US Marines posed with Nazi symbol in Afghanistan

Seriously, the pathetic excuses in this thread are ridiculous.

Those are not "excuses" at all. It is just the way you Left-wingers deal with our culture and especially our noble history.

It is all CONTEXT, and that is why the American people are rejecting Left-wingers; that is why you are mocked in mainstream media and why the term "FAR" Left is used to describe those from which the mainstream Democrat Party want to distance themselves.

This CONTEXT to which I refer is the disparagement without any praise or appreciation of our brave men and women who often wind up dismembered, blind, or dea. On these threads they have been called stupid, killers, brainwashed and otherwise "unenlightened," and their supposed history of being barbarians and mercenaries of greedy evil capitalists.

You have no idea of the truth on those topics, get out of your cubicle and go talk to the people of America, ask them questions that don't lead down a garden path and find out what they have to say... you will be shocked that the American people are NOT rejecting the left, you will find that the left are "mocked" in the media only by a few sources, and that most media outlets are afraid to disparage either party and constantly whitewash their commentaries to the proof of this point. You will find that the DemocratIC Party is not wanting to distance themselves from anything other then religious zealotry. You will find that the people (especially the left) love and honor our men in uniform, it's their command structure that irritates them, it's unwanted wars repetatively that they brought on by greedy capitalist that get under their skin. Don't make comments about any group of people without getting to know them.

I do. It is kind of a hobby in the summer. We move around and talk to people all over. And from all walks of life. As soon as one shows a bit of interest in others, they enjoy telling their stories, and most people have interesting ones.

A question about OWS: The Conservative reject them of course, along with the Republican Party. Does the Democrat Party endorse them?

You may not be as far off as some would want to argue. Great thoughts, thank you.

What do you mean by that?

"turning it into a political rant against the US, the Corps"

Exactly.

"Any of these guys would risk their very life for the men they're standing with."

Yes. Bravery and loyalty. Admirable qualities. And they would risk their lives for others, too.

"When I first saw this photo, the flag in question didn't look like the SS lightening bolts to me."

It only looks that way for people who want to look for the bad.

" I don't see where these troops did anything wrong at all."

Exactly. You are right.

"They certainly deserve no punishment - or even censure."

They deserve gratitude for their sacrifices and duty.

"Their standing in front of that flag had absolutely nothing to do with the Nazi's."

Yes. That is clear and obvious. They know their past brothers in arms died fighting Nazis.

Thanks for speaking in defense of these troops. I don't really see why they would need a champion; their actions and history speak for themselves. Yet there are those in this hostile environment that refuse to acknowledge the debt - and the truth. Your comments are appreciated by those of us that know differently.

Bro,
That was my first thought when this came up on Daily Kos, then I went to Wikipedia and looked. This symbol is exactly like the SS Lightening emblem.
Like you, I don't call for condemnation of the troops, regardless of the connotations. Put people in the line of fire and anything that makes them feel less vulnerable is worth it.
On the other hand, I blame the brass. They obviously have some major issues to deal with and so far, they are doing a shitty job. We cannot expect frontline troops, especially elite scout snipers, to be politically correct and we have no business judging them from our comfortable living rooms.
If the upper brass don't recognize a morale problem that is shown here, in this picture, and recognize it as symptomatic of a deeper issue, then they should be replaced and some form of questioning as to why this symbol, as well as others, are being used and what can be done. Otherwise we deal with it when they come home.

Hey Cruz - Nice to hear from ya.

I understand what you're saying, and don't disagree - if - the situation is as you believe it to be. I said when I saw this thing it didn't look like the SS symbol to me. Having thought about it, the explanation seems simple.

I was born just a few years after the end of WWII. i.e. no personal experience with the Nazi's. All I've ever actually seen of Nazi's was a handful of video's from that era; but mainly Hollywood productions. If you were to ask me what the SS symbol was I might have possibly have come up with the 2 lightening bolts. That's what it looked like to me.

