Brian,
Thank you for the warning reguarding the graphic pictures of the killing of Iraqi people. I can not look at those pictures because I can see the horror of this violent war in the eyes and body language of my husband, a National Guard soldier from SD who has been in Bagdad for the last nine months. He never speaks about what he as seen, but losing 4 soldiers from his unit since December has aging him quickly. I don't have to turn on the nightly news to see the what is going on over in Iraq, I can feel the unspoken horror he has faced.

Brian ...

Thank you from the bottom of my tender heart for the warnings you included about the link to the photos you spoke about in this blog. Thank you for understanding and caring that you have some readers of your blog, such as myself, who are sensitive and are unable to veiw such horrible photographs. For myself, words are worth a thousand pictures, and visual aid is unnecessary for me to grasp the situation. Thank you for giving me the chance to decide for myself whether or not to view the photos. I have chosen not to click on the link, and I am comfortable with my decision.

I'm just sorry that you "had" to view the photos yourself, Brian ... even though it was your job to do so. It is obvious to me from the words you used preceding the link that the photographs troubled you enormously. Hugs to you -- with your lovely wife's permission, of course :-)

LOL about the "Bucket of Compliance" ... like they say, "It's all about the packaging!"

Americans have trouble dealing with reality. The graphic scenes of war do not fit into our sanitized world. Perhaps we have been too far removed from the reality of life and of war. Few of us have ever visited a slaughter house, or actually killed a chicken or hog for dinner, yet we savor the taste of these dishes. We do not know the smell of burning human flesh, as I am sure many soldiers and Iraqis have experienced in Iraq, nor have we hear the sound of an explosion at close range as both soldiers and civilians in Iraq have. And what of the children who witness these almost daily events. What have we have done these children and to the soldiers and the Iraqi people. Have we no shame?

"Coverage of these charges and these scenes must be counter-balanced by some sort of discussion of the pressures of combat, in my view..."

Why? Is the US no longer a nation of laws, or more exactly, a nation with one law for it's citizens and another for citizens of other countries ? If US Army personnel did massacre civilians then they need to be held to the same standard of accountability as other killers. Everyone knows war is hell and the terrible consequences that the 'pressures' of war can lead to. That's why it's supposed to be used as a last resort, not as the first choice of action. America has killed 10's of thousands of people abroad since the events of Septemeber 11, 2001, and incarcerated thousands more, many without any formal charges or a hearing of any kind.

If all of this killing and lawlessness can be waved away because "hey, war is tough on our good men and women in the uniform" then God help us all.

I'm from Texas and I also am ashamed that our president has committed us to this war strictly of choice. Considering his stellar performance in the National Guard, what would one expect? But when I passed through Atlanta, all I could do was marvel and pray silently for out troops. I support them immensely, but not because I believe in the war. I support them because they are humans trying to do an terribly difficult job that has been made worse by fighting on the "cheap" while Blackwater mercenaries and contracted drivers (KBR/Halliburton) make three or four times as much. Understaffed, underpaid, undervalued by out administration. Shame on GWB and his cabal. BTW... sure would like to see Cheney's energey policy notes. How about it??

thank you for posting this.

the people need to see this.

I just don't understand why if the Iraqis are exposed to this regularly and LIVE in this environment, Americans are not allowed to view these images from the beautiful and safe luxury of our homes.

If the Iraqis live in it, why can't we see it.

Thanks for your courage in posting these images.

Matt

PS: WHY NO COVERAGE OF HOW AMPHETAMINE USAGE IS CONTRIBUTING TO THESE INCIDENTS? THEY PASS THEM OUT LIKE CANDY. THat's what pushes these kids over the edge!

America is the land of clean skies and clean water. people live in neat houses with trimmed lawns and go to little league matches and car races. Afterwards they go have hamburgers at Burger King or, if they want to splurge, Sizzlers or Wendys. They smile, they say, "have a nice day," they shop at the mall for lovely clothes, and have their hair done. They shop at Home Depot so they can fix up the house to look even lovelier. NOTHING MUST ALLOW REALITY TO INTRUDE.

LOL, too (or, at least as loud as you can, in a library, which is actually rather quiet.)

What's your grille?

Brian, real news doesn't need to be 'counter-balanced.'
Just give us the facts, please. The fact that we're in Iraq killing people is sickening, with or without the pictures.

Brian,

Why does the US broadcast media insist on inserting warnings about "graphic" images? Are you afraid that viewers will be so disgusted that your ratings will suffer or something? It seems to me, these are precisely the images the US public needs to view -- and needs to view often -- so that the horrors of what has been perpetrated on the Iraqis in their name hits home. The photo of the baby with a hole in its scull that is among the shots you have linked to on Raw Story should be seen by every cheerleader for this war that is alive and breathing. Maybe they would then begin to comprehend just why they and their neo-fascist government are so despised in more civilized parts of the world.

About time MSNBC started paying attention to the articles at www.therawstory.com. Maybe now they can also report on some of the other topics that you can only find on the web instead of echoing what every other cable news network states. If you want a good story, read the one about the massive amounts of documented election fraud and how the press didn't say a peep about it.

