The following quote is mightily disturbing to me on many levels. On one level it bothers me that any soldier would run their mouth like this, unless they were trying to get a Rambo Rep; on another level, it bothers me that if there were any Army PAO (Public Affairs Officers) there, they did not shut this kid up ASAP. But it really bothers me because this will become a perception of our military's attitude towards POW's; and that's bad. Really Bad. I can't share all the details of Navy Survival School, I can tell you they have one and it's easily the most intense training given to those who attend. If you're an Aviator, it makes you wish you back in the Training Command prepping for a checkride, any checkride.

One of the things that they talk about is that Warfare as uncivilized as it is has some rules, and the treatment of prisoners after surrender is one of them. By both sides. Of course, the 1600 Crew have not done too well, but they do find creative excuses all relating to Terrorism, so no one seems to notice the POW three-card monty going on. Maybe that's where this kid seems to get his 'tude about POW's. I don't know. But I would hate to be ejecting from an aircraft falling into a bunch of the enemy who had read (or had read to them) these words:

Making a shooting sign with his hand he went on: "Once you'd reached the objective, and once you'd shot them and you're moving through, anything there, you shoot again. You didn't want any prisoners of war. You hate them so bad while you're fighting, and you're so terrified, you can't really convey the feeling, but you don't want them to live."

And despite there being no link between Iraq and the September 11 attacks Richardson admitted that it gave him his motivation to fight Iraqis.

"There's a picture of the World Trade Centre hanging up by my bed and I keep one in my flak jacket. Every time I feel sorry for these people I look at that. I think, 'They hit us at home and, now, it's our turn.' I don't want to say payback but, you know, it's pretty much payback."

The 9-11 issue is emotional, but not an excuse to have invaded Iraq. Unless you breath the rarified air at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, I guess. I wonder how this soldier will feel in 12 months; 3 years; a decade from now. Will those he "double tapped" come back to him at night? Will he become one of the victims of this war, or will he tape a picture of the WTC on his refrigerator and use it as a rationaliztion for killing those who by the laws of Warfare been made POW's when they were wounded or put their weapons down; to go home now that the war was over for them?

I don't know. Don't misunderstand me, I am upset with SPC Richardson for his words and I don't really know if he did those things (or like a good friend of mine who made it into an NYT article years ago, said "I am the Worlds Greatest Fighter Pilot" (page 1 of one of the sections...really), he said it only because there was a super-gullible reporter who was so awed by F-18 drivers she believed him). I'm disturbed by this attitude and I hope that no enemy ever reads those words. I do blame Bush and all the others who have so demonized and dehumanized the soldiers who fought to keep their nation's sovereignty. That's what soldiers do, and have always done.

Unless the Chickenhawks are in charge to demonize them for it I guess.