As I said, I'd hope that we had progressed to the point we could expect better from our soldiers. THAT is why I would point a finger at our own, esp. when compared with the track records of Iraq. Not very nice, I know, to say that's what is normal and expected in Iraq, BUT it is NOT what one would expect of our people.

Of course, if we want to look back into our history or that of Europe, we can find all kinds of depravities carried out during wars and campaigns of expansion, i.e. skinning the breast of Native American women to make pouches of them, or men's testicles.

That also illustrates my point...I expect better from our troops and so would be more critical as they represent us to the rest of the world by their actions.

kat