These troops were born 40 years after the conflict ended. If their recollection, like mine, comes mainly from Hollywood - they may have well seen what looked like 2 bolts of lightening. Were someone to put my recollection of lightening bolts and these 2 S's side by side and asked me which was the SS emblem - I'd get it wrong.

Further, if these Marines were purposely displaying the SS insignia with the whole squad posing front of it - i.e. - proving by photograph that this hated symbol is one that relates to their unit, would make them renegades from Corps policy. This is something they could probably court martial you over. Willingly providing photograph proof of an offense that would open them to prosecution would be suicide by picture. I'll bet there are still some if not many of those troops that are still in the service with intentions of remaining. These guys would endanger their career for a picture? That just doesn't ring true to me. Guys that make it into Force Recon are exceptional Marines - not their opposite.

I don't think these men stupid, or ill-informed. I think it far more likely that they conjure up the same image I do about the SS symbol. I think they saw it as I did - 2 S's - but didn't relate with that being the symbol of the SS. There's a difference between stupid & ignorant. I've not made it a point of interest to study WWII insignia - although the information would be readily available online if one cared to look.

Thank you. Yes, their history speaks for itself. The story of Tripoli is fascinating. The Marines actually landed in Egypt and WALKED 500 miles across the desert! They were there for us since our country's inception, and fought and died for us generation after generation. How can the people on this thread disparage our great Marines? It is mind-boggling.

Just for you, someone who can appreciate it:

“SOME PEOPLE LIVE AN ENTIRE LIFETIME AND WONDER IF THEY HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. MARINES DON’T HAVE THAT PROBLEM.”
-Ronald Reagan

Oh words from the blessed one, the holy words from on-high blessed is he, holy, holy, holy!

more propaganda.

Excellent post!

Please keep them coming.

It was refreshing, balanced and sensible. Full of respect.

Politically incorrect?

That's the fucking Nazi flag, have you lost your mind?

Politically incorrect is being insensitive to delicate issues. Putting the flag of one of America's, and the world's, greatest historical enemy is not fucking politically incorrect, it's tantamount to betrayal.

Newsflash: Merely committing a non-violent act with which you or I may disagree does not constitute 'betrayal,' whether that act is posing with a flag we find repugnant...or burning one we hold dearest. Freedom of speech/expression applies to everyone, not just those who share our views. BTW, profanity lends neither credence nor veracity to your arguments...

You Left-wingers want to apply your mealy-mouth garbage everywhere. Be "sensitive" to others' "fweelings." (Not a spelling error.)

I didn't call it legal treason genius, so your overblown defense of our rights is irrelevant.

Yes, it is technically their first amendment right to be fucking Nazis if they want to. I would *hope* the rest of us would see that as an ideological betrayal of American values.

By the way, I'll use profanity as much as I please and to pretend as if it has no power is just childish.

Moreover, if I can't swear about fucking Nazis, what can I swear about?

"Accomplished snipers may not be genius, but they're far from dumb."

It is a very elite force, and very hard to get in. The training is arduous and severe. My friend's son just became one and VOLUNTEERED to go to Afghanistan. He was supposed to visit his mother here, but could not. My wife and I were actually going to throw a party for him

"But I'm content to let that slide."

How generous of you. I am sure that they appreciate it. If I see that brave person - our friend's son - before he goes to Afghanistan to risk his life, I will be sure to tell him. (Sarcasm.)

"Understatement." Agreed. Thanks you for supporting the point. By that I take you support ANY behavior in the field simply because they are military.
I and, I'm sure, everyone here wishes your friend's son the best of fortune. We have no quarrel with those who serve this country; only those who make that necessary.
Generous? Yes. It was. As you've supported, the origin of the emblem was likely known to them. To "let slide" that behaviour is, I think, generous. My issue is with their command.

"We have no quarrel with those who serve this country; only those who make that necessary."

Of course you do. You demean and defile.

