sudden and unwelcome notoriety. For many others, sympathy for the soldiers far outweighed their concerns.

"Excuse me, if I see somebody dragging my people through the streets and hung up on a bridge -- I mean, the bible even says an eye for an eye," said retired Vietnam War veteran Robert Zalewski, 56, drinking a beer at Pete's Parkview Tavern and Grill.

"People are trying to kill you. You got to protect yourself," he said, adding the abuse by the soldiers was "half what they (Iraqis) have done to us."

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040507/us_nm/iraq_abuse_town_dc&cid=1896&ncid=1480

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Given that this occurred prior to the Falloujah incident, how do we know

Falloujah wasn't payback for the torture incidents? Word probably did get out on the streets.

Someone needs to tell these stupid fucks that an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind...wait..maybe that's their problem.

[The Stranger]

2. For the last time, the mercenaries who were killed and dragged were the

victims of a mob of people who have been invaded, starved, gassed, murdered, occupied and now beseiged. It was not done by the Iraqi military or even "insurgents."

On the contrary, the U.S. has already MURDERED at least two Iraqi prisoners of war, and is under investigation in many other cases. The Iraqis did not abuse (much less murder) any of the U.S. prisoners of war -- Jessica Lynch and the recent escapee were treated well and given very scarce medical treatment. IT IS THE U.S. THAT IS MURDERING P.O.W.'S.

[WI_DEM]

3. this is the kind of backlash "my country right or wrong"

kind of mentality that the Bushies will be hoping will be generated.

[slor]

4. What a bunch of f**king idiots...

They do not even bother to see the basic fact that the torture came long before the former spec ops went through a area that was considered dangerous, and got into deep trouble. I am sick of these idiots ruining my fucking country!!!!!!!!!

[leftistagitator]

5. And now you know who the Germans were

who said the Jews had it coming. Murder and rape of innocent Iraqi civilians is OK because a different group of Iraqis did something bad to some mercenaries of ours. This disgusting pit of depravity is lodged deep within our country, can we be saved?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

6. Have another beer, Zalewski. What a moron.

[arcane1]

7. don't give me that self-defense bullshit, again!!

*head explodes*

these people will rationalize anything