News The Kill Team

[cHodAX]

Rolling Stone have put together a decent article about a group of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan who decided that they wanted to start bumping off innocent civilians.

The Kill Team | Rolling Stone Politics

Wasn't a story I was aware of until now but pretty disturbing stuff that a group of young men can end up so damaged that they resort to horrors like this.

 

[DaGaffer]

Depressing to read, but not remotely surprising. Obviously atrocities happen in all wars, but I've no doubt that its even more likely in places like Afghanistan where you can never really tell friend from foe.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Anyone could end up so "damaged" in a war situation. If you've not been in that situation and especially if you're no soldier, there's really no comparison.

Can't say how i myself would react/change in a situation where basically 24/7 someone is trying to kill you. Hell, probably shoot any bunny that looked menacing.

 

[DaGaffer]

Anyone could end up so "damaged" in a war situation. If you've not been in that situation and especially if you're no soldier, there's really no comparison.

Can't say how i myself would react/change in a situation where basically 24/7 someone is trying to kill you. Hell, probably shoot any bunny that looked menacing.

Indeed, although if you read the whole article it looks like one or two of them were pretty damaged before they ever got to Afghanistan, and as is often the case with the US military in particular, a pretty fundamental failure of leadership (I get the impression the officer class are very disengaged from their men in the US military).

 

[cHodAX]

a pretty fundamental failure of leadership (I get the impression the officer class are very disengaged from their men in the US military).

Same conclusion I came to bud, the NCO's and Junior officers seemed to be totally derelict in thier duties and may well be culpable in the crimes too as they seem to have done far more than just overlook evidence.

 

[megadave]

Read about this a few weeks ago, pretty fucked up. Not the first story of it's kind i've seen though, saw a documentary ages ago where some US Marines got convicted of similar crimes, it's more common than you would think.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Indeed, although if you read the whole article it looks like one or two of them were pretty damaged before they ever got to Afghanistan, and as is often the case with the US military in particular, a pretty fundamental failure of leadership (I get the impression the officer class are very disengaged from their men in the US military).

Leadership failure can, can, possibility there, be put down to a real lack of vetern soldiers/leaders.

Think most of the army was trained in theory, but the reality might have hit them in the fac like a banhammer vs "get free gold nau!".

Then again, could be just shitty leadership.

 

[cHodAX]

Leadership failure can, can, possibility there, be put down to a real lack of vetern soldiers/leaders.

Think most of the army was trained in theory, but the reality might have hit them in the fac like a banhammer vs "get free gold nau!".

Then again, could be just shitty leadership.

I think leadership is a big part bud, as DaGaffer said the officer classes are very distant from the grunts and the NCO's aren't up to the standards of previous generations so there is a real lacking on the leadership side. This is why we keep hearing about these kinds of incidents, especially from American troops because culturally they tend to be less disciplined anyway.

 

[Chosen]

I don't think the fault lyes with the low ranked officers.

Most of the U.S troops have way to little training, some only 3 months of basic training before sent down to heavy war zones.

In these 3 months, it is way to hard to exclude if they are fit for a war or not, especially considering the psychological part.

Here in Norway, you will have to serve atleast 1 year + 3 - 6 months of deployments training after that, before you can be sent down to a war zone.

This is to make sure, that people are psychological fit to enter the war. And if anyone shows any signs of wanting to go there for the purpose of a bloodthirst, they will be excluded right away.

So in my personal opinion, those people able to do shit like that. Were already "sick" before they joined the army. So the problem is with the recruitement back in the US.

 

[BloodOmen]

I don't think the fault lyes with the low ranked officers.

Most of the U.S troops have way to little training, some only 3 months of basic training before sent down to heavy war zones.

In these 3 months, it is way to hard to exclude if they are fit for a war or not, especially considering the psychological part.

Here in Norway, you will have to serve atleast 1 year + 3 - 6 months of deployments training after that, before you can be sent down to a war zone.

This is to make sure, that people are psychological fit to enter the war. And if anyone shows any signs of wanting to go there for the purpose of a bloodthirst, they will be excluded right away.

So in my personal opinion, those people able to do shit like that. Were already "sick" before they joined the army. So the problem is with the recruitement back in the US.

Indeed, old guild mate in DAOC on ywain was an ex-marine he said the training they receive is utter shit considering what they expect you to do, he said he's seen people break down mentally on a daily basis once they get into a warzone due to lack of training/preparation.

I'll not blame the soldiers, i'll blame the pencil pushing ***** that won't splash out on a proper training for them as apose to just dropping them into a warzone while being so inexperienced/unprepared.