How to win the battle for hearts & minds…errr not like this

Originally posted by Coredweller


The real question is how did this happen?  What the hell happened to the chain of command?  Someone wasn\'t paying attention and properly overseeing these contractors or whoever they are.  This may be little worse than a hazing, but the unfortunate reality is that\'s not good enough.  With the biases that are held against us in the Middle East, we need to be FLAWLESS in their eyes.

I agree with most of your post, however there is no way we will ever be "flawless" in their eyes.  Some Sunni\'s blow up some Shiites and who do they blame?  Us.  It is physically impossible to stop every act of violence these groups want to do to each other.  

The Iraqi\'s in general need to lower their expectations and pitch in to help if they really want their lives to improve.  Sitting back and blaming the coalition for everything that goes wrong is counterproductive - do they really think things will get better if we leave.  That is a willing suspension of disbelief.

Iraqis burn our troops alive and torture their own people and when we take a naked picture of them we are just as bad.

I don\'t know about you but I would definately prefer having someone take a picture of me naked with a bag over my head than be burned alive or pushed off the side of a building.

Originally posted by Black Samurai
Iraqis burn our troops alive and torture their own people and when we take a naked picture of them we are just as bad.

Unfortunately, that\'s the reality of this situation.  We have to deal with it.

You know all of you are right... i mean in the Arab World...

They will all wake ... read and watch the TV coverage  throw their hands in the air and say...

"you know what... it is kind of Funny.. i mean look at that Guy he has that Female American Soilder holding and point at his penis"

:rolleyes:

lets face it ... we will be VERY lucky if this results in a slight increase in violence toward the colloition troops.

worst case...

It could result in brutal reprisals from the insurgents that still hold foreign nationals and could lead to further attacks exposed civilian personnel.

But hey… what do we care is just a Frat hazing :rolleyes:

if somepople in here had thier way the people that took the pictures would reveive medals.

Originally posted by ooseven


"you know what... it is kind of Funny.. i mean look at that Guy he has that Female American Soilder holding and point at his penis"

:rolleyes:

i know that thats sarcastic but somehow i wish that it would be  like that... but unfortunately thats only gonna get more people to hate the American troops, coz it really doesnt matter if it was blown out of proportion, this is just gonna give all these groups around here more fuel to add to their already raging fire.

Originally posted by Tyrant
i know that thats sarcastic but somehow i wish that it would be  like that... tbut unfortunately thats only get more people to hate the American troops, coz it really doesnt matter if it was blown out of proportion, this is just gonna give all these groups around here more fuel to add to their already raging fire.

Trust me I also wished it was a sick joke or dream when i saw it on this morning news.

It is encouraging that the US military had this prison under investigation for sometime.

The reaction of President Bush and Prime Minister Blair was spot on.

Now they need make an example of them, and to be seen to punish the soldiers involved.

Damage Control should be the Pentagons Top Priority over this.

Its Tyrant!  Bahrain from what I understand is pretty liberal when compared to other Arab countries.  Don\'t you all have legalized gambling and stuff?

You are right to about it fueling the fire.  That is why I think it was irresponsible for the networks to air it.  Especially a US network.  In anycase it was wrong and I do think those responsible should be disciplined.  What the hell were they thinking taking pictures?  Its like R Kelly videotaping his sexual encounters with underage girls.

Originally posted by GigaShadow
Its Tyrant!  Bahrain from what I understand is pretty liberal when compared to other Arab countries.  Don\'t you all have legalized gambling and stuff?

we are much more liberal compared to other arab countries but gambling isnt legal around here.

I thought you all had casino\'s and stuff and Arabs from other neighboring countries liked to visit Bahrain because it has a lot less restrictioms... it was so long ago I studied it... is alcohol legal?

Originally posted by GigaShadow
I thought you all had casino\'s and stuff and Arabs from other neighboring countries liked to visit Bahrain because it has a lot less restrictioms... it was so long ago I studied it... is alcohol legal?

they do come from all over the just think of it as vegas without the gambling .. as for alcohol it is legal (in a sense) but in order to sell it, as in every other country u have to apply for a special permit. but at almost every hotel, nightclubs alcohol is available.

If alcohol is available, why were the drivers spraying each other with a fruit juice / rose petal beverage after the Bahrain Grand Prix?  

well as i recall their was some controversy about that so to keep everything cool (so to speak) with the religous groups and also to keep inline with the islamic traditions of the country, they opted to use this interesting mix on the podium (shumi had made a very funny remark about it too).
but according to some of the people i know who were involved with the Bahrain GP they told me that alcholic beverages were available in the paddock area..

oh and i forgot to mention yer not allowed to drink alcohol out in the open.

[clips]

it\'s only logical that these events happen,.especially since some soldiers have been burned hanged & ridiculed..just because it\'s isolated incident doesn\'t mean this type of behavior is not happening all the time...the soldiers after all are human. And when you\'re on the battlefied watching you\'re partner get shot or blown away,..it\'s incredibly hard to maintain that level of professionalism.

that said the military still needs to show some kind of restraint from scenarios such as these. it\'s counterproductive for what the u.s. is trying to achieve & cannot be tolerated..forget about wmd\'s (none have turned up yet) the spin the u.s. is using is that they are liberators & to torture the prisoners like that in the same torture bldg that saddam used will just ignite the muslum world ten times over..

I just love the double standard when it comes to our proud men and women being displayed in degrading ways, yet it seems to be acceptable for US to do it.

Lets keep this up for another 50 years and count how many more skyscrapers come crashing down or perhaps more embassy bombings.

Im curious to see how this all turns out in the short and long run.

Today, the biggest newspaper here had a picture of a British soldier urinating on an Iraqi prisoner. They also beat him and then dumped him on the road from a moving military vehicle.

http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/nyheter/story/0,2789,471260,00.html

Amnesty warned of this a long time ago. There are also allegations of this going on in Afghanistan.