Marine Videotaped Urinating On Taliban Corpses Speaks Out (Video)

Since before the time of Aristotle, Western civilization has condemned the commission of indignities on the bodies of enemies killed in battle and required that their remains be treated with respect and accorded a decent burial.

This subject is discussed in the foundational work on international law _De Jure Belli ac Pacis_ (On the Law of War and Peace) that was published in 1625.

Once an enemy has died, there is no benefit to anyone in the continuation of any animosity toward a dead individual, even if the war is still ongoing.

"...all animosity against the vanquished and the dead must cease, because they have suffered the last of evils that can be inflicted. (...) If there have been struggles among the living, your hatred surely must be satisfied with the death of an adversary. For the tongue of strife is now silenced.
(...)
"For the hand of death (...) has destroyed all enmity towards the fallen, and protected their bodies from all insult."

Today, that principle is enshrined in Rule 113 of the 4th Geneva Convention, to which the U.S. is a signatory.

Committing indignities on the dead is also prohibited by the military laws of several countries, including the U.S., Australia, Canada, Ecuador, Israel, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

A $500 dollar fine and reduction in rank was an insufficient punishment. He should have been dishonorably discharged.

He does not deserved to be called a Marine.

SEMPER FI

July 17, 2013 at 4:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )