PAYING THE FIDDLER Far too many of our wars have engendered circumstances which can, especially when viewed from afar, may seemed to have been action's far afield from the levels of standards by which we lived at the time.
We are beset, even now, by insistent allegations that military actions undertaken by a detachment of American marines were improper and even criminal. Extensive investigation of the incident are now in progress and we should known soon concerning the alleged attack which may have taken place during a military operation to take possession of one, enemy-occupied dwelling. The allegation is that American forces physically removed unarmed Iraqi civilians from that house and shot them.
We all remember a previous incident in this same area, in which it was show that
American forces, or a very small segment of them - men and women - did, indeed, engaged in bestial conduct using Iraqi prisoners under their custodial care as victims of their improper conduct. And for those of us with a few more years totaled up, who among us can forget the sense of absolute shock and shame which came upon upon may of - may I point out - not all of us - when we first heard details of the Mai Lei Affair which forced many of us to think about actual elements of military life most would rather not talk about at all. I have purposely avoided any mention of sentencing meted in any such cases because that is one part of all of this which has been... is now... and will continue to be questioned and discussed for many years. Too much? Or, not enough?
No one can say how this latest scandal will turn out. When the investigation phase dried up and media segment given to exploiting details find the are selling fewer papers as they start repeating assorted sordid details all over again. Each case has an legitimacy about it. Organizations do have flaws built-in and branches of our armed forces are not immune from such demeaning conditions.
I have often felt that any person who has ever been in a war time combat zone have thought, and - to a degree been concerned about civilians been killed or wounded. They are, regardless of when or where an extended portion of the family of loved ones we have left behind in our homeland.
Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 6-3-06 [406wds]
