Ethan McCord
Ethan McCord is a former US soldier who served in Iraq, and is one of the soldiers who appear on the wikileaks video that I discussed earlier.
He was interviewed recently, and claims, among other things, that:
Our rules of engagement were changing on an almost daily basis. But we had a pretty gung-ho commander, who decided that because we were getting hit by IEDs a lot, there would be a new battalion SOP [standard operating procedure].
He goes, “If someone in your line gets hit with an IED, 360 rotational fire. You kill every motherfucker on the street.” Myself and Josh and a lot of other soldiers were just sitting there looking at each other like, “Are you kidding me? You want us to kill women and children on the street?”
And you couldn’t just disobey orders to shoot, because they could just make your life hell in Iraq. So like with myself, I would shoot up into the roof of a building instead of down on the ground toward civilians. But I’ve seen it many times, where people are just walking down the street and an IED goes off and the troops open fire and kill them.
I strongly suspect this isn't true, and although he admits to emotional problems from his time in service, this would not excuse lying. I'll explain.
I'm also in the Army. Unlike McCord, I'm still in the Army. I've been to Iraq - twice, including just before McCord was there. I've also been in a convoy hit by an IED. Not only have I not seen it, I've never even heard of any unit with such a ridiculous "policy".
If an officer actually gave an order like that, it would be illegal, and would end his career (or send him to jail) if anyone found out. It's very unlikely he would announce it so openly, and even more unlikely that the Battalion commander wouldn't do anything to stop it, since he could be held liable also (remember that every commander in the Army has a commander himself). Anyone following it could also be prosecuted.
I'm not defending the wikileaks incident, but - here's what bothers me. Former soldiers like McCord, who are against the war, get star-studded media attention, while the 99.99% who claim they didn't commit atrocities (like me) are ignored.
I would also like to respond to this. McCord wrote a letter of apology of sorts, for the incident, because:
We wanted the Iraqi people to know that not everybody sees them as being dehumanized and that there are plenty of Americans and other people who care for them as human beings and wish for them to live long and happy lives and don’t agree with the war and the policies behind it.
I do support the war, but I also care very deeply for Iraqis as human beings, and consider many of them my good friends. I still correspond with them today. McCord is just saying the things the anti-war protestors want to hear, and the interviewer is eating it up.
I tried to find McCord through the Army's email database, but he is not listed, most likely since he's no longer in the service. If he would contact me, I would love to interview him myself.
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18 comments:
Great article, it truly touched me. Thank You
Brother I was with McCord in Iraq in the same platoon I would love to explain to you or somebody of the lies he is telling everyone and the half truths. so if you would like you can e-mail me mdfck21@yahoo.com it is easier if you can find me on facebook. thanks and hope to hear from you soon.
Anthony
I was in that unit. I was in his company. Talk about a traitor.
i totally forgot, you can ask me as well
gogoandywolf@gmail.com
What unit was this guy with? 1-16 it looked like from the crest. I was in d-troop the same time that this 'happened' and totally agree with you and the few guys who commented on here. I never herd of any of this happening. I was an 11B too and know when I smell bull shit.we should get together and write a responce to this dickbag. redtoothedtiger@hotmail
So I see you all saying McCord is lying but are you saying the video is a lie as well? I truly hope it is all fabricated.
What McCord said is not what is disturbing, the video is what is disturbing and the dialog with it. I have seen many rebukes about McCord but not so much about the video. And I have personally heard soldiers laughing and joking about killing enemy soldiers like it is hilarious that is part of the reality of war and I guess the way to deal with it.
This is coming from a Canadian and our entire nation only now sees you all as MURDERS and trying to put a seal on your only witness with the balls to stand up for what is right! Generations of US Military - "my grand papy papys papy was in the army and now im in the army" have been brought up thinking that just becasue your in the army it gives you some sort of mythical power! your all american honkies proving to the rest of the world exactly what we all think of you as being true...
you should all pick up a book instead of a gun sometime - maybe you'll one day catch us to the GED us Canadians have and hold so true - and btw your welcome for the water and lumber - honkies!
I have many friends in Canada, including three relatives, and none of them see the U.S. as "murderers".
1. Learn to capitalize sentences.
2. It's "you're", not "your".
3. It's "pappy" not "papy".
4. We have our own water and lumber.
5. Are you Black? You keep calling people "honkies", are you a Black Canadian? I'd like to know, because if you are, you're the first I've ever heard of (it's a joke, if you were unable to ascertain that).
Typical response from a typical American - cant wait to see what comes out about your pathetic nation monday - sounds like its going to get real messy...LOL LOSERS
Sneakers said it best "Too Many Secrets"
How can you people sit back and watch that video wait why do i bother - youve all been brain washed by uncle sam - come to Canada we have some good hospitals here to help you...
McCord is a traitor, a joke, a douche-bag, period. Clearly the shootings were justified engagement. Reporters/cameramen put their lives in danger when they surround themselves with armed insurgents who were just engaging and/or ready to engage. Sorry for the "innocent" loss of life, but this is a clear case of legitimate engagement.
Were there men on the ground carrying weapons? I really can't see very much on the video. If they were carrying weapons and they were going to be used to shoot at American soldiers, then the attack was justified. In war, innocents die, sad, but true. I have no idea why a father would bring his 7 and 4 year old children into a rescue mission.
I for one am proud of Ethan McCord and his courage to stand up against such atrocities and showing he's still a decent human being.
If you believe he's lying, how do you comment the video guys? How do you comment the orders to leave the children shot by US troops behind to die?
Where is your heart people?
Mccord's inability to deal with the realities of war is amazing. I wonder what has happened to the weeding out process in the US military. I can only hope he is the exception, "not the rule" of the type of warriors our system is creating.
I knew several of these guys personally, Including McCord and Mr. Wolf, who posted above. McCord is a liar, an attention whore. He saw his way out of a combat zone and he took it.
So many of these soldiers' careers were cut short because of the stink McCord and his cohorts raised. The wikileaks video is not the long, more detailed version I remember.
Personally, I think he should be shot for aiding the enemy.
This is war people, you don't like it, then shut up and move along. It has always been, it always will be.
Ethan McCord is a marked man.
Ethan McCord is nothing but a dead beat dad. He has at least 8 children(that we know of) he sent his oldest off to live with his mother in California because he was sick of her and the girls mother was in jail and the rest he has to be forced to even pay child support for. This war hero crap makes me sick because he absolutely is not! He did not show up to my Uncles funeral yesterday (his daughters Grandpa) he had planned to until he found out that Ft. Riley would be in attendance because my Uncle was a REAL hero from the Vietnam war. Ethan got out of going back to war by saying he had PTSD and supposedly a heart attack....funny thing is my Aunt found well over a few bottles of 5 hour energy in his trash can during that time. I wish everyone would stop feeding into his shit!
I was there on the scene of the video too. While yes there were children injured badly and yes there are some bad apples that abuse detainees. I was in a sniper team attached to EOD. we were tasked to sterilize the scene, namely destroy any enemy arms and ammo. There was much of it. The arms destroyed were at least 4-5 AK47s and two RPG launchers, alng with the actual rockets. Yes innocents were injured but that is because our enemy used kids to shield themselves.
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