HELIOLITH

Apparently the marines stormed a mosque, killing 10 fighters (whom we have branded “insurgents” to villify them and uplift our cause), and wounding 5. Kevin Sites also reported that they were left there wounded, and implies that they were forgotten or neglected for some time. Later on, another marine swearing at one of the surviving prisoners accuses him of “faking dead” and shoots him in the head with his rifle on camera. Read the story via Reuters here (explicit language). This is the nature of war: stress, fear, anger, and the corruption of violent power. Does anyone really think this is an isolated incident? Sadly there are those among us who condone or justify this type of murder.

Update: video/transcript link It really sounds like MSNBC is making a lot of excuses and apologies for the marine, explaining it away as defensible confusion in the heat of the moment.
(tip via boingboing)