The Progressive engenics movement moved Hitler so much that he wrote a letter to them - to the Progressive Eugenics Movement. He said they were "inspiring."

Save your breath buddy. You are having a battle of the wits with unarmed people.

I really am amazed sometimes. They never fail....

Rassenhygiene, racial hygiene. Rudolf Hess insisted "National Socialism is nothing but applied biology". Where did Hitler get his Eugenic ideas? CORPORATE interests led by Carnegie Institution=foundation+Rockefeller Foundation and Harriman railroad fortune.
Gregor Mendel`s principles of heredity.
Applied Eugenics by Paul Popenoe Us Army 1918,keepingup the standard of the race through execution.Ultimately 60,000 Americans were coercively sterilized legally.
From Andrew Jackson`s, TRAIL OF TEARS "ONE DROP RULE" end bloodlines;
to Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes juridically enshrined the gov`ts right to sterilize and end blood lines deemed unfit=USA= 1927.
HITLER LOVED AND SUPPORTED BY= CARNEGIE ,ROCKEFELLER,FORD,Alfred Sloan, WATSON OF IBM, who gave the JEWS the numbers branded on the wrist. SHAME I SAY:

Eugenics was part of a Progressive movement. It is the legacy that todays Left-wingers have inherited but use any convoluted "reasoning," distortion of facts, cherry-picking, dissembling, and obfuscation to deny this TRUTH.

Please stay on the topic. This is about our great Marines, of whom Americans are PROUD.

It is not about Left-wingers.

proud? of corporate killbots? speak for yourself. i save pride for those who struggle for freedom or to feed their families and stand against the killers

Yes, proud. No doubt. They are brave.

The military today actually turns people down: There are so many who want to serve their country. If not for them, you would not be writing what you write, but you have no appreciation, no gratefulness. You just take the freedom and bounty for which marines, sailors, and soldiers gave their limbs and their lives. You don't care about them at all, not a whit. What utter disregard for what others have sacrificed and done for you.

they have done nothing for me. iran, iraq, afghanistan and kuwait were not ever a threat to my freedom. ever. the puppet regime in washington dc is a threat to all our freedoms, and attempts daily to limit them further. when the 'armed forces' are giving their lives to overthrow the patriot act, sopa, or the political assassination ability washington has inflicted on the world, give me a call

Perhaps if you understood American culture more fully this would all be easier for you to understand. The couple of months that you spend here each year are apparently not enough for you to grasp our culture of open criticism of untoward behavior, whatever the source. Perhaps when you know us better.......
Left-wingers are player positions in soccer. I have no idea why you feel that is relevant here.

During the Bush I and Clinton administrations our Marines were used to bring food to the people of Somalia. I think those personnel fit the definition of "struggling for freedom."

If you live in America, the Marines have done much for you. Too bad you are ungrateful. So many have died for you.

Let’s look at who died for you and were buried in Europe alone:

1. The American Cemetery at Aisne-Marne, France.. A total of 2289

2. The American Cemetery at Ardennes , Belgium .A total of 5329

3. The American Cemetery at Brittany, France .A total of 4410

4. Brookwood , England American Cemetery. A total of 468

5. Cambridge , England .. 3812

6. Epinal , France American Cemetery. A total of 5525

7. Flanders Field , Belgium .. A total of 368

8. Florence , Italy . A total of 4402

9. Henri-Chapelle , Belgium . A total of 7992

10. Lorraine , France . A total of 10,489

11. Luxembourg , Luxembourg. A total of 5076

12. Meuse-Argonne. A total of 14246

13. Netherlands , Netherlands . A total of 8301

14. Normandy , France . A total of 9387

15. Oise-Aisne , France . A total of 6012

16. Rhone , France . A total of 861

17. Sicily , Italy. A total of 7861

18. Somme , France . A total of 1844

19. St.. Mihiel , France . A total of 4153

20. Suresnes , France . a total of 1541

Then go join them you asshole

{The couple of months that you spend here each year are apparently not enough for you to grasp our culture}

This is the SECOND time I have written that I am an American. I now am living abroad. I grew up and have gone back and forth, even living - on the local economy - of that Leftist paradise, the ultimate utopia, the heaven on earth, EUROPE! (Sarcasm.) Plus South America.

