New and shocking footage of British troops torturing Iraqis...

Richdog · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:40

GAC said:
none of us here know what happend as the video is only 2 minutes long and is from 2004, it starts with 4 people being dragged in to the compond. we dont know what they where doing before hand.

Eh? Unless my eyes were deceiving me that 2 minutes showed 4 weaponless and defenceless Iraqis being cruelly beaten by 5x their number of "professional" British troops. What they did before that is immaterial, they were in no position to threaten anyone.

The fact that a steady stream of troops were caually walking by and not running towards the group on alert is proof that there had been no gunfire or serious threat from the Iraqis being beaten.

I don't really see how this particular video is capable of being defended as appropriate or necessary... I appreciate that they are under threat of death every day they are out there but in a modern army that is under constant scrutiny from the worlds media there is NO excuse for barbarism.

Gerard · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:40

ants83 said:
You know how difficult it is for the forces guys over there???You try walking around knowing your next step could be your last.

Yes and these guys were obviously forced into joining the british army :rolleyes:

, thats no excuse at all.

Mik3 · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:41

ants83 said:
You know how difficult it is for the forces guys over there???You try walking around knowing your next step could be your last.

That does not justify torture.

ants83 · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:42

its no excuse but these things work both ways. was it ok for them to set fire to the lads in the tank?

PardonTheWait · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:44

ants83 said:
its no excuse but these things work both ways. was it ok for them to set fire to the lads in the tank?

No, but those guys are not conscripts. They're there because they joined the Army, they weren't drafted.

The British Army are not there to beat civilians with sticks.

xyphic · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:46

ants83 said:
You know how difficult it is for the forces guys over there???You try walking around knowing your next step could be your last.

That doesn't excuse their behaviour. Like it or not, they are in high-profile jobs, where something like this reflects extremely badly not only on themselves, but on their country as well. The kids that were beaten up were not a threat to the troops, they were beaten to set an example, or just to satisfy some sick need on the parts of the troops to let off steam. I think the commentary on the film shows this.

I don't see how anyone can do anything but condemn this kind of behaviour. We're supposedly over there to help keep the peace. This is more likely to provoke hostility than to quell it -- and yes, I know this happened a while ago, but it's likely to make the situation over there more volatile now that it's out.

ants83 · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:47

Well someone has to do the job and I have a lot of respect for them regardless of what the media report. This countrys in a terrible state and those who join the military should not be slated.

Mik3 · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:48

ants83 said:
its no excuse but these things work both ways. was it ok for them to set fire to the lads in the tank?

Different people, different situation, I dont see the relevance to this discussion - the people burning the tank had nothing to do with those getting tortured.

Von Smallhausen · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:48

Well they do not represent the British public really. Why ? Because they are trained professional soldiers and the public are not.

The public see the great power of the media, they see what people want them to see. They don't see British troops blown in half by a roadside bomb do they ?

While some may see this as condoning such actions, I really do back our troops 100% out there. Iraq and the Basra region is one of the most volatile in the world and violence needs to be put down with violence. These troops run a gauntlet of bullets, RPG's, petrol bombs and roadside bombs. If this sort of thing goes on, there is a reason for it and I will certainly not condemn British forces on the face of this video.

Are people naive enough to think that beatings do not go on in such warzones ? It happens folks, be it in Northern Ireland, Hong Kong ( when it was a British Crown Colony. Troops patrolled the Chinese border with pick axe handles as well as guns ) and any other hotspot where troops are.

The world is not as sugar coated or simple as some would believe.

alexakasloth · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:48

Mik3 said:
Great! replace one barbaric regime with another, that will sort all the problems out.

Revenge is sweet.

ants83 · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:48

yes it will make things wose and the general public need not to have known about this.

ants83 · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:50

Von Smallhausen said:
Well they do not represent the British public really. Why ? Because they are trained professional soldiers and the public are not.

The public see the great power of the media, they see what people want them to see. They don't see British troops blown in half by a roadside bomb do they ?

