Soldiers filming in Iraq: documenting war or morbid fascination?

Commentary from soldier Ernesto Haibi

This kind of video just polarises what you already believe. If you're for the war then you'll see some good soldiers killing the bad guys. If you're against it, then you'll see soldiers relishing in death and destruction. I've been in that situation, and you do get happy.

What happened for them to request something that big [a helicopter missile] must have been quite serious. He [the soldier] just ended what was probably a long situation and the person on the other end, who wanted to kill him, is not going to be able to anymore. He'll be able to go home for one more day, and at that time, that's all you care about. It's sad that we relish in the situation, but at the same time, you're always going to be happy. You don't want to do damage, but you've got no other choice.

It's hard for a civilian seeing this from the outside. This stuff is not pro-war or anti-war, it's just reality. Good guys, bad guys, people get hurt. But those things happen, and a thousand times worse, in every war. If you support the army, and cheer them on, you should also be able to stomach the reality of it.

Why did this guy post that video? For fame? To be cool? To educate? Most people post them to be cool. There's no political statement. This is the new entertainment. Real war. Not in a movie or a video game. It's morbid fascination."

Comments

you've got no other choice

Submitted by Annie Keys (not verified) on Mon, 18/08/2008 - 04:53.

I did not read all the other comments so I am not sure where i stand with all the other commenters here but you made one statement that to me seems to sum it up for those that find themselves faced with the being on the front lines facing the enemy that has been assigned to them by the group or tribe or country that they belong to. That statement is this "You don't want to do damage, but you've got no other choice" When you have come this far into the reality of war then what choice do you really have but to play the game and in order to play you have to play to win. That means you have to kill the enemy or you will be killed.

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I don't care what the marine

Submitted by supreme buy (not verified) on Mon, 18/08/2008 - 02:24.

I don't care what the marine says. They deserved getting bombed.

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It's a morbid fascination of

Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Sat, 22/12/2007 - 10:21.

It's a morbid fascination of these tourist soldiers, no damn doubt about it! And of course, they have a good nose for fame, that's why they post this kind of sick videos in entertaining news channels.

This war is theft

Submitted by pete (not verified) on Wed, 19/12/2007 - 08:10.

Arguments of the "kill or be killed" variety always seem to miss the point that the problem is not being in combat but being at war. This is a discretionary and absolutely meaningless war.

"War looks cool when it is on the television or in the movies... not when you are there seeing your friends killed by an IED."

If the writer believes this, he only proves the point that the media manipulates people with lies. Americans were manipulated into believing that Iraq was a threat. It's tragic that so many young Americans had no better economic opportunities than to become cannon fodder for corporate interests.

Destroying another country for no reason and killing hundreds of thousands of its citizens is inhuman. When you dehumanize others in order to kill them, you can't help but destroy your own humanity.

Billions of dollars simply disappear into the pockets of military contractors. This war is theft at the rate of more than a billion dollars a week.

If all you can see is the combat, you've seen too many good-guy, bad-guy shoot em ups at the movies.

Everyone seems to forget

Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Fri, 28/12/2007 - 03:38.

Everyone seems to forget that we VOLUNTEERED.

Quote is wrong

Submitted by Thomas (not verified) on Wed, 19/12/2007 - 06:22.

The quote/transcript of the soldier's words is incorrect. He did not say "You lose motherfucker," he said "You Muj motherfucker." "Muj" is pronounced "mooj" -- it is a perjorative, short for Mujahideen, "holy warrior" in Arabic.

War...

Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Wed, 19/12/2007 - 00:45.

Is about making money and spending lives.
Not much else actually.
Now folks, as you watch the vid try this on for size... Imagine that was down the street from your house.
Just try, I know it's hard because brown folks aren't real people, but try anyway.
Peace, Steve

War is hell. Period.

Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Tue, 18/12/2007 - 23:34.

The reality of war is that you are facing people who want to kill you and those in your unit. If you have never been in a situation where you are looking at another person, knowing that only one of you will walk away alive, you don't know what it is like. You are lucky if you don't know that...

The joy and happiness that he feels is probably that he has lived another day... ironically it's his birthday. In war, you celebrate every day you get - especially birthdays - because you don't know when or if you will die.

I don't see this as "morbid fascination" - I see it as a survival mechanism, and a crying out against death and destruction "I'm here! I'm alive! That motherfukker didn't kill me!"

Also, if more people see videos or read blogs by people who are in war situations, maybe the reality of it all will be realised by people. War looks cool when it is on the television or in the movies... not when you are there seeing your friends killed by an IED. I think war videos will help turn people from Chickenhawks to a more peaceful view.

comment from a civilan

Submitted by Jonathan (not verified) on Fri, 14/12/2007 - 22:46.

i don't know Ernest, i can see how being there one becomes insensitive to the destruction one causes. i can see how killing somebody can make you happy if that means you are the one who doesn't get killed that day. i just wish more people decided to think for themselves before they put themselves in that position (ie before they joined the army). if more people did that and actually analysed why armies (particularly UK and US armies of late) are sent to war in the first place maybe they'd realise there's no point in putting yourself in that position. then they wouldn't have to show off about killing people (which, frankly is sick). another point is that given the amount of friendly fires and 'collateral damage' one hears of in relation to this war, as well as the fact that we shouldn't have gone there in the first place you have to wonder how many strikes are actually called for...

Brutality of War

Submitted by Mario (not verified) on Sun, 16/12/2007 - 02:38.

These soldiers are trained for combat, not for good will missions. They are there to meet their objectives. This clip to me looks like a JDAM coming down on a possible sniper or group of insurgents. War is hell to those that participate. Unfortunately this also includes the local population. I only hope that peace comes soon..And that these soldiers can come home safe to their families.

What is their objective BTW?

Submitted by Tridim (not verified) on Tue, 18/12/2007 - 23:24.

What is their objective BTW? Nobody seems to be able to answer that question since well before Bush decided to invade Iraq.

I feel so sad for these soldiers and for the innocent Iraqis who are being destroyed daily for no reason.

The supposed main objective

Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Wed, 19/12/2007 - 04:08.

The supposed main objective is to dismantle the Saddam Hussein's regime and to take WMD away from people willing to harm the USA's interests (the so-called preventive wars). Now the main objective promoved by White House is to bring freedom to Iraq, then to "export" the democracy to Middle Orient.

It's war folks. It is

Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Wed, 19/12/2007 - 06:24.

It's war folks. It is degrading, miserable and inhumane.
We joke and laugh, it gets us through another day. We cope as best we can! do not judge us from your comforable chairs at home!

Recliner

Submitted by X-treme Challenge (not verified) on Sat, 12/04/2008 - 00:36.

Very good point... it's easy for us to kick back on our recliners and pass our judgement. But if you actually had to get your a$$ off of that recliner and head over to experience it first hand, I think it would change a lot of people's opinions...

How about judging you from

Submitted by Anonyme but arab (not verified) on Fri, 21/12/2007 - 00:14.

How about judging you from the other end of your cannons?
You are the one holding a cannon or a bomb at me, at my home, and at my children.
You traveled oceans to come and kill me and my people.
You didn't invade Saudi Arabia, home of most of the so-called 9/11 suicides.
You are invading me who did nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to you or your people.
Am I allowed judging you from my chair in the hell you created for me or not?