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Subscribe to RSSArmy officials are conducting a criminal investigation into newly revealed photographs showing U.S. troops posing with body parts of dead Afghan suicide bombers. NBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai called Thursday for U.S. and other foreign forces in the country to hand over security to his government's forces sooner than planned, following the publication of photographs showing American troops posing with the body parts of dead suicide bombers.
In a statement issued by the presidential palace statement to NBC News and other media outlets Karzai said he strongly condemned the "inhumane and provocative" act.
"It is such a disgusting act to take photos with body parts and then share it with others," he said, according to the statement.
The statement noted "similar incidents of odious nature in the past that sparked angry reaction by the Afghans and the international community at large."
US condemns troops for allegedly posing with dead suicide bombers in Afghanistan
"The President underlines that the only way to put an end to such painful experiences is through an accelerated and full transition of security responsibilities to Afghan forces, so Afghanistan can take over its own destiny and, thus no such things can be repeated by the foreign forces in Afghanistan," it added.
The acts shown in the photographs, which were first published by the Los Angeles Times, were condemned by U.S. officials and the commander of NATO-led forces in Afghanistan, Gen. John R. Allen. "The actions of the individuals photographed do not represent the policies of ISAF or the U.S. Army," Allen said.
On Wednesday, the LA Times ran an article in which it explained the decision to publish the pictures, which were taken in 2010.
“We considered this very carefully,” Editor Davan Maharaj said. “At the end of the day, our job is to publish information that our readers need to make informed decisions. We have a particular duty to report vigorously and impartially on all aspects of the American mission in Afghanistan."
NBC's Sohel Uddin reports live from Kabul about the deadly attacks in Afghanistan over the weekend. MSNBC's Alex Wagner and the NOW panel discuss the effects of the violence on the withdrawal of American military troops, and what the attacks could mean for national security in the Middle East.
"On balance, in this case, we felt that the public interest here was served by publishing a limited, but representative sample of these photos, along with a story explaining the circumstances under which they were taken," he added.
Slideshow: Afghanistan: Nation at a crossroads
The Times said that the the Defense Department had asked the paper not to run the photos.
The paper's article said that the safety of troops was among The Times' concerns.
“When we made the decision to publish, the Pentagon asked us to wait 24 additional hours to protect troops depicted in the photographs," Maharaj said. "We agreed to push back our publication date until the Pentagon told us they had taken the necessary precautions. In fact, we waited more than 72 hours after their request."
NBC News' Akbar Shinwari and Sohel Uddin in Kabul contributed to this report.
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What's often missed in the headlines for this particular story is that the bodies and body parts the soldiers photographed are the bodies of dead suicide bombers. It's not like the soldiers photographed the dead bodies of innocent women and children. It's still not appropriate, but that should be kept in mind.
Why are we still there --it makes no sense --That guy is always condemming the forces --as soon as we leave this guy will be history --he is fleecing athe American People at the same time throwing them under the bus --who ever is in charge of those soldiers needs to be court martialed. It is wrong -and we know it and it is disgusting and we need to clean it up and get the hell out that hellhole--these folks in that country have been squatting for years and will continue to do --I am getting more disgusted with Obama each and every day will all these scandals --their isnt a day gone by and something else rears its ugly head. I would cut Kharzi from the payroll once and for all
Why are we even there? Let then have their @!$%# country ! It was not even worth it to the Soviets. Get the hell out already.
The L.A. times should be ashamed of themselves. This is not newsworthy and does nothing but put our troops lives in greater jeopardy. They took pictures with what was left of a suicide bomber. This is news how? This was all about money, I bet they hoped this would get more people to buy their paper. The news media in this country is going into the crapper. This type of stuff never would have flown in WWII. Journalists still showed some support for our troops and country in those days, and would not jeopordize the troops in any way. Especially to make a buck.
A-rabs are always Fuming about something. I say GTFO of Arabasia and let the place implode. No sense pouring good American blood down a Rat Hole.
They are, aren't they. It's always "somebody else's" fault. Never take ANY responsibility that over the last 100 years, your countries have gotten nowhere. Just keep telling the people how they will bring back the glory days and basic values of "Islam" whcih translates into no freedom, no dissent, no justice, no education, no jobs... WHILE the leaders sit in their filty rich castles and spew hatred of...guess who...Isreal and the West, who they are always coming to when they need something or one of their "Arab" brothers attackes them...Get the hell out of all of those countries once and for all...no troops, no advisors, no weapons sales, no aid, no nothing....Let them go to Russia or China, who will want something (mostly a lot) in return.
unkn0wn1
You should educate yourself. Afghanis are NOT Arabs. Its embarrassing!!!
Afghans are sweaters not Arabs. Get it right!!!! Secondly, who cares what they are ?????
Yea Karzai is upset and will ask for more money,Too bad his corrupt government is not more concerned with the death of the Afghans the suicide bombers killed.We need to go ahead and hand it over to Karzai let them become a terrorist trainnig camp again we can always bomb the hell out of them.
STORMER
Two questions are raised by this 'incident' and the story about it.
First, who really cares what Karzai and his fellow rag heads care about anything? Certainly not me.
Second: Why are we still there? Or in other words... why did we even go there? The Russians tried to 'tame' these infidels, these sand jockeys, these rag heads for TEN years and FAILED. The Americans, who being led by fools and fortune seekers, after ten years have also failed.
But failed at what? Failed to strip the bountiful raw materials from the land? Failed to enhance the terrific crop of poppies? Failed at keeping our money at home and above all failed to prevent the grisly and disgusting murder of our Nations men and woman who for whatever reason joined the Armed Forces only to be mercilessly murdered in a desolate waste land where tribal leadership led by this criminal, Karzai lays the trap for Americans.
Again.. why are we still there? Why did we go there in the first place?
