Soldiers and puppies: Two narratives Update: Marines in Honolulu investigating; Update Possible ID on the thrower
Scroll down for updates…Honolulu Advertiser reports on YouTube vid investigation by Marines…possible ID on Marine…
***
Tons of left-wing Digg users today sent me the video Allahpundit posted at Hot Air of a soldier Marine(?) allegedly throwing a puppy over a cliff in Afghanistan Iraq?.
Watch the clip closely. The puppy doesn’t move. It’s clear to me that it’s either dead or a stuffed toy. The sound effects of a dog yapping seem to have been dubbed in.
Disturbing whether the dog is real or fake, dead or alive? Yes. A hanging offense? No.
But the clip is a useful cultural Rorschach test. Those who buy into the soldier-as-monster narrative are up in arms–demanding that the soldiers be hunted down and shot. Just look at the comments section in the YouTube thread. A sample (language warning):
volcanicdiva (51 seconds ago) Show Hide
0 Poor comment Good comment
Marked as spam
Reply
Sick mother fucker – come to my house, I have a Colt Python waiting to blow your short-shit up, cock sucker.SpaceJamEnthusiast (2 minutes ago) Show Hide
0 Poor comment Good comment
Marked as spam
Reply
all american soldiers are murderers who should be executed immediatelyLalalarisaa (1 hour ago) Show Hide
+2 Poor comment Good comment
Marked as spam
Reply
I HOPE YOU FUCKING ROT IN HELL,
)(*&^%$#@
Someone should fucking throw you off a cliff.
riottheworldddd (1 hour ago) Show Hide
+2 Poor comment Good comment
Marked as spam
Reply
if that fucking asshole scumbag disgusting piece of shit doesnt get hunted down and tortured horribly until the day he fuckin dies i will find him my fucking self and tortue that viel festering ugly fucking pathetic worm until hes cut down to nothing but a peice of rotting flesh.
I’m sure Gloria Steinem and the Berkeley City Council would agree.
The Digg thread is even worse.
Watch the media go nuts over the story this week. The London tabloids are already on the case. It’ll be looped endlessly. Code Pinkos will dig up every bad animal abuse video they can find involving American troops.
Will they give equal time to the story of Marines rescuing Iraqi pups? Via the SD Union-Trib:
Call it another case of canine crush in Iraq.
Seven mixed-breed puppies who won the hearts of Camp Pendleton Marines deployed in Iraq are headed to San Diego and will be reunited with their in-love leathernecks in mid-March.
The puppies were on a United Airlines flight that landed in Washington, D.C., at 6:40 a.m. Thursday. They’re spending some time on the ground with a caregiver before being flown to Lindbergh Field, where they are expected to arrive next week, said Patty Brooks, spokeswoman for the Rancho Coastal Humane Society.
The Encinitas-based humane society is assisting the Marines in bringing the 14-week-old puppies to San Diego.
But don’t think about adopting one. They’re already spoken for by the Marines, who are part of a team training Iraqis to protect that country’s borders.
Doesn’t fit the sensationalist, anti-troop narrative, does it?
Two more points, one light, one serious:
1) Will TNR bring back fabulist Scott Thomas Beauchamp for a special assignment to cover the YouTube video?
2) Have those expressing outrage over the dubious YouTube video expressed the same outrage at jihadists planting IEDS in sheep and dogs to kill American soldiers?
Insurgents in Iraq attached explosives to a dog and tried to blow up a military convoy near the northern oil centre of Kirkuk.The canine bomb went off but the only casualty was the unfortunate animal, said police. The militants wrapped an explosive belt around the dog and detonated it as the convoy passed through Dakuk, 25 miles south of Kirkuk, said the town’s police chief, Col Mohammed Barzaji.
“The dog was torn apart by the explosion which caused neither injury among the soldiers nor any damage.”
Col Barzaji said the bomb had been detonated outside a Shia mosque. “Eight suspects have been detained.”
This was not the first time that animals have been used in insurgent attacks. In 2003, donkey carts were used to conceal makeshift multiple rocket launchers in a flurry of attacks in Baghdad. Animal carcasses and human corpses have been used to conceal explosives.
***
Update 11:37pm Eastern. The Honolulu Advertiser reports on possible identification of the unit of the YouTube vid Marines…
Marine Corps Base Hawaii is investigating a shocking video of a smiling Marine throwing a puppy off the top of a steep hillside in Iraq into a gully below.
The video today gained widespread attention and condemnation on the Internet.
“The video is shocking and deplorable and is contrary to the high standards we expect of every Marine,” the Kane’ohe Bay base said in a release.
