In virtually every war there are incidents of soldiers on both sides behaving in a brutal and unjustified way to enemy soldiers who are taken prisoner...as well as executing them in an illegal fashion.

Like political shenanigans and dishonesty (which happens all the time) it only becomes news occasionally. When it does, those who have an axe to grind make a big deal out of it...from whichever angle suits them. Those who are against the war yell and scream about it, because it bolsters their anti-war position. Those who are for the war say brilliant things like "Horse pucky!" :-)

Grow up, people. American soldiers have brutally treated prisoners (on occasion) in just about every war they have ever fought...and so have Russian, German, Japanese, British, French, and all other soldiers. Most of the time you just don't hear about it, that's all.

This is a case of getting upset about what should be bloody obvious: war is an immense crime against humanity. It is a failure in common sense and civilized behaviour. Pre-emptive war is illegal aggression. Aggressor powers are criminals. Their soldiers are ordinary folks placed in a horrible position, and some of them go a bit crazy under the strain. The blame should be placed on the political commanders who sent them to war, more than on the soldiers, but it is appropriate that the soldiers should be disciplined for mistreating prisoners.

- LH