The very nature of war and its dehumanizing influence ensure that incidents like those mentioned in these allegations are going to happen. The fact is that some members of any army will be thugs, and many otherwise decent young men will become thugs. I've heard stories about American troops in Italy during WWII, about atrocities committed against civilians and even allies. One man told me that "At least the Germans had orders not to fraternize with civilians, and they obeyed them; but when the Americans came you had to hide your property and your women". The question is one of isolated incidents vs general patterns, and occasional breakdowns in discipline vs military policy. Add to this the unavoidable friction which occurs between an occupying invader trying to fight a guerilla war and civilians who just want to be left alone, not to mention an insurgency which is deliberately trying to provoke a situation which will create these incidents.

This, along with collateral damage, is part of the price even the most humane armed force is going to find itself paying, but I don't believe our troops are worse than anyone else and are probably behaving much better than most would under similar circumstances. I certainly believe our men are behaving with more restraint than they did in Vietnam, and probably in any of our other wars.

Whatever the truth to this soldier's allegations, he is a deserter and I am inclined to suspect his statements. They would have been much more convincing if he had made these charges after serving his tour and been discharged from the service. I don't believe the state has a right to force young men to go to war, but once you voluntarily take the oath you have a solemn obligation to follow your orders, and if you feel they are immoral or illegal, to follow the accepted channels and procedures to declare your protest and accept the consequences. A soldier who publicly and honorably refuses to carry out what he feels is an unjust order, and willingly accepts the censure of his comrades and military justice, puts himself in a very uncomfortable position which makes the legitimacy of his declarations and disobedience much more convincing.

As soon as soldiers start arbitrarily deciding when they don't want to fight, it's only a matter of time before they start picking fights we may not want them in.