Base officials said the video came to their attention this morning. An investigation has been initiated. Maj. Chris Perrine, a Marine spokesman here, said “it’s looking like” the Marine is based out of Hawai’i…
…The 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment of about 1,000 Hawai’i Marines recently replaced a sister unit in Iraq, the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.
Marine Corps Base Hawai’i said the vast majority of Marines “conduct their duties in an honorable manner that brings great credit upon the Marine Corps and the United States.”
There have been numerous stories of Marines adopting pets and bringing them home from Iraq or helping to arrange life-saving medical care for Iraqi children. Those are the stories that exemplify what we stand for and how most Marines behave.”
Update 3/4 10:00am Eastern. Possible ID on one of the Marines…
The Marine holding what seems to be a puppy is then seen flinging the animal overhand into a desertlike gully below. Yelps accompany the end-over-end tumble until it thuds to the ground at the bottom of the gully.
“That’s mean,” one Marine says afterward. “That was mean, Motari.”
Maj. Chris Perrine, a Marine spokesman, said a Lance Cpl. David Motari is with the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment at Kane’ohe Bay.
Motari returned to Hawai’i in October from Haqlaniyah, Iraq, after a seven-month deployment, Perrine said. The 1,000 Marines with the 1st Battalion were stationed in the “Triad” area of Haditha, Haqlaniyah and Barwana northwest of Baghdad.
Motari could not be reached for comment.
…
Motari, on a www.bebo.com social networking page, identified himself as a 22-year-old from Seattle.
On the page he says he is scared of “nothing,” and is happiest “chillin’ out, sleeping, playing sports, hittin’ the gym, hangin’ with friends, with my family, at home, Fridays, eating, running, cruisin’, and definitely when I get out of the Marine Corps.”
Web postings say he is married. MySpace and other networking sites for Motari and family members were changed to restricted access yesterday or were removed.
The Everett, Wash., Herald said a woman at the home listed for the Marine in Washington state declined to talk.
“Could you just leave? We already know why you’re here,” the woman told the newspaper. “Just go. There’s nothing to say.”
***
Update 3/4 11:00am Eastern. Milbloggers at Blackfive speak up. Laughing Wolf:
Before the trolls start up, and some claim they did/their men could have done/etc., I will repeat my comment for the record that no, our troops are not saints. In any population that large, even in a volunteer force, you are going to have the cream that rises to the top and the fecal matter that sinks to the bottom. For a number of reasons, our troops do tend to rise above the norm on several positive attributes, but that doesn’t mean that some of them are not scum. Scum usually gets weeded out quickly, but some does slip through. It does seem from the numbers, however, that the scum is a smaller percentage of the population as compared with the general population (sensational reporting and misleading headlines aside), and the cream seems to be a larger percentage in comparison as well. As a final note, I don’t want saints protecting me. I’d much rather have rough men and women who have chosen to stand between the darkness and the light, and are ready to do violence on my behalf. Besides, saints aren’t nearly as much fun to hang out with…
Whomever made this video frelled up badly. If a fake, they have given domestic enemies ammunition to use against the military and in support of the enemy. If real, well, the only positive thing I can find is that they have identified themselves for what they are.
If fake, they need to stand up, admit it, show the proof, and take their lumps for giving aid and comfort to the bigots and other domestic enemies. If it was real, I reiterate that the book should be thrown at them, and may their brothers in arms add to that as well.
Update: More on the fake-real puppy debate from Ace and Allah.
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Trackbacks
- Matt Sanchez
- The Politics of Hate « ReasonableCitizen
- I'm not sure how to even title this (Warning, cruelty to an animal) - Page 4 - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!
- Villainous Company
- The War On Puppies | American Blog
- The Dan Lee Report » Blog Archive » Idiots at Fox & CNN run unverified video story, in affect, smearing the Marines
- Mudville Gazette
- MilBlogs
- Stuffed Pup? Michele Malkin Challenges Puppy Video Outcry « JONATHAN TURLEY
- Sick B@st@rd. - MacNN Forums
- Tel-Chai Nation
- De Verborgen Waarheid » Blog Archive » Alex Jones, slachtoffer van smaad campage door media
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Categories: Iraq
Right Pundits
» Joe Lieberman: Fort Hood Shooter Is ‘Home-Grown Terrorist’Legal Insurrection
» Bruni de la Motte for Health Care CzarRiehl World View
» Obama: No Military Death Shall Go UnexploitedLegal Insurrection
» In The End: No Public Option, No Abortions, No Pelosi, No ReidThe Other McCain
» Paralysis by analysisThe Powers That Be
» Obama: ‘Don’t Jump to Conclusions’ About Ft. Hood; Immediately Jumps to ConclusionsLegal Insurrection
» NY Times Names Names
I cannot definatively tell if that is a real puppy or not. Yet it looks far fatter than any dog that age I ever saw in either a U.S. on Middle East desert. (Note: The YouTube video’s side note says Iraq, not Afghanistan.)
