Friday, January 7, 2011

Quick blog: Young Soldier Both Revered and Reviled

This is a NY Times article featuring a story where a sergeant used his power along with other American soldiers to kill five Afghan civilians for "sport" posing for pictures with their corpses. Sg. Gibbs supposedly said to another soldier that the ideal soldier was the kind that would kill without any regret. What do you think of this article? Do you think the power got to Sgt. Gibbs? Or that he may have a psychological disorder? Or that the training in our country for marines/army men is just too raw?

I think it could possibly be a combination of all.


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/world/asia/05gibbs.html?_r=1

1 comment:

  1. My brother recently did a tour in Iraq and has been involved with the Army for almost 6 years and I could never imagine him wanting to kill his enemies because it was a "sport". Sgt. Gibbs obviously let his privileges get out of hand and took advantage of it. I've talked to my brother and they definitely don't teach them to kill for fun and that if they can't kill without regret then they should not be there. My brother said he joined the army to protect America and when he is involved in action his thought isn't about having "fun". It's about protecting those he loves and his country. I think it's sad that Sgt. Gibbs reacts this way to war and maybe he should be receiving therapy for a possible psychological disorder.

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