Will you need a THIRD repetition???
=============
Because of this, I understand my country all the more, far better than most of those who have never experienced another country except for tourism.

Let me cite a few scholars on this matter, anyway, even though you will reject it, being an anti-American Leftist and all:

John Harmon McElroy, in “American Beliefs,” described American cultural beliefs, and he began with the premise that one can more fully appreciate one’s home country after being abroad. He quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson and Jefferson, respectively:

“Americans who go to Europe are “Americanized” (his word) and Thomas Jefferson’s statement…: ‘My God! how little do my countrymen know what precious blessing that are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy. I confess I had no idea of it myself [until I came to Europe].’” (From John Harmon McElroy, American Beliefs: What Keeps a Big Country and a Diverse People United, (Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 1999), xii.)

Seymour Martin Lipset, in “American Exceptionalism” wrote that “as I have frequently argued, it is impossible to understand a country without seeing how it varies from others. Those who know only one country know no country”
- Seymour Martin Lipset, American Exceptionalism: A Double-Edged Sword, (New York: W. W. Norton, 1997), 17.

Yes! Thanks for the reminder!

Great SML quote! If people only knew him and his writing they would have a different view.

Bravo!

Yes. It's been a while. About 15 years or so.

Itsbatman_Durr, Well said, I hope to see "overthrow the patriot act, sopa, or the political assassination ability washington has inflicted on the world" that in my lifetime.

Good point, but the thing is, THEY DON'T CARE if you notice!

Thanks zampano, yes, it is truly a very bad thing.

{The American military, in its never ending quest for empire expansion}

First, let us get our terms straight:

Empire:
(1): a major political unit having a territory of great extent or a number of territories or peoples under a single sovereign authority; especially: one having an emperor as chief of state
(2): an extensive territory or enterprise under single domination or control

Next, name countries that are under the direct rule of the United States, traitor.

Any country where our troops are located.

How is it you DON'T know that they are there by treaties? Every freakin' country: There by treaties. If the host country does not want them there, they will leave. (I am not referring to the TEMPORARY war situations which are more complex.)

You are just spouting the inane Leftist line of "imperialism," and you do not even know the context in which it originated.

Read the definition of imperialism again, and stop the anti-Americanism.

Treaties are negotiated between governments. Ask the people how they feel. The Japanese want us OUT of Okinawa.

Don't be absurd. I live in Japan. Your posts are getting ridiculous.

Then you're aware of this:
http://bit.ly/xz5rrp

I am here in Japan. I know about the military and have been on all of the bases except Misawa. Sure, there are contingents of people everywhere who will complain about anything. For the most part, the Japanese are ENTIRELY GRATEFUL that the soldiers are based in their country. Of this I know for certain. There is no doubt. I know, I am in the culture and have graduated from a Japanese university. You don't know what you are talking about. It is that simple. You are a hate-monger, looking for problems and reasons to attack our military and our country. That is all.

He should. And who the h*ll voted this down?

Yes Mishima, Marines standing in front of a Nazi flag is a fucking disgrace.

Unless you're a Nazi yourself, it's easy to see why.

Yep, they can't wait for the next one. I hope everyone here remembers that Panetta admitted the Iranians don't have a nuclear weapons program. No one, absolutely, no one has said their program is meant for anything except civilian purposes.

I know the story. I watched the propaganda movie, "Triumph of the Will," not just your 5-minute little blurb.

And what is important about this, is that those who took part tended to believe that they were participating in something for the good, and also they had basically found meaning in life.

And this is PRECISELY what I tell people is going on with the American Left today. You might learn from reading David Horowitz and/or Whittaker Chambers; they were former Left-wingers who were able to extricate themselves from the lure. The Left offers a fruit that is very tempting to many. But it is ultimately a force for destruction and evil. If you are open and ever read these people, it would be very clear.