WOW. People in this country don’t believe in torture unless they can hunt down our own people.
Makes me glad I am not people.
Dogs get better treatment then some people in this country.
Makes me glad I am a dog – as long as I am not a dog in Iraq where I may be strapped to a bomb which okay with people here as long as it is not an American dog.
UGH – my brain hurts trying to think like an idiot.
Excellent point.
I’m sure there will be calls for another Congressional investigation. More name calling from the “ruling class”, you know, the usual reaction.
Ok am sorry but its an animal. Where was the lefts outrage when our soldiers were beheaded. Or when any innocent has been beheaded.
Just goes to show where their priorities are.
Unfortunately, Michelle, puppies held by the scruff of the neck curl up just like that and don’t move. It’s actually unlikely you’d find a dead puppy in that position, unless it happened to die and go into rigor mortis when being held by the scruff. So I’m afraid this sick event went down precisely as it appears.
It’s a shame to think that every month genuinely good and noble Americans give their lives in Iraq, while this piece of human garbage gets to waste perfectly good oxygen and sully the image of the American soldier with his perverse video. Here’s hoping he gets a fast track to a court martial and DD–if not for killing the puppy (not that I wouldn’t be fine with that, too), then certainly for creating what will undoubtedly serve (and sadly not inappropriately) as a piece of anti-military propaganda for years to come.
“Stupid” is too fine a word for the piece of human excrement.
Dead. No movement on the back swing. And i cannot understand why it is so fat, unless it is swollen.
An excerpt from the one of the comments on Digg:
“Soldiers have always been trash, when they aren’t overseas causing self justified mayhem, they come home to terrorize clubs/bars/restaurants with a douchebagness 7x greater than a popped collar tilted hat frat boy on roids and 4x greater than a super tanned, pouty lipped guido. A combination of such forms of douchebaggery increases the douchebagness exponentially. I have known 5 people who joined the military. I can tell you that they are everything that I despise about humanity, whether it’s how they treat women as objects, listen to nickleback, get boners from looking at their cars, are always looking for a fight, have a sense of entitlement, just really really dumb weak minded impressionable douchebags all around. They are all crazy in the head too and 3 of them have become cops since returning. Scary stuff, especially when you hear about the things that they don’t have on camera and the way they think it is funny.”
Wow…looks like their kind really have respect for the troops. They also posted the guy’s (or some guys) home address, mailing address and other personal info all over Digg. But don’t question their patriotism…
This report has the incident taking place in Hawaii.
No I don’t think it is real or alive. I run a dog rescue, and although puppies do strike that position and hang limp when grabbed like that, they do hang limp. That puppy is stiff and does not even twitch. In fact, when he tilts it slightly it still stays stiff and does not hang or flex from the weight as it would if it were a live puppy. It is either dead or I think it behaves more like a stuffed animal. Besides, the facts, it just seems unlikely though not impossible that American solders as I know them would do that. To do it as a hoax on the other hand is very American and my best guess until proven otherwise. We all have the choice to believe what we want. What do you want to believe, absent confirmation?
Thanks. Just updated.
I’m sorry, I said that the incident took place in Hawaii when I meant based out of Hawaii.
No it doesn’t. It has the unit based out of Kaneohe and the investigation being launched there. But it clearly states the unit is currently deployed in Iraq (and believe me, I have family just down the road from Kaneohe in Kailua. That landscape isn’t Oahu).
I’ve always found it strange that the people who become outraged at the alleged mistreatment of animals couldn’t care less about malnourished, neglected and abused children in society.
While allegedly abusing an animal is sad, there needs to be some perspective when it comes to being outraged.
Yep.
oh man…even more great comments
WaveRunningNakd 11 hours ago
Stupid jarheads. Someone should throw him off a cliff
richiestang78 11 hours ago
I think the military has a certain attraction for sick f*cks like this, its sad but true and nothing really new. I wouldn’t hold this sick f*ck actions or the lot of them to the majority of soldiers over there.
MillionsLivio 12 hours ago
I wish I could beat them, shoot them, then blow them up and laugh about it.
vishah 3 hours ago
Terrorists going after other terrorists.
RugbyAnderson 12 hours ago
Send him to GTMO to be locked up.
There is more but my blood is beginning to boil. I used to go to Digg because I’m in the tech business and it used to be a good site about tech news. Now it’s a haven for stark raving lunatic leftists, anti-American nutjobs and communists and truthers…it really has ruined the site. I wish the old Digg would come back. I’ll guess I’ll stick with OSnews…
All this over a stupid dog? Who gives a crap!?!?!? Big deal. Only in a nation where our daily needs (food, water, clothing, shelter) are so easily met can we spend the time to get our panties in a bunch and wring our hands over something this unimportant.
