My mission with the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines Regiment was to make our sector of northern Helmand province safe for Afghan civilians through a combination of state-building, political development and security operations. The fight was tough and the enemy frustrating, but we were successful because of our commitment to winning over the local populace.
During our deployment, we worked to make the roads safe, strengthen the local economy, and befriend villagers and our Afghan army and police counterparts. We knew that building trust required thousands of cups of chai, countless meals sitting cross-legged on mud hut floors and a deep respect for the local culture and traditions. Five Marines in my company died in Afghanistan doing just this. After returning to the United States, we stood at a memorial for them and told their families that their sacrifices weren’t in vain.
Video
Warning: This video contains graphic images. (TMZ)
Video
The White House said Thursday that President Obama joins Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in condemning an internet video that purports to depict U.S. Marines urinating on Taliban corpses. (Jan. 12)
It was true then. But is it now?
Marines and all other service members understand intuitively the effect that this video will have on the war. Whatever comes of an investigation, this is a significant blow. Already, some are saying that this will affect peace talks. But the consequences for the Marines on the ground will be felt in the increase in bombs under their feet and bullets flying by their heads.
Before I left Afghanistan, we worked with the local government to install cellular towers in the area where this video was shot. Now, with a basic cellphone from the local bazaar, members of the Taliban can show villagers at every shura in the district what Marines do to Muslims when they’re dead.
That’s why my fellow Marines and I are infuriated by this video. We know there’s no moral gray area when it comes to dealing with the dead. When you’ve killed your enemy, the fight is over — and in Afghanistan, you hand the bodies over for a Muslim burial. If we can handle Osama bin Laden’s body with respect, we can do the same for an insurgent fighting for what he believes is his family pride.
My old unit is going back to Afghanistan now. Talking to the Marines before they left, I knew they were going into a tough fight. They’re headed to an area not too far from where we and the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines were stationed last year, and they’re going to do the right thing. Because that’s what the military does.
Except the fight just got a lot tougher.
timothy@iava.org
Timothy Kudo, a Marine captain who served in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2009 to 2011, is a senior membership associate with Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
Read more from Outlook, friend us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.
Loading...
Comments