When I say the Left in America has commonalities with Nazis, those who are die-hard Left-wingers will claim that I am saying they are war-mongers, racists, want to have strom-troopers and on and on. That is simply stupid.

The commonality is not so rare: Many non-Nazis had it. It is comprised of the following:

1. A "dream." Society can be engineered so that we can eliminate poverty, greed and inequality. The fallacy is that the nature of man is not taken into account. The "blank slate" theory.

2. We have to have unity. Without unity, divergent groups (Christians teaching alternate morality and loyalities, independent families doing that, states' rights, etc.) will have to appear. They will thwart the "dream" from being achieved.

3. There has to be a central power to unify, coordinate and enforce this unity, and it is always presented as what is best for the people.

I agree. The problem would be finding enough to eat afterward.

Head shot or knock a leg off

There is always hamburger!

Amen to that!!! good to see you back online again.

Are you trying to suggest that passing out candy will somehow overcome the disgraceful behavior we've seen from some of our troops? That passing out candy will make them forget the drone strikes that have killed many children just like the one in the picture? Will that candy allow them to forget this:
http://bit.ly/ypCCZU

5 years from now, what do think this child will remember of our presence? The candy?
Really?

Schools, hospitals, roads, infrastructure, water, health care, soccer balls, and yes some candy. Hopefully in 5 years the child will remember the other stuff.

We haven't provided any of those things.

Water most importantly since Afghanistan has had its irrigation systems destroyed since the Soviet Union invaded.

We promised to do those things, but we have yet to deliver. And, given our track record in Iraq, it's pretty unlikely that will happen.

Also, in terms of what will be remembered, keep in mind that no one "remembered" that we helped them defeat the Soviets. They turned that stuff right back on us.

It seems that your value system is somewhat skewed. You seem to think that buildings will somehow offset the pain we've brought these people. We've done much the same around the world:
Guatemala
NIcaragua (twice)
Iran (1953)
Colombia & Panama
(Do you know how we got the rights to build the canal? Here's a clue: Panama was once a part of Columbia)
Haiti
Vietnam

Need I go on?

Who has destroyed infrastructure? Taliban I would suspect. and we sure screwed up he follow up after the Soviets left. Charlie Wilson's War drove that point home. Very sad.

Our troops do us proud. Very proud.

Here is the difference between people like you, and almost all other Americans:

YOU look for, you seek out, something wrong. You WANT to find some problem, some error, some person who did something he or she should not have, and then USE it to attack and attack, defile, revile, and spread hate against America. You would not look at the building of roads, the medical help, the construction of schools, the incredible discipline, the everyday kindnesses, or the education that our brave soldiers are giving, and the sacrifices they have made. Or those who have lost limbs and do not even regret having served.

No, you dig out anything you can find and pervert it into hate and ugliness. If it is American, then you will find something wrong, something to distort and attack.

I have been coming back and forth to Japan for quite a while. Decades ago, I met many Japanese who were young adults and teenagers during the American occupation of their country. I wanted to know what they REALLY saw and felt, not what some bias writer claims they did.

I can honestly say that I never once heard anything negative. There was a consistency in how fair, helpful and generous the American soldiers were. All over the country.

To think anything has changed with our soldiers and the American character would be motivated only by some desire to smear and defile America and our soldiers. That is all it would be. Right now, American soldiers overseas do us proud. My wife and I go to orphanages here several times and year. Every time - I mean EVERY FREAKIN' TIME - we go, there are ALWAYS soldiers and sailors there, helping out, giving small gifts and even COOKING.

Why doesn't the news broadcast THIS? Why dont' these hate-mongers make some effort to look for this?

Yes, really, especially with all those thousands of tons of DU the US has rained on that poor country which will be killing and deforming babies and creating cancers for the next 4.5 billion years. Winning hearts and minds my arse.