I’ve got 5 dogs living right next to me that I’d be happy to let this Marine have. Or Michael Vick. I don’t care which one.
This is not news. This is a f’n waste of time.
What difference does it make? Even if it’s fake, it’s still intended to depict a US soldier committing an unconscionable act, and it’s being distributed on the internet. What’s at issue isn’t really the puppy (though that part certainly enrages me), but the public sullying of the uniform. The moonbats now have a highly emotional piece of propaganda to exploit again and again in their campaign to unjustly smear all military personnel as precisely the kind of despicable human being the lone moron in the video willingly portrays himself as being. That’s what should earn this waste of flesh the kind of disciplinary action that will leave a lasting mark.
Ya know I have to agree with CMD’s sentiment about how it looks, even though I, too, believe the puppy not to have been alive.
I wonder if these guys ever heard of Aboo Grab? Didn’t that bad press teach them anything?
Count me as one of the outraged. I am very pro-military. If that is real, I am outraged that a US Marine would be that cruel and stupid. If it is fake, I am just outraged that a US Marine would be that stupid. It only takes one jerk to ruin it for everyone else. Hundreds of thousands of service men and women have poured their hearts and souls into our efforts around the world in various missions, and these few jerks put something like this on YouTube and this is what everyone will remember. Their action serve to denigrate the tens of thousands of good deeds of the hundreds of thousands of other service people in the eyes of the world. And whether real or not, millions will believe it to be real regardless of any proof to the contrary that emerges because they want it to be real. These jerks have harmed the reputations of all those they serve with in the eyes of public opinion and that deserves outrage.
Again, you miss the point. The problem isn’t the puppy per se. The problem is the videotaping of the abuse of the puppy and subsequent distribution of the video on the net. Killing the puppy makes the guy profoundly scummy. But videotaping the act and distributing it publicly and actively sullies the uniform worldwide. That’s unforgiveable. Thousands of good and decent men and women serve–and have died–in that uniform, and they deserve better than to have this subhuman acting to associate that same uniform with this kind of sick behavior. His actions are thoroughly dishonorable.
I’ll be honest, I think it’s a real puppy. Whether or not it’s alive, I don’t know, but I think it could be. No, I’m not buying into the rampant stupidity of “AMERICAN SOLDIERS ARE EVIL” because that’s what the media is trying to portray here.
Perfectly good people make stupid decisions sometimes. Michael Vick was a fine example of this behavior. Yes, evidence against Vick was conclusive and definite and, in this case, we’ve got a video in which it’s difficult to tell the circumstances. But from a “first-view interpretation” perspective, it looks pretty real. Incidentally, if it is real, there’s no evidence to suggest that the puppy was killed, as so many comments have concluded. And for the record, that’s not a cliff.
Animal abuse happens and sometime the source of the abuse is unexpected. If this was a real dog, the soldier should explain himself and why he thought this was either funny or a good idea. He then should be appropriately punished. If this is fake, he should know better than to make a video like this which is obviously going to cause people to freak the hell out because, when it comes to our soldiers, the media and America realize that these boys and girls represent us. By that understanding, they (the soldiers) MUST behave in a manner that is well-representative of the United States else they risk giving those who are attempting to destroy our reputation more material to work with.
I’m disappointed that our boys would joke like this.
On the other hand, however, these actions do not justify the flurry of charged, disgusting comments. Yes, if it’s real, it’s wrong and they should get busted for it, but…
“nothing would make me happier than to see this guy die,”
“you know how fucked up you have to be to this to a puppy, these are the people who rape children, hit women…this is sick!”
and
“You ^%@#$ &^@%#$ ! i will come there and Kick ur *#&^$ #$# !! You Shod be shot in the ^%#$$ head ! @#&$ YOU !!!!!!!!”
…are stupid, ignorant comments. The news article indicates that the Army (Marines?) is (are) looking into it. They’ll get to the bottom of it and take care of the appropriate prosecution and handling of this matter. Inevitably some morons will see this and decide that this is the status quo of marines in Iraq, when it’s nothing like that at all.
And of course, it’s all over youtube, when stuff like this is ignored:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=6i2XcSKOtt4
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JPYcNQIB0ec
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vLIzyAM5qrQ
Look at the comments. “Wow, great that you guys didn’t throw them off a cliff.” Unfortunately, some people just rabidly refuse to let go.
And this should be investigated. This behavior on camera is beyond stupid. If false=stupid. If true=cruel and stupid.and the camera man? Stupid.Giggling morons. real or false.
Tough to say if it’s real or not, but take a look at this link and you let me know if those dogs look real to you or not.
