Shoot a few ragheads for the fun of it

Yesterday, the News Telegraph reported on the trophy videos of employees of a U.S. defense contractor enjoying themselves by shooting randomly at civilian cars in Iraq, in some cases apparently killing or injuring the occupants. The article suggested that the practice might have been the cause of the deaths of hundreds of Iraqi civilians. The contractor was rumored to be Aegis Defence Services.

Today, in a diary at Daily Kos, we learn that the U.S. was warned by letter immediately after Aegis was retained for the job that it's owner, Lt Col Tim Spicer, had a history of abusive activities and had asserted, "that soldiers under his command and who commit murder should not be subject to the rule of law."

Apparently, no action was taken to review the appointment of Aegis. Or, if such action was taken, it didn't result in any remedy. Now, it looks like we know the result of those in our government who were asleep at the switch (or worse, if they were in bed with the contractor).

What is truly worrying to me about this war is the effect it is having on us as a nation. We have seen so many claims of torture, abuse, and wanton murder by our own people that we are becoming inured to them, I'm afraid.

As we become de-sensitized to the horrors we are perpetrating, we may even come to accept them as ordinary and necessary. Certainly, that's what it sounds like when you listen to some of the wingnuts on Fox News. Just fraternity-style hazing stunts. Fun for the good ol' boys.

This is certainly a problem with all wars, but it seems especially so with this war. I think even Vietnam, the other war we were lied into, wasn't quite this bad, notwithstanding Mi Lai and similar horrors there. And, the blame clearly lies right at the feet of those who took us into this war and mis-managed it so pathetically.