OK, how do you go from South Park viewing for a guy who tortured and killed a lot of people to US soldiers killing unarmed civilians? The two hardly compare.

Or maybe you were being sarcastic but forgot the tag. Either way, I'm confused.

And there's no Steven Green mentioned in the article the name links to.
Sandy | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 10:48 pm | #

I fixed the link to Green, Sandy, thanks.
Leonardo | 08.29.06 - 11:03 pm | #

Our soldiers have been a major embarassment to our country.
JS | 08.29.06 - 11:05 pm | #

Sandy, are you a neocon or what? You seem to be.

I don't know how you could think it is it great to humiliate someone. Please explain? PS did you ever serve in the armed forces?
NJSF | 08.29.06 - 11:09 pm | #

Serving in the armed forces isn't relevant here.
Baylen Linnekin | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 11:26 pm | #

I juxtopose the relative dignity of the Nuremberg trials versus making Saddam watch South Park. Have we become that debauched? Is that how we want to show what we are about?
14th St NW DC | 08.29.06 - 11:29 pm | #

Come on, it is just about always funny to humiliate someone, especially someone who once held so much power.
Rob | 08.29.06 - 11:37 pm | #

Of course making Saddam watch South Park is horrible. Do we want to humiliate people or try them in court?
Ann | 08.29.06 - 11:39 pm | #

It's not horrible to make Saddam watch a depiction of himself, unless there's some nefarious act that forces him to watch (i.e., keeping his eyelids open with toothpicks). But it is stupid. And I fully expect an upcoming episode of South Park to make fun of the U.S. military for having done this.
Baylen Linnekin | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 11:54 pm | #

If I'm forced to read this blog and breathe in all the nasty second-hand smoke that you anti-health zealots are now spewing all over bar patios, then it won't hurt Saddam to have to watch cartoons. Yasser Arafat, it was claimed, had a penchant for Tom & Jerry after all.
Mike | 08.30.06 - 9:09 am | #

Of course making Saddam watch South Park is horrible. Do we want to humiliate people or try them in court?

Can't we do both???

I'm sorry, but this is is hillarious. I completely agree that the behavior of some of our soldiers has been deplorable in this conflict, but this...this is funny. And a long way from inhumane.

I mean, are you seriously worried about a guy who murdered and tortured people having his feelings hurt?

You guys that are bothered by this need to lighten up. Or toughen up. Probably both.
B | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 12:36 pm | #

I hope we someday get Kim Jong-il and play Team America in his cell over and over again. I also hope Bush is some day jailed for his crimes and forced to watch Saturday Night Live skits portraying him as an idiot. I think all of this is dignified. Way better than how they would treat other people in similar positions. Hussein was a brutal dictator. He deserves to be taken down a notch or two. Note: It's not like he is someone accused of a crime who deserves to be treated as innocent. He was a brutal dictator. We shouldn't torture him, but making him uncomfortable by playing south park is good, clean fun!
cicero | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 3:07 pm | #

I fail to draw a defensible connection between rape and murder and making fun of someone with a commercially available movie.
Area Man | 08.30.06 - 4:12 pm | #

Area Man, I don't disagree that there are huge differences b/w rape and murder and making someone watch South Park, but I still think it is trashy and un-called for.

Baylen, serving is relevant in relaying my Dad's experience in WWII and his view on today's forces. I am not saying that he is an authority, it is just a data point.

Cicero, I am so glad to have you and your irreverent comments back.
Leonardo | 08.30.06 - 8:22 pm | #

Trashy and uncalled for? Sure. But he's getting much better treatment than those detained at foreign facilities. I think this news story just cheapens the morally wrong things our military and goverment do in the name of "winning the war on terrorism". It's like like showing a retarded kid crap his pants while a bus full of handicapped students burns in the background.
Area Man | 08.30.06 - 8:30 pm | #

NJSF,

If saying "making somebody watch a TV show that makes fun of them" is several of orders of magnitude less offensive than "soldiers running amok and killing innocent civilians" makes me a neocon, then I guess you better sign me up for the Project for the New American Century or whatever.

I guess my judgement that the Iraq war was uncalled for and a stupid distraction from getting the people who actually attacked us is all part of the new "big tent" strategy neocons are employing.

"Think Bush is an idiot who has trashed civil liberties to no good purpose beyond his own self aggrandizement but don't get angry over showing Saddam Hussein a depiction of himself in an abusive homosexual relationship with Satan? Then come join the Neoconservative revolution!"
Sandy | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 9:01 am | #

I'm probably wading in waters that I should stay out of.... But I do tend to take issue with the popular view of the all-volunteer military being an employer of last resort. I think it is too much of a sweeping generalization for the entire armed forces.

Sure, the army will attract the less educated of the lower classes. However, that's one of the roles of the army. To provide bodies to do jobs that almost any able bodied male can do. Lets not forget we do have branches like the marine corps that are much more selective in who they choose to give guns to. Also, to deal with issues that might effect re-enlistment like say a war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the army has been doling out re-signing bonuses at an average of $14,000 a man. Not a bad bonus from an employer of last resort.

I would agree that the make up of the army does not suit it to occupy a nation for an extended period. That is a common gripe for other servicemen in different branches. The army is ill suited to occupy and has done a poor job. Blame the leadership/decision makers for that problem.

And whats the alternative? Compulsive service? I'd rather have people who want to be there (for whatever reason), than say, I dunno...me.
Rob | 08.31.06 - 1:18 pm | #

you suck ass, i think its great. i win
Dubs all day | 08.31.06 - 6:20 pm | #