Lt. Col. Ralph Peters joins Megyn Kelly on FOX News to discuss the publication of photos of U.S. soldiers posing with the bodies of suicide bombers. Peters: My take on this is that there's a terrible scandal here Megyn, but it has nothing to do with our troops in combat. Those troops escaped a suicide bomber, bad judgment, took some dumb pictures, and no terrorists were harmed in the taking of those snapshots.
The real scandal is that the LA Times, desperate to survive, creates a scandal, publishes the pictures over the Pentagon's objections. The real scandal is that the establishment media leaps on another chance to trash our troops. The worst of the scandal is that our leaders, in and out of uniform, rush to condemn our troops. No explanation, no context. And I suggest that White House Spokesman Jay Carney join the military and see what it's like himself before he condemns our troops.
I'm especially appalled that those in uniform, Gen. Allen, our commander in Afghanistan, just jump to trash our troops. Look, he needs to put it in context. Megyn, the "greatest generation" sent Japanese skulls home to their girlfriends. I'm not condoning it, but I'm trying to make the point that our soldiers out on the front line, and our Marines, are under tremendous stresses. War is not a ladies auxiliary tea party, and it's all too easy for people comfortable in Los Angeles or New York or the White House to condemn the troops without context. Those troops should be given company level letters of reprimand and moved on. And, by the way, if our strategy and doctrine is so pathetically weak that it can be derailed, destroyed, shattered by a few burning Korans or a few photographs -- the dead body parts of terrorists -- well that's not much of a strategy or a doctrine. So, I'm furious, not at the troops who did something dumb, but I'm furious at the moral cowardice of military leaders who never stick up for our troops but protect their own careers. Do I sound angry? As a 22-year-old former Army enlisted man and officer, I'm angry as can be because Gen. Allen needs to get it through his head that a leader is responsible for everything his troops do or fail to do. That's the military code. Don't blame the troops out doing the tough work. Blame the generals whose strategy has failed, the cowardly, cowardly White House just trying to kick the can down the road to November and blame the establishment media .
Amen.
Posted by: anon | April 24, 2012 at 08:29 AM
I really wish he'd stop holding back, and say whats on
his mind. Oh, wait-a-minute, he just did. thumbs up
Posted by: Bruce Knipp | April 24, 2012 at 02:32 PM
He does not hold back :D
Posted by: MINDY1 | April 24, 2012 at 03:22 PM
OOH-RAH!It's about time someone stood up to those who trash our troops!
Posted by: Pincher | April 24, 2012 at 10:03 PM
Ladies Auxilary Tea Party? Come on? I respect and am grateful for all men and women in uniform...don't use statements that make a food of yourself..its articles like this with dumb statements that totally turn me off
Posted by: Elizabeth | April 25, 2012 at 06:56 AM
Elizabeth....food? or ......fool? Funny how quick that happens huh? C'mon hun your killing us...
Posted by: Cindy | April 25, 2012 at 07:45 AM
Right-on !
Posted by: Tony | April 25, 2012 at 09:40 AM
Those troops escaped a suicide bomber, bad judgment.
Posted by: Santana Griffis | October 17, 2012 at 05:20 AM