Recently a video was released showing the horrible work-over given to 4 Iraqi teenagers who had been involved in stone-throwing riots. They were beaten senseless in a fashion beyond the terms "human rights abuse" or "war crimes"--- by 8 professional, trained and fully clad UK soldiers. (see this ARTICLE)

These violent aggrevated bashings were not crimes related to "war" but rather were crimes related to egotistic "Thug Culture"- the us versus them theory. The "look tough in front of your mates" culture. The culture where peopl humiliate others to make them selves feel bigger.

The same culture responsible for gang-rape on the streets of New York, racial bashings in Cronulla, or the abduction of innocent people from the streets of Baghdad for money *hey, if the insurgents can do it, why don't we?*.

The same kind of attitude "popular" high-school boys have when surrouning an a-grade student with glasses. This culture of egotism and masculine competitiveness runs strong in the US military and even has hold in the Australian Defence Forces (though not in the highly professional SAS).

In the UK military until recently this kind of culture was thought to be isolated while the majority forces were considered professional, polite and efficient. Recently the true extent of this culture within the British armed forces has come to light through the "Prisoner Abuse Scandal" and now through this shocking, degrading video.

I don't think I will say anymore about this. I don't want to. You should know exaclty what kind of behaviour and attitudes make this kind of thing to happen and if you don't know now, then read this and maybe you will understand:

[excerpt courtesy of News of The World online edition]

DRAGGING four weedy rioters—all apparently in their early teens—off the street and behind the high walls of a secluded army compound,

BEATING them senseless with vicious blows from batons, boots and fists,

IGNORING their pitiful pleas for mercy, until the incident climaxes with what appears to be an NCO delivering a sickening full-force kick in the genitals of a cringeing lad pinned to the ground.

All the while the callous cameraman delivers a stomach-churning commentary urging his mates on, cackling with laughter and screaming: "Oh yes! Oh yes! You're gonna get it. Yes, naughty little boys! You little f***ers, you little f***ers. DIE! Ha, ha!"

[end excerpt]

Lets pray the military men can stamp this out of their culture before it gets any worse for those who aren't involved. [olivebranch out]