Salon reported yet another incident in which American stormtroopers rampaged through the country they occupy and indiscriminately shot civilians:

According to an investigation by an Afghan human rights group released on April 14, the Marines, who said they came under small-arms fire after the bombing, went on a rampage, shooting at vehicles and pedestrians along 10 miles of road. At least 12 civilians were killed and another 35 were injured, including one infant and three elderly men. A 16-year-old girl, newly married and carrying a bundle of grass to her family’s farmhouse, was shot in the back. A 75-year-old man was shot so many times that his son had trouble recognizing him when he reached the scene.

A few hours after the shootings, the Marines returned to the primary site of the carnage, cordoned it off, and allegedly began removing evidence that it had occurred. Seven journalists representing multiple media outlets complained that the Marines confiscated their equipment and forcibly deleted photographs taken by Afghans working for the Associated Press. According to a protest letter later filed by the AP bureau chief for Pakistan and Afghanistan, one Marine raised his fist at the photographers, warning them that he did not want to see any photos of the scene published anywhere. One journalist said he was told, “Delete the photos or we’ll delete you.”

These things seem to happen with great frequency, but most of them never make it onto American TV screens because the military goes through great lengths to cover them up.

If republican sheep weren’t so blinded by what they all patriotism (the rest of the world would more aptly describe it as fascist nationalist extremism) if republicans could see what’s really going on, they’d understand that the rest of the world doesn’t hate America “for our freedom” but for the many horrific instances of American troops violating foreigners’ freedom, dignity, human rights, and life.

As much as right-wing pundits try to ignore the fact that the Iraq war was a war crime based on lies purposely designed to fool the American people into a war for profit, these realities have not escaped the rest of the world. And THAT is why they hate us. Even the vast majority of people in countries that used to be friendly with America hate us now. Bush and the Neo-Cons have caused incredible, unfathomable damage to America and its standing in the world.

In fact, one may argue that Bush and the Neo-Cons have managed to cause far greater damage to America than so-called “evil doers” like Osama could have ever hoped.

Tags: war crimes haditha afghanistan

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