As somebody who served in the Marine Corps as both an NCO and an officer, I take exception to the notion that somehow a video of Marines urinating on the bodies of two dead Taliban terrorists is excusable.
It is about as far from excusable as you can get.
The moral question aside, from the day when one begins recruit training, Marines are taught to be disciplined, and to follow orders. They are also taught to never give ground to the enemy.
Deciding to do what they did in this recently publicized event shows a complete loss of bearing and discipline. The act of urinating on the bodies is in direct conflict with the rules of war, and I have no doubt, the standing orders of the commanding officer. Finally, video-recording the event hands a PR victory to the enemy.
Marines are about defeating the enemy. To the exclusion of all else. We win wars. What those Marines did didn’t further the cause of defeating the enemy, and is not in keeping with the hard-won history and traditions of my Marine Corps, and should not be excused.
