Question for sending to troops in Iraq (sm)

• Question for sending to troops in Iraq (sm) - Tis the season
  • Just FYI - I have successfully sent over chocolates from November thru January with no problems - - misty
  • A few things - sm - Army mom
    • I was wondering about Playboy, but I - guess not. (For single men only.)
    • P.S. - Army mom
      • Don't mix soap/lotion/personal care with food. nm - mtstudent
      • Thanks for the info! - Tis the season

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Marine Corps Base Hawaii is investigating a shocking video of a smiling Marine throwing a puppy off the top of a steep hillside in Iraq into a gully below.

The video today gained widespread attention and condemnation on the Internet.

"The video is shocking and deplorable and is contrary to the high standards we expect of every Marine," the Kane'ohe Bay base said in a release.

Base officials said the video came to their attention this morning. An investigation has been initiated. Maj. Chris Perrine, a Marine spokesman here, said "it's looking like" the Marine is based out of Hawai'i.

"We do not tolerate this type of behavior and will take appropriate action," the base said.

Two Marines are seen in combat gear smiling as one holds a white-and-black puppy by the scruff of its neck. The dog seems to be about 8 weeks old and is motionless as it is held.

"Cute little puppy, huh?" says one Marine as he smiles broadly.

"Oh so cute, so cute, little puppy," says another in a child-like voice.

The Marine holding the puppy is then seen throwing the animal overhand into a desert-like gully below. The animal yelps until it thuds to the ground at the bottom of the gully.

"That's mean," one Marine says afterward.

The 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment of about 1,000 Hawai'i Marines recently replaced a sister unit in Iraq, the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.

Marine Corps Base Hawai'i said the vast majority of Marines "conduct their duties in an honorable manner that brings great credit upon the Marine Corps and the United States."

There have been numerous stories of Marines adopting pets and bringing them home from Iraq or helping to arrange life-saving medical care for Iraqi children. Those are the stories that exemplify what we stand for and how most Marines behave."

======================================

The video is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlCiUMoFu84
(Safe for work because it's blurry, but still very disturbing)

Some people have claimed it's possible the video is fake, but it doesn't seem likely.

Really, really sick.

This kind of twisted lack of humanity seems to stem partially from the brutal brainwashing soldiers go through in bootcamp, combined with the severe emotional stress of the field.

Whoever those guys are, I hope they're both discharged immediately, but I also hope they receive serious emotional help.

***UPDATE*** The Associated Press reveals more details about the shooter:

The suspect had been disarmed after an earlier incident at the center but returned with another weapon, according to a senior military official in Washington, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation into the shootings was ongoing.

***UPDATE*** The American soldier who shot dead five fellow soldiers at a U.S. base in Baghdad is in custody.

"The shooter is a US soldier and he is in custody," US marine corps lieutenant Tom Garnett, a US military spokesman in Iraq, told reporters.

The New York Times adds some perspective to the tragedy:

The killings appeared to be the worst case of soldier-on-soldier violence among the American forces based in Iraq since the invasion more than six years ago.
The shootings, which took place at a stress clinic, highlight the problem of post-traumatic stress disorder among U.S. soldiers, notes the Guardian:

Stress is one of the biggest killers of US soldiers in Iraq. About a fifth of all US troops are thought to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, contributing to high divorce and suicide rates. An estimated one fifth of the 4,292 members of the US force in Iraq have died from non-combat causes, either in accidents or from suicide.
***UPDATE*** According to Fox News, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs Monday relayed President Obama's response to the tragedy. Obama expressed shock and sadness and is promising to fully investigate what exactly transpired at Camp Liberty, so as to prevent such incidents in the future.

***UPDATE*** AP has another update. The shooting was at a 'stress clinic':

Pentagon officials say five Americans are dead after a U.S. soldier opened fire at a U.S. base in Baghdad. They say the attacker is in custody.

The officials say the shootings happened on Camp Liberty at a stress clinic, where troops can go for help with the stresses of combat or stress from personal issues.

One senior military official in Washington says it's unclear whether those killed are workers at the clinic or were there for counseling. He says officials also are unsure whether all the dead are members of the military.

***UPDATE*** ABC News reports that the U.S. soldier who attacked fellow troops on a U.S, base in Iraq has killed five of them and is now in custody. Initial reports suggested that he had turned the gun on himself after his rampage.

***UPDATE*** AP now reports that the U.S. soldier who went on a rampage against his fellow troops in Iraq may have survived the incident:

Pentagon officials say five U.S. soldiers are dead after an American soldier opened fire at a U.S. base in Baghdad.

The officials say the shootings happened Monday at Camp Liberty near Baghdad's airport.

One senior military official in Washington said it was not yet clear whether the shooter was among the dead. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the circumstances surrounding the deaths are under investigation.

Initial reports indicated the Army soldier shot several others, then turned the gun on himself. But it was unclear whether he, too, had died.

***UPDATE*** CNN reports that 3 other U.S. soldiers were wounded during the friendly fire incident that has left 5 U.S. troops dead. An American soldier killed 4 of his fellow troops before killing himself.

According to the Washington Post, it is the single greatest loss of life in a single incident involving U.S. soldiers since a truck bomb last month took the lives of 5 American soldiers.

***UPDATE*** CNN has just sent out a breaking news alert reporting that senior defense officials have told the network that a US soldier killed 4 of his fellow troops before killing himself. Check back for more information.

McClatchy is reporting that a shooting at a U.S. base in Baghdad has left 5 soldiers dead. The shooting occurred at Camp Liberty, a base near the Baghdad airport.

Please remember our soldiers and their families this holiday season.  Bless them all.

http://pcsuccess.us/yrg/farewellmarine_final.swf

I'd like to send a gift/gifts to my nephew in Iraq. This is his first Christmas away so I know it will be hard for him. If possible, I'd like to include something personal just for him and maybe some stuff for his buddies to share. I asked him point-blank what he'd like and, typical guy, he says "anything" which is of NO HELP at all. I have no clue what they're allowed to have or not have.

You guys have any ideas? Thanks!

I am so sorry for your loss.  They are like our babies and it is so hard when we lose them.  Take care of yourself and give yourself time to greive.  Think about maybe a shadow box with your kittie's things in it as a memory. 

Christmas is next week.  Got pix of the family to put in the cards, and tons of Christmas cards from last year's Christmas sales.  Every day, I say, I will do these cards.  At least to grandma and grandpa on both sides.  Every day, I put it off.  DH got a roll of stamps and he has the cards sitting on his nightstand with pix, he has not done any either. 

Thus far we got several newsletters from people, saying they did this, they did that, they celebrated this birthday, their kid did this and that.  We don't plan to do a newsletter this year, b/c it seems to me these newsletters sound so self-centered! They are not even from family members, they are from DH coworkers and such.

My friends send me e-cards pretty much or we chat over the I-net.  We send holiday greetings and catch up that way.  My son will be getting grandma and grandpa's on both sides presents the end of the week, and I think I will just put the pictures in the packages when I send and forget about the cards.

This is really sad.  Years ago, Dec 1 we'd get a bunch of cards and have ours sent out.  Different colors of ink on the envelopes, red and green, holiday stamps, it would be so fun.  All the cards we'd get my dad or I would put on a board in shape of a tree and we'd put it on the wall. 

Now, it seems with snail mail, and so many other worries about cutting budget, finding enough work, I am not in the mood to write cards.  Maybe it will become a thing of the past, and the boxes of cards will accumulate dust in the top of the closet.

Anybody else in this predicament? Thanks in advance for sharing your card stories.