While some may see this as condoning such actions, I really do back our troops 100% out there. Iraq and the Basra region is one of the most volatile in the world and violence needs to be put down with violence. These troops run a gauntlet of bullets, RPG's, petrol bombs and roadside bombs. If this sort of thing goes on, there is a reason for it and I will certainly not condemn British forces on the face of this video.

Are people naive enough to think that beatings do not go on in such warzones ? It happens folks, be it in Northern Ireland, Hong Kong ( when it was a British Crown Colony. Troops patrolled the Chinese border with pick axe handles as well as guns ) and any other hotspot where troops are.

The world is not as sugar coated or simple as some would believe.

Thats 100% correct. Enough said.

Caged · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:51

I've seen the video, the guy with the camera sounds like he's rubbing one out over the whole scene, he's pretty funny to listen to.

Edit: "Ooh you naughty boy"

divine` · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:57

I think Von has summed it up nicely there

NiCkNaMe · 12 Feb 2006 at 20:00

You've got to remember soliders aren't normal people. They aren't taugh to treat enemy forces with respect and abide to the law - they're taught to kill.

If these iraqi's were vandalising the camp then the soliders know no better than to kick **** in them, which imo I couldn't care less about because the fools should have known better before ******* our troops off

gib786 · 12 Feb 2006 at 20:03

Im not suprised by this, the troops shouldnt even be in iraq, too many soldiers have died over nothing, but then again thats the gov's fault

Mik3 · 12 Feb 2006 at 20:04

Von Smallhausen said:
Well they do not represent the British public really. Why ? Because they are trained professional soldiers and the public are not.

The public see the great power of the media, they see what people want them to see. They don't see British troops blown in half by a roadside bomb do they ?

While some may see this as condoning such actions, I really do back our troops 100% out there. Iraq and the Basra region is one of the most volatile in the world and violence needs to be put down with violence. These troops run a gauntlet of bullets, RPG's, petrol bombs and roadside bombs. If this sort of thing goes on, there is a reason for it and I will certainly not condemn British forces on the face of this video.

Are people naive enough to think that beatings do not go on in such warzones ? It happens folks, be it in Northern Ireland, Hong Kong ( when it was a British Crown Colony. Troops patrolled the Chinese border with pick axe handles as well as guns ) and any other hotspot where troops are.

The world is not as sugar coated or simple as some would believe.

But these beatings serve no purpose, does beating someone help the overall situation in Iraq?

Sleepy · 12 Feb 2006 at 20:06

NiCkNaMe said:
You've got to remember soliders aren't normal people. They aren't taugh to treat enemy forces with respect and abide to the law - they're taught to kill.

I wasn't aware that Iraqi citizens were our enemy, remind me what are our forces doing over there?

KaHn · 12 Feb 2006 at 20:07

Von Smallhausen said:
snip.

Couldn't of said it any better, I am glad I am not the only one who realise that no matter how "fake" the reasons for going to Iraq were the fact that we are there now means we have to stay.

KaHn

Sleepy · 12 Feb 2006 at 20:07

Von Smallhausen said:
Well they do not represent the British public really. Why ? Because they are trained professional soldiers and the public are not.

The public see the great power of the media, they see what people want them to see. They don't see British troops blown in half by a roadside bomb do they ?

While some may see this as condoning such actions, I really do back our troops 100% out there. Iraq and the Basra region is one of the most volatile in the world and violence needs to be put down with violence. These troops run a gauntlet of bullets, RPG's, petrol bombs and roadside bombs. If this sort of thing goes on, there is a reason for it and I will certainly not condemn British forces on the face of this video.

Are people naive enough to think that beatings do not go on in such warzones ? It happens folks, be it in Northern Ireland, Hong Kong ( when it was a British Crown Colony. Troops patrolled the Chinese border with pick axe handles as well as guns ) and any other hotspot where troops are.

The world is not as sugar coated or simple as some would believe.

head. bucket. sand.