Is that it ?? Heck , I expected something worse . Look , I’m a dog lover and from what I have seen, the damn thing was stiff as a board meaning it’s either dead or a damn toy and the puppy’s bark was dubbed in . My brother used to hold our late dog’s scruff when she was just a puppy and there is no way in hell scruff or not,extremely frightened or not act stiff like that, our late Chihuahua mix would basically turn it’s head to look for help when my brother would pretend to swing her .So, I agree with Bagoh 20 and I definitely want to see the original unedited video in order to make my opinion .
CMD
Anybody who is competent enough to use a video editing system can turn a innocent video into something disgusting or an anti-military propaganda or whatever one wants it to be . Who cares about what really happened , people already has video evidence that plays with our emotions that prevents us to be non-judgmental about this incident. Remember the Reuters Photo scandal , how about the Rathergate scandal or the Operation Tailwind scandal or even the Al- Durah incident . Think people, you are getting played for fools .
The sound effects of the dog yapping don’t seem real because there’s no Doppler effect as it flies further away. But regardless of whether the dog is real or not, these jarheads are real boneheads. I know a few Marines that would give them a beat down just for being such dumbasses to make a video like that.
Are these our troops?? Possible, but unlikely. So ask, who wants to destroy our troops reputations?????
Where the heck are people coming up with the cliff?!?
It’s not a real, living puppy. But if it’s a real, living Marine… then he should be punished for bringing disrepute upon his Nation and his branch of Service.
We DO hold the US Military to a higher standard; and stupid is punishable there…
I hate to say ‘mass punishment’, but in light of Abu Ghraib and this, maybe it’s time for a directive barring troops in that theater from carrying cell phones, cameras, etc. while on duty.
And as I think someone mentioned earlier here, that Marine deserves the Private Pyle treatment-just for starters.
On the other hand, all this does show the state of mind of the generally loony mainstream media. They’re quick to believe the negative about the troops (e.g. puppy killers, baby eaters, etc) but are reluctant to believe anything positive (e.g. the surge works, Iraqi neighborhoods becoming secure, etc).
Says a lot about them don’t it?
I can’t see the video.
Yes, I personally hold myself and my fellow servicemen to a higher expectation of standards of conduct than I do for regular folks. Yes, there are potentially strategic implications for stupid behavior. But in the end, these guys are just like millions of other veterans who were once immature people who were apt to do dumb things. We in the military are not saints, and not all of our conduct is above reproach; even though as a service we do selfless things by nature. The maturing process inherent in the military does not influence all soldiers in the same way or at the same pace.
Looks like YouTube has taken the video down.
wonder how many of the complainers are aware that Muslims believe that dogs are unclean? How many are aware that Muslim cabdrivers in this country refuse to carry passengers with seeing eye dogs? Now there is something to get worked up about
Give me a break… There are plenty of videos on YouTube and LiveLeak of soldiers acting like complete idiots such as these taunting Iraqi children or giving kids cigarettes for candy
Not all soldiers are like this, but for the PR battle to win “hearts and minds” – that war was lost a long time ago….
Whether this incident is real or contrived people must remember one very important fact. The military is a microcosm of society as a whole. Having said that, we must remember there are all kinds including murderers, rapists, MS13 gang members, and puppy killers as well as the morally upstanding individuals which are the majority, in the military.
These liberals are declaring and engaging in war against Americans who don’t kowtow to their will and lifestyle.
So it is OK to load up a dog with explosives and send it to kill Americans? These people are deranged. The Youtube link was not available. Now I wonder who took it down and if the puppy was real or not.
MM, do you condemn a Marine possibly throwing a puppy off the cliff? Obviously since you didn’t write that you condemn it, you support it. MM supports throwing puppies off of cliffs.
Yeah, I know that that’s a ridiculously stupid narrative, but it’s one that has been repeated about every group that where’s “muslim clothing” every time there’s an incident involving a Muslim. Now, we have a incident involving a Marine and we have ONE LINE dedicated to whether it was wrong or not, even if it was faked. One line. The rest of the post is dedicated to random comments by random people that literally have nothing to do with the incident.
Not everything fits the “Liberals are Unhinged” narrative, and this is a prime example of a story that doesn’t. Who cares what “SpaceJamEnthusiast” thinks? There are more lines dedicated to what other people thought that what you think. Talk about deflecting the issue.
Listen, if he threw a puppy off a cliff, he probably shouldn’t be in the military anymore. People who abuse animals as kids are mean. People who abuse animals as adults are dangerous. If it were faked, he should be punished for embarrassing the military but sometimes gags aren’t received well by people, and that should be that.
Again, trying to minimize the incident by focusing on insignificant comments excuses this behavoir.