Jesus was a "rag head" just like the pagans and the Muslims or the Jews back then. The Muslims kept the tradition because they live there. Arab Christians who live in the middle east still wear rags and towels on their heads.
Well thats wonderful, thanks for the History of the RAGHEADS. I will file that under Who gives a &%*#!
You put troops in harms way everyday. Attacked daily. Seeing more than any person should ever have to see, and you expect them not to become callus? I'm here to tell anyone that is having an OMG moment that the only way to do the job that has to be done as a Marine, soldier, sailor, or airman is to make your enemy less than human. Anything else will get you hurt. Where is Karzai when U.S. troops and inocent civilians are beening killed. I don't hear him scream bloody murder about the 100+ school girls there were poisoned. This is the same prick that released a rape victim from prison...(Put there for being a adultress because she allowed herself to be raped.. If she was less attractive it wouldn't have happened I guess.), To marry the man that raped her. This was signed by him. I seem to remember him looking pretty happy when the UNITED STATES and some NATO force got himthe position he's in today.He's pretty quiet when a Afgan troop pulls the trigger on the same Smerican troops that ran the Taliban out of his village and made sure he had more freedom than he's ever had in his sad goat herding, poppy growing life.I say we got who we wanted. Let the them blow eachother up. The recent attacks there show the whole world that when we do go home... Karzai would survive the year. Funny thing is that Islam claims that the U.S. had always been anti-islam. This proves that the have really short memories. The four of the last five conflicts we have fought in since 1990 have been in the defence of Islamic people, ( The Gulf War, The Balkins, Iraq, and these Afgans), in return... They have beheaded, bombed, kidnapped, and shot at the same troops and civilians that helped them. The way I figure... If we take our ball and go home the different sects of Muslims we kill eachother off anyway.
The LA Times decided to print the stories and pictures after much debate. Forget the fact that the reproduction of those pictures will result in more harm and death in Afghanistan. Hence, the debate of the better good. Yes, the people have the right to know, however, at what cost.
I remember a story years ago about killings in Southern California that were NOT publicized because of the risk of copycat killers committing the same crown.
Congratulations to the LA Times. You should be nominated for the Darwin Awards this year. You put sensationalist journalism ahead of public safety. You should cease publication of your newspaper.
we need to leave now. and as far as karzais demand for 2 billion a yearfrom us, i do not think so. this is the country that carried out the terrorist attack on us. now instead of a terrorist run wstaqte, we have a corrupt state that still has terrorist in it. if (when) thngs get bad there, we can visit them with drones and cruise missles. bring our troops home, show some political backbone.
The Taliban will probably be posing with Karzai's body parts in another couple of years. Can't say I'll lose any sleep over it either.
Bite me Karzai you sack of $hit. I didn't hear a peep out of your sorry a$$ when US soldiers and contractors were killed and their bodies paraded around.
So go Eff oFF and die scumbag.
Two questions are raised by this 'incident' and the story about it.
First, who really cares what Karzai and his fellow rag heads care about anything? Certainly not me.
Second: Why are we still there? Or in other words... why did we even go there? The Russians tried to 'tame' these infidels, these sand jockeys, these rag heads for TEN years and FAILED. The Americans, who being led by fools and fortune seekers, after ten years have also failed.
But failed at what? Failed to strip the bountiful raw materials from the land? Failed to enhance the terrific crop of poppies? Failed at keeping our money at home and above all failed to prevent the grisly and disgusting murder of our Nations men and woman who for whatever reason joined the Armed Forces only to be mercilessly murdered in a desolate waste land where tribal leadership led by this criminal, Karzai lays the trap for Americans.
Again.. why are we still there? Why did we go there in the first place?
I say we ignore him. We shouldn't get dictated by terrorist and pro-terrorist. America pre-emptively should not tolerate another 9/11.
What? they want to destroy us and we should be chivalrous about it?
Where is the outrage that the dead punks are suicide bombers. They blow themselves up and kill and mame others. That is the outrageous part!!!
Afghan President Hamid Karzai called Thursday for U.S. and other foreign forces in the country to hand over security to his government's forces sooner than planned,
I agree, pull out this week and to hell with them. They're a bunch of backward ingrates anyway.
They're hypocrites, bitching about posing with dead suicide bombers, but these same people blow themselves up and kill as many as possible. Fuc em.
Given the historical facts, it would be a shame to discipline our troops for this. Bring our troops home, cut off further aid and let the Afgans take care of themselves.
It's one, two, three, what are we fighting for?
I agree with the majority here. We should just pull out now.
Anyone recall all the dead Americans in Afghanistan left swaying from ropes off the bridges? It's okay to do that but take pictures of suicide bombers that were trying to kill Americans but screwed up accidentally killing themselves instead, oh the horror!
Many who have never been in extreme long term stress situations do not understand what it does to the mind. Some do goofy odd things, some as in this case do things we may find morbid, others totally snap under the constant pressure and sometimes even turn on their own.... We must keep in mind when judging them the situation they are under is not kicking back watching the tube or working in a cubical. They are constantly worried a missile will come to their barracks, their vehicle will hit a road side bomb, they will be ambushed and/or shot at... Live like that day in and day out then see what kind of person you become....
The sick thing is the media does it because showing the pictures gets you to view it and makes them a fat profit. Blood money I say...
I hope their only punishment is to be stripped of their cameras!
Plan an accident for the Taliban loving Karzai and bring our people home to their families
The behavior that the troops posing with the body parts is shocking but I dont see what is the big deal of the whole situation. Those body parts were a man that was strapped with a bomb meaning to kill many innocent civillian lives anyone within range and the people in the country and government are all complaining that they are dishonering them by holding peices of a man that was suppose to kill them. I suppose next time taliban suicide bