Meet a young High School graduate, short haired, tight-muscled kid, whom you’d consider to be in high spirits, but is completely drained out. He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. And also, has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. However, when he returns he will be charged with the killings of innocents in Iraq where he was continuously riding around as target.

In the latest happening, eight mariners, who killed 24 innocent Iraqis last year, are charged with deliberate murder. The mariners turned into murderers when their comrade lost his life in a bomb and it was enough to make them pull people out of houses in Haditha whet their revengeful appetite.

Many supporters of the war in question will be happy to see as few convictions as possible. They will worry that prosecutions will poison public sentiment. What matters most to the folks back home in America is whether their ‘boys’ are fighting for a just cause and whether they are winning. But, the answer to both the questions needs to be yes. It will be only then the public will forgive a great deal of misconduct. However, it gives the impression that it is not viable as support for the war is already in freefall because victory do not appear to be in sight.

Marines charged, but what about the real culprits?

I am sure all of you would not like to read about or name who the real culprits are, apparently, we’ll know and perhaps are sick of tossing more coal into the fire for the fear of being scorched, but the million dollar question is - what about them. The war was launched against Iraq to find Iraqi weapons of mass destruction (WMD), those of course are not found until date, but I guess Bush and his Neocons found oil in the process. Not at all a bad idea to meet the growing expenses of war as well as growing energy needs of America.

Now, the perpetrators of the Iraq War, jumping the ship in order to try and save themselves and creating opportunities to influence future government.

Today, Americans’ verdict on the war will not turn on what happened in Abu Ghraib or Haditha. More important is what is happening in the streets of Baghdad-major cities where the security situation has deteriorated over the last year. The Bush administration can weather the excesses of some soldiers; it cannot survive the perception that we are losing. Instead of indulging in excessive self-flagellation, therefore, the Pentagon and the White House would be well advised to take decisive steps, such as sending more troops to restore law and order.

But as they say, Victory diminishes the significance of war crimes; defeat magnifies them into defining events.

Via: NPR