To all those who bring up what terrorists do as a comparison, do we really want to compare our military men and women with the terrorists we’re trying to destroy? We shouldn’t entertain the thought.
I am sure the United States Marine Corps and the Uniform Code of Military Justice along with punishments designated in the Manual for Courts Martial will deal with the guilty party in this incident. Every now and then the military gets stuck with a jackass that will commit this type of disgrace to the uniform and we deal with them by punishing them and returning them to civilian life usually with a bad conduct or dishonorable discharge.
The only thing that shocks me more than a member of our military performing this atrocity (provided the dog was alive) is the response of the tolerant folks on the left. Wow! I doubt if any liberal can write or speak a sentence without a four letter work being inserted somewhere for effect. I wish they felt this strongly about the atrocities committed by the Jihadist.
This sick incident just proves one thing: that even in the military there are horrible people who spoil it for everyone.
99% of our troops are good men and women making a difference — it’s sad that idiots like this get all the attention, what a disservice to history.
Nothing like animal abuse to get people of all political persuasions going. I suspect it’s not a real dog.
Truthfully, I watch stuff from Afghanistan, and Iraq that these kids are posting on YouTube, and LiveLink, and wonder why their commanders allow it.
I tried to bring back some photos of the carnage I witnessed in Vietnam, and had them confiscated out of my luggage by a Gunny who simply asked me if I “wanted my Mother to see them?”. When I meekly replied “no”, he read me the riot act and kept my pictures. I was glad he did!
These days, it’s all up front on YouTube…. The wonders of modern technology (sic).
I watched the video 3 times and it is a Hollywood movie stunt. If you notice he hides the puppy behind his body before throwing it and the camera pans away a bit as he makes a switch. If you also slow and watch you will notice the doll he throws does not move its feet while him the air. Much ado about nothing in my opinion.
With the exception of our friend Sausage the usual trolls are silent on this one but we can be sure that while they claim to “love” the military, they agree with the scum on Digg and other left wing sites. As said previously, I have no respect for those on the left, 99.9% feel that those who join the military have “issues” and can’t do anything else.
I don’t know if it’s true or not, but I can tell you that my husband saw many a dead dog that was wired with with explosives.
But as others have mentioned the military reflects society as a whole. Just as their are losers in society-there are unfortunately losers who join the military. 95% of the people I’ve come in contact with while in and as a spouse are good people. There are always a few bad apples out there and they’re the ones who make the news and make it bad for the rest of us.
Quoted for truth. When I was in Korea, we weren’t allowed to take any pics of the base we were on. If they caught you, they confiscated the pics. I don’t understand why there isn’t more control of images dispatched out of a friggin’ war zone. They are in the military, freedom speech issues are moot.
Michellemalkin.com is one of the positives of the internet. Youtube is one of the negatives. I am so damn tired of whatever dumbass video is on that site and how many times its been viewed being considered newsworthy.
This is so disgusting how the Left and the MSM will never report anything positive about the troops. But when one negative thing appears (a dead dog appearing to be thrown off a cliff) they are all over it.
They never report anything negative about “militants” and Al Qaeda.
Only conclusion: The Left and the MSM (including Rusty and other liberals on this site) like Muslims and Al Qaeda better than they do American soldiers.
Didn’t PETA admonish al-Qaeda for using a donkey bomb?
Better point: how about the outrage when terrorists use disabled persons and infants as bombs?
I can’t see the video because I’m at work, but I can address those people who are saying they don’t think someone in the Armed Services would do this. People in the Armed Services are no different than people you work with or pass in the grocery store. Some are good, some are evil, some are brave, some are cowardly, some are smart, some are stupid, etc etc. I understand the desire to put all of them on a pedestal, but I can tell you as a former service member that they don’t all deserve it. Do most of them deserve it? Like I said, they are pretty much like the people in your everyday life. If most of those people deserve it, most in the military deserve it. If not, not.
Let’s just hope that the puppy’s name wasn’t Mohammed.
Sorry, I just don’t buy it.
I watched the video about a dozen times and it looks pretty real to me. The odds of them having a ‘puppy soundtrack’ playing while he threw it are pretty slim. You can also hear the tone change and sound diminish as the puppy gets further away. A young puppy like that wouldn’t move around much either while it was being held. I also don’t think he had time to switch it in the 1 sec his hand was behind his back. These guys appear to be out on some type of patrol (they’re in full gear) and just ran across the dog in the course of whatever they were doing.
As much as I revere the military, there are foolish, stupid, cruel people in it just like in any other group (although less than most).
I think most people don’t want to believe that a Marine is capable of doing something like that, myself included, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. I expect that we’ll find out it was a real puppy and this marine and his buddies will have some type of disciplinary action taken against them.
