Via Malou Innocent [1], embedded journalist Neil Shea writes in The American Scholar [2] about the mistreatment perpetrated on Afghans by U.S. soldiers, which the media (including himself, he admits) never include in the war coverage. From shooting valuable animals and pets to demolishing a family’s house and physically abusing civilians, Shea wonders how many “Taliban” were created as a response to this treatment.
Many times I have watched soldiers or Marines, driven by boredom or fear, behave selfishly and meanly, even illegally, in minor ways. In a few searing moments I have wondered what would come next, what the men would do to prisoners or civilians or suspected insurgents.
…The soldiers of Destroyer talked about how their house searches had become demolition parties. They shattered windows and china, broke furniture, hurled civilians to the ground. Earlier that day, they had blown up a building.
In reference to an Afghan prisoner:
“I think he remembers we were the ones who fucked him up last night,” the soldier said to Givens. “I think he’s starin’ at you.”
“Fuck him,” Givens said. “The only reason he’s still alive is because the United States of America holds 25 to life over my head.”
…”Yeah, we definitely made some Taliban out here,” he said. “It was like a week-long Taliban recruiting drive. And we had fun doing it. I love recruiting for the Taliban. It’s called job security.”
