U.S. Soldiers Told to Ignore Sexual Abuse of Boys by Afghan Allies

"Boy love" in Afghanistan...

a reply to: CTRTCTRT

How can you court martial somebody for aiding an offender when there is no offender?

How can you court martial somebody for not stopping an act that isn't illegal in the country the act takes place in?

We also took over the German government and Japanese government, and the convictions were for crimes against humanity. The administration in power at the end of World War 2 gave zero craps about how German and Japanese citizens and officials felt about anything.

This administration would rather everybody ignore something patently wrong by western standards so as not to offend the delicate psyche of our Afghan "partners."

Saying that's not true doesn't make it not true. That's the reality of the situation. You're comparing two vastly different post-war scenarios. Two completely different political landscapes. And then pinning the blame on the 19 year old private six months out of basic training instead of where it belongs: leadership.

But that's okay. It's your right to sit in judgement and wax prophetic and ignore whatever doesn't suit your feelings. And not do a damn thing about it, other than post on an Internet forum. That 19 year old will be the one who has to hear the screams every night when he goes to sleep. All you'll hear is your humidifier.

I don't understand why you people blame US Soldiers for a legal and cultural practice that we cannot legally do anything about. Why even bring up the UCMJ? It does not apply to Afghans at all. The US military cannot impose the UCMJ on Afghans regardless of who they are or what they are doing.

This has literally ZERO to do with following orders.

It has everything to do with the legal grounds by which we do or do not act.

Afghan law is not subject to American enforcement.

But it's not really legal, is it? It's more along the lines of 'folkways and mores".

____________

I looked it up. Child molestation is NOT a crime in Afghanistan. Child pornography, on the otherhand, is a crime, but it is not enforced.
www.cnsnews.com...

a reply to: ThoughtIsMadness

I don't know what this post has to do with what Afghans do.

originally posted by: ladyinwaiting
But it's not really legal, is it? It's more along the lines of 'folkways and mores".

True.

But the US has ZERO authority over these people. All anyone can do is report it up to higher. Higher rank then takes it to relevant Afghan commanders where it is then swept under the rug or dismissed altogether.

There is literally ZERO anyone in US uniform can do about it. So bringing up UCMJ or anything else is irrelevant.

a reply to: DeathSlayer

I remember PBS Frontline did an expose of this problem a couple of years ago: Dancing Boys of Afghanistan

I am not sure what to think of it - or if the use of the word "pedophile" is even applicable. I think it harkens back to primal ape essence! Territorial, silver-back gorillas as well. Dominant male, testosterone etc. When there are no pretty women around to #, I suppose younger people are the next best thing for these men.

I think it happens in jail too. There are these hierarchies that seem to just naturally form, even in these facilities, and the alpha male has his b**** and all of that.

Human nature maybe?

Maybe not important, but they do differentiate between homosexuality and male on male sex:

Homosexuality is strictly prohibited in Islam. “To identify as such is to admit an enormous sin in Islam – one punishable by death under the Taliban and one that would result in severe tribal and familial ostracization today,” the report said.

However, “even men who practice homosexuality exclusively are not labeled by themselves or their counterparts as homosexual.” Therefore, “it appears to be the label, not the action or the preference, that poses the greatest problem.”

Homosexuality is defined – “narrowly and specifically” – as the love of another man, the HTT report said.

“Loving a man would therefore be unacceptable and a major sin within this cultural interpretation of Islam, but using another man for sexual gratification would be regarded as a foible – undesirable but far preferable to sex with an ineligible woman … which would likely result in issues of revenge and honor killings,” the Army’s report added.

www.cnsnews.com...

a reply to: ladyinwaiting

I looked it up. Child molestation is NOT a crime in Afghanistan. Child pornography, on the otherhand, is a crime, but it is not enforced.

See my point?

If it isn't illegal and there isn't any enforcement of things that are illegal, and we US Soldiers don't have any God damned authority to do anything about it on any grounds, then how is it our fault?

Don't you people think we'd be happy to put a bullet in a baby rapists forehead? I know I would.

a reply to: ladyinwaiting

another sexist example of their ' customs" , women are not only 'neglected' physically emotionally but cant vote drive go to college or travel without a close relative or bodyguard , the few reports on tv when interviewed the college age girls claimed they were ok with it
i mean what's wrong with this picture?

a reply to: projectvxn

Yes, I've seen your point all along, but still it is difficult on those soldiers who have to hear it in progress. Not intervening is almost too much to ask of them. I bet some do anyway. To intervene with a child being hurt comes very naturally to us.

a reply to: Glinda

Brilliantly said Glinda ! There really are some things in this World that do deserve ZERO TOLERANCE, and this is one of them ! Is it any wonder that our service men are coming home from these BS "wars, liberation's, invasions" or whatever you want to call them, completely traumatized ?!

a reply to: DeathSlayer

MANY of us would NEVER make it in todays army they would havethrown our hard partying butts out.
NOT to metion we would have IGNORED thse ROES like crazy...

a reply to: DBCowboy

"LEADERSHIP" is currently occupied with making combat arms a social experiment and pushing progessive training down their throats

originally posted by: projectvxn
I don't understand why you people blame US Soldiers for a legal and cultural practice that we cannot legally do anything about. Why even bring up the UCMJ? It does not apply to Afghans at all. The US military cannot impose the UCMJ on Afghans regardless of who they are or what they are doing.

This has literally ZERO to do with following orders.

It has everything to do with the legal grounds by which we do or do not act.

Afghan law is not subject to American enforcement.

Those that have never served are morally outraged, and by the 1st amendment have every right to express it.

originally posted by: ladyinwaiting
a reply to: projectvxn

Yes, I've seen your point all along, but still it is difficult on those soldiers who have to hear it in progress. Not intervening is almost too much to ask of them. I bet some do anyway. To intervene with a child being hurt comes very naturally to us.

Of course I understand that.

And believe me, there are ways of dealing with it.

Sometimes you take one of these assholes out on patrol with you and make sure he's a casualty.

a reply to: BubbaJoe

Of course they do.

They just don't understand the issue and are quick to blame the US Soldier rather than the Afghan rapist.

originally posted by: cavtrooper7
a reply to: DBCowboy

"LEADERSHIP" is currently occupied with making combat arms a social experiment and pushing progessive training down their throats

Thank God I'm a few months away from getting out.

a reply to: projectvxn

I'm so happy you are almost done with it.

originally posted by: ladyinwaiting
a reply to: projectvxn

I'm so happy you are almost done with it.

For many reasons I wish I could stay in.

But I don't have a choice in the matter.