Great post RickH…that’s my take as well on this subject, and reflects my experiences during my over 25 years of association with the military.
The clip of the butthead disgracing a U.S. Marines’ uniform, while disgusting, proves one universal truth: there are jerks in our institutions because there jerks in our society – believe me, I know; I’ve seen far too many incidents of abuse to live animals in my own county that were every bit as bad, if not worse, as what befell that poor puppy in Iraq.
While I couldn’t keep my eyes from welling up long enough to discern whether or not the video real or surreal, it is my guess everything was as it appeared – it happened.
But in either case, whether real or not, I hope all involved are busted out of the Corp. under the blanket of shame and disgrace they have brought upon their fellow Marines and the American people. I hope they are publicly humiliated and denied the full benefits and prestige due a real Marine!
First: Don’t throw puppies off of cliffs.
Second: This reminds me of the controversy over the Oscar winning movie Patton, when the SPCA types blew a gasket over the numerous animals killed to make the “gore” point in this film.
War is hard on people (most importantly), equipment and animals. I agree w MM that it’s a litmus test of how you feel about troops. I give the benefit of the doubt first, as troopies are usually a cut above.
I tried to watch the video and it says it is no longer available. I can’t imagine youtube taking it off if it represents the marines in a bad light.
It is not available for me either. It must be a stuffed animal. Otherwise they’d leave it up there.
This might explain the removal of the You Tube video
From HeraldNet:
The video is upsetting: A man who appears to be a U.S. Marine in Iraq holds a puppy up to the camera, throws the yelping animal into a gully and shrugs.
Now a Monroe man is the target of rage and death threats after the video appeared on YouTube.com and started drawing worldwide attention Monday. Comments left at YouTube claim he is the Marine in the video.
As more people watched the video throughout the day, some posted personal information about the Monroe man and encouraged others to commit acts of cyber-vigilantism against him.
The family’s phone numbers had been disconnected as of Monday, and Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies have been told of the existing threats.
I don’t know if what this Marine did was real or faked but I’m uncomfortable with his actions nonetheless. As a military spouse, I’ve met many wonderful people who’ve served in the military. Out of that overwhelming majority of good people, I’ve met enlisted and commisioned officers who didn’t embody the core values of the military.
As a owner of 3 wonderful pugs, such a real or “fake” action alarms me. What burns me up inside is that the actions of one stupid Marine will become propaganda for terrorists, anti-military Americans, and trolls like sausage and his ilk. People like my husband don’t deserve the judgement of these digg commenters (or those like sausage) just because of the actions of one person.
I’m just fuming right now. If this Marine wants to make an ass of himself, do it when he’s home not when he’s representing the US in a foreign country. On a brighter note, maybe this will cheer you guys up, okay? Or this? Maybe this?
Sorry, nut much cheer for me today.
Your husband and my son are being painted with the same broad brush as the “Marine” in this video, and I’m just as angry as you are.
On March 4th, 2008 at 11:42 am, emjem24 said:
Well said! My thoughts exactly!
DOD blocking YouTube, others
Is this still in effect, If it is then these vids would have been brought home and posted?
If that is the case then I will tell you right now there are alot of talented people that could do this video and not even step one foot in Iraq, I could set right here and produce that video, and nothing more than the soldiers images would be needed, It could all be digitally reproduced all the way down to grainy video.
Until the Marine Corps rules on the subject I will suspend my judgment.
The video had been withdrawn before I had an opportunity to see it. I am furious the entire Marine Corps is maligned over the actions of a few. We know they have been set up in phony situations before.
OT: the current climatologists / meteorologists / scientists meeting. All the presidential candidates have fallen for Al Gore’s big lie. McCain needs to rethink this now.
If I were a Marine, I’d have to wonder about the kind of
idiots politicanscitizensfolks I’ve put my life on the line for. Semper FiIR:
I hear you. Those not acquainted with the military and the good they do will always tarnish those they disagree with or don’t understand (my husband/your son). I feel like this UTube incident/stunt/what-have-you will furter deteriorate the relationship between the military and the people they defend.
I also fear that these self-inflicted gotcha moments or the ones that are inflicted on the military by the MSM are representative of a general pulling away from the military by the American people. I’m seeing it in my daily life. People no longer know what’s important- freedom or your next IPOD.
If it is not a real dog why are people still mad? Have you not seen what is on at the movies lately?
Plus we don’t know the whole story behind the act. I do know some people that on the surface do some pretty dumb things but you need the rest of the story.
Apparently there’s a lot of closed minded bigots posting on this subject. Anyone that would condemn the entire corps. over an act like this even if it is real has their head where the sun does not shine. Obviously left wing muck raker’s…did not learn anything from Abu Grav .
Remember a mind is like a parachute, it works best when open.
Soldiers and puppies? Negative, Michelle. That guy is NOT a Soldier. He’s in the marines. As a former Soldier, I take exception to the mis-labeling of the branches.
Here’s an easy guide:
Army: Soldier
Navy: Sailor
Airforce: Airman
Marines: Marine
Okay?
Incidently, the pooch looked dead before he chucked it over the side.
He’s still a moron for doing something like that, though.
If this guy really did toss a puppy off a cliff, then the scumbag needs to court martialled.
Just like any other profession, there are mostly good apples, and some bad ones. It should not reflect on the Marine Corps or our military as a whole, but that’s not often the case with people already pre-disposed to hate the military: the media, Hollywood, moonbats, etc.. The appalling comments quoted above prove that point. Did everyone paint the NFL with a broad brush after the Michael Vick incident? Nope.
1st Marine: “Dude. Like, check out this puppy, dude.”
2nd Marine: “Dude, where did you get that puppy, dude?”
1st Marine: “Dude. It was, like, right here…..and I picked it up……check it out….”
2nd Marine: “Dude, that puppy was right there?”
1st Marine: “Yeah, dude. It was right here……and I picked it up.”
2nd Marine: “Wow. You picked it up, huh?”
1st Marine: “………..yeah…..”
2nd Marine: “Dude, what’s his name?”
1st Marine: “…..huh….?”
2nd Marine: “Dude, what’s his name?……What’s the dog’s name, dude?”
1st Marine: “Who? This dog?”
2nd Marine: “Yeah, man. That dog right there. What’s his name?”
1st Marine: “………………..I dunno……….What’s his name?”
2nd Marine: “No dude. I’m aksin you. What’s your dog’s name?”
1st Marine: “…….ummmm………….uhhhh…..I just picked him up….”
2nd Marine: “Dude, a dog gotta have a name, dude.”
1st Marine: “……You mean….……..like a dog-name…..?”
2nd Marine: “Yeah, a dog name. You know, dude. Like Rex or Rover….”
1st Marine: “……………..” (stares at dog blankly)
2nd Marine: “He gotta have a name, dude. How he gonna come when you call him if he don’t got a name?”
1st Marine: “…………..Like……….when I want him to fetch sumthin…?”
2nd Marine: “Yeah. Like, you know…….when you throw a stick…..or a Frisbee…..”
1st Marine: “Frisbee? That’s a cool name! I’ll call him Frisbee….”
2nd Marine: “Dude, you know what to do with a frisbee, don’t you….?”
1st Marine: “DUUUUUDE!!! No way! Huh! HUH-HUH-HUH! (laughs moronically)
2nd Marine: “Yeah, dude. You know you gotta! HUH-HUH-HUH!
1st Marine: “Bye, little Frisbee! HUH-HUH-HUH! (flings dog into gully)
2nd Marine: “HUH-HUH-HUH!!! Dude……that was so bad dude! HUH-HUH-HUH!
I have the utmost respect for anyone who dons a uniform and defends this country.
However……..dead dog/stuffed dog/whatever…….these 2 guys are idiots.
This might be a good time to plug Jay Kopelman’s book: From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava
How come nobody on the other side of the political aisle ever DIGGS this?
Is it just me, or does this “fake” puppy for sale look pretty much like the one in the video? Now, even it it was a fake puppy like this, the Marine deserves a blanket party for giving our enemies ammo in their propoganda that the US military is filled with evil killers. But, I would not at all be surprised that this is a joke. Thinking that there might be puppy killers in the Marines is not that far fetched. Thinking one who liked to kill puppies would also allow it to be filmed is almost beyond belief. Even Michael Vick knows now that dog killing isn’t tolerated.
http://www.magic.org/store/product_info.php?products_id=4119
I agree with all the comments re if real the marines should be punished and if fake the marines should be punished. Either way it is just a matter of degree of stupidity.
Regarding how this inflames the world, face it the comments on YouTube and Digg and elsewhere are not coming from recent converts to the side of people who hate the US and our military. If it wasn’t the puppy video it would have been another outrage de jour. They only see the negative and are easily riled by fraud or truth.
What is sad is that honorable members of the services doing they duty have been tarred by these actions. And those here and abroad that support them and their mission will have to work that much harder to stay the course.
This Marine mom is sick and diseartened tonight… some of the comments that I have read today about our fine Marines have been so vile that they’ve made me physically ill.
And some of the comments made towards the innocent family members of this Marine by certain website owners, bloggers and their responders – and their actions – have bordered on the criminal in my opinion, and many have very frankly crossed well over that line. I saw one vile post advocating a sexual assault on this Marines’ mother.
I suspect that I’m not alone in my despair… this is not an easy time to be a military family member and even more so for Marine families.