Boston Globe: Soldier Admits his Story of Iraqi Boy's Death

Politics International Politics
#1

Original Title: Why do anti-war activists lie so much?
Boston Globe: Soldier Admits his Story of Iraqi Boy’s Death is a Lie

[quote]Soldier admits his story of Iraqi boy’s death a lie
By Brian MacQuarrie, Globe Staff | December 10, 2004

When Army Sergeant Dennis Edwards spoke at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School last month, 100 students listened in rapt silence as he told chilling tales of battlefield horror in Iraq and criticized President Bush’s motives for going to war.

Edwards, 23, a Barnstable High School graduate, said he and two other soldiers shot and killed a 10-year-old boy in Iraq who pretended to be wounded and suddenly fired an AK-47 rifle. The boy was found to have explosives attached to his body, Edwards told the stunned audience.

Now, Edwards has admitted to his superiors in the elite 82d Airborne Division that the story about the shooting was a lie, Army officials yesterday. As a result, the veteran of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan could be charged with making false statements, face a court-martial, and be stripped of his rank.

''We need to use this as a teachable moment," Superintendent Tony Pierantozzi said yesterday. ''We need to make sure our students . . . clearly understand that sometimes individuals might elaborate stories or examples for their own benefit."[/quote]
Perhaps the teachers could teach that antiwar activists are primarily lying, hypocritical scumbags, whose sole purpose in life is to blow a smokescreen over the reality of the situation in the hopes that they can “Subvert the Dominant Paradigm!” (one of Alien’s old signatures, IIRC, which (also IIRC) she blatantly stole from EarthFirst! without attribution) and cause the attempt to democratize Iraq to fail, thereby spreading misery – the main thing that the Left seems to do quite well.

[quote]Edwards was on leave visiting family when he appeared Nov. 23 in the school cafeteria at a teacher’s invitation. The Cape Cod Times reported that Edwards criticized Bush’s invasion of Iraq as a ''personal vendetta" to complete President George H.W. Bush’s unfinished work against Saddam Hussein. ''The first Bush couldn’t get it done, so it’s time for the next Bush to do it," the Times quoted Edwards as saying in the talk.

In an interview later, the Times reported, Edwards said that ''we went over there for one reason, and because that fell through we’re stuck over there for another reason." Edwards, who served in Iraq from August 2003 to March of this year, said US officials had not planned well for the mission.[/quote]
Ah, the usual panaceas of the anti-war Left. “It’s all about vengeance!” “They failed to plan ahead!” “They lied about why we’re there!”

Yeah, I’ll bet. Probably about as informative as the anti-Bush screeds such as “Bush = Hitler!”.

Wow, how about that. Now if only some of the posters here could manage the same. :unamused:

#2

:bravo: :bravo: …This is a rhetorical question…right? :smiley:

#3

Not entirely. I’m honestly curious why they feel the need to lie, obfuscate, scam, cheat, and hide evidence.

I mean, really, if you can’t come up with an HONEST case against war, what does that say about your level of intelligence? The real issue is, do the benefits outweigh the tremendous costs ranging from shattered lives way down to mere cash.

But to make their case, the “activists” have to resort to such over-the-top lies and denial of reality to the point that they become brainless caricatures. The whole “Bush = Hitler!” nonsense, the “baby killers” crap, the pre-election “100,000 lives” hyperexaggerstrapolation . . . hey, people, what about Saddam’s mass graves, with the 100,000 dead Iraqis per year that actually, really, truly did fill those, including the “femurs the size of matchsticks” from babies thrown in with their executed mothers?

Oh well. Not that I expect an honest answer from them, but it would be interesting if any of them could actually manage to strangle one out.

#4

“One person lied, therefore they all lie.” Your logic is flawed.

#5

No, you have it backwards. My logic is “they all blow smoke, lie, obfuscate, and hide any and all positives, therefore this one guy lying is nothing exceptional.”

#6

Of course, anything is true if you start from a false premise.

#7

Stones…living…glass house…you get the idea. There’s liars on both sides. One in particular is simply more visible than all others due to his position.

#8

Well it’s about time Richardm. 1844 posts, and until today you had only called something illogical once, and that was almost 1 year 4 months and 29 days ago. Remember: You have an obligation to your fans.

#9

I think an equally apt title would be: Why do soldiers lie so much? :unamused:

#10

Cuz they ain’t officers

#11

Off-topic:

Maoman, have you been receiving my pm’s? I haven’t heard back from you and the last matter was fairly serious.