The mainstream media in my opinion, does too much to sanitize the ugly realities of this war. As a country we have willingly sent our young kids into maelstrom that we ourselves can't imagine. We have a right to know the things that those kids see everyday.

You say "Coverage of these charges and these scenes must be counter-balanced by some sort of discussion of the pressures of combat". Could you please clarify this sentiment? Are you saying that our outrage at the execution of women and babies in wartime should be balanced by consideration of the stress on the trained, combat-vested, armed-to-the-teeth soldier who pulled the trigger? Would you extend this same generous sensitivity to the civilian-executing Wehrmacht corporal in 1944 Poland? If not, why not?

This is what happens when you decide to enter into a war of choice, based on "our very best intelligence".
Give me a break... we elected this SOB twice?? Once was stupid and scary enough. But twice?

i hope people do not look at these pictures and just forget them awaiting for the next news cast out of iraq of a bomb blast injuring american troops elsewhere.since the first bomb blast after the invasion i think people have just lost track of the number of attacks against the iraqis and the troops and become normalized to the civil unrest over there.when will the public rise and shout "one vietnam is enough". out of the rubble comes broken young dreams of a country promised so much.......rest in peace. thx for showing these pictures brian.

concerned world citizen

All this "happy News" never mind the corruption, the murders, the vote fraud..never mind about those .01 of bad eggs in the Marine corp, don't start at the TOP and work down...it all came from the White House Administration..when will they be held accountable?..so why the F**k don't you do your investigating there...No damn wonder nobody watches the news on TV or reads the damn News Papers..we are tired of the soft sell, bullshit and enabling, and the Corporate news medias version of the events..we know that the Corporations pay to play..and could care less about the real citizens of this once great country

The reasons for getting into the war in Viet Nam and in Iraq were told to the American people turned out to be lies. The reasons for staying in Nam and Iraq don't make sense. There was no time line to get out in Nam and none yet for Iraq. The goals were met in Iraq and new ones aren't in place.

The military force are suffering casualties every day and it goes on without end. The enemy in Nam and Iraq wear civilian clothes and blend in with the civilians. The enemy doesn't have a face. There are no front lines, no rules, only death.

Your comrades in arms, friends from home are being killed and you can't strike back because you can't see the enemy or know who is the enemy. Which face in the crowd triggered the IED? Frustration.

Mi Lai, Haditha.

Without a clear objective in mind, without knowing what your goals are and how to achieve them and knowing if you are winning or losing - other than the politicians telling you that you are winning - and without knowing when you have won/lost and when it is time to leave the frustrations of the military will be taken out on whomever is closest at hand.

The rules of engagement was to remove Saddam Hussain from power and his support of terrorism and WMDs. That was done. Now what? And for how long? Why? When will it be over?

If Bush had gone to Nam instead of on the campaign trail when he was in the Guard he would have asked these questions and more before going into Iraq, or at least listened to Powell.

When will we get the truth about Iraq?

I have seen the photos and I am very, very angry. What does a child have to do in this life to warrant receiving a bullet to the head? I personally don't care what the nationality is of the person or persons who did this to this family; the victims demand and deserve justice. If this was done by Americans, God help us all. Some of us are being turned into the very monsters we were alleged to save the Iraqis from. Prosecution and punishment should be leveled at everyone responsible - regardless of nationality, rank, or reason for doing this. A civilized society demands no less.

Do we Americans value the life of an Iraqi civilian the same as the life of an ordinary American? If so, then let us punish the men that did this the same way we would if they had done the same crime to an American family. Imagine men coming into your home out of unjustified rage, and executing your family members and then blowing up the home to cover it up. What kind of justice do you think our court system would hand down on them?

I often feel we don't percieve the Iraqi people as real people like our neighbors are here. News reports of another casualty in Iraq seems to be focused more on the 1 American that died rather than the 10 Iraqi guards that died with them. People are people wherever you go. Each of those Iraqis that died have thier own stories to tell. Their own hopes and dreams, families and friends, their own daily struggles, just like you and I.

If what is alleged actually occurred, then those Marines were acting illegaly and are criminals. It cannot be defended. However,when Islamic extremists kill, many are quick to assert that it is only a small fraction of the Muslim world that exhibits such behavior. But when something terrible is allegedly done by a few of our military, these same people try to tarnish the 99.9% of the rest of the Military that act honorably every day under tremendous stress. And I include the Press in this group.

If the iraqi people have to deal with such tragedy on a daily basis then I, as a citizen of the country that occupies them, should be able to view these horrible pictures. That is not too much to ask of me. In my mind there is just NO EXCUSE for this kind of behavior towards a people, especially when they did not even ask for us to come into their country. I am horribly angry at the Bush administration for all the many missteps and the absolute failure to listen to the good advice of folks who knew the region intricately, culturally and otherwise. And I feel sorry for our US troops who were also not prepared adequately to deal with the people of this region of the world. The longer the US is in Iraq the more irreparable damage we do to that country and to our standing in the world.

Brian, please tell me you did not just use the phrase "got all up in my grille." Please. I beg you.

I'm trying to hear it with your crisp articulation and cadence...and I just can't do it without laughing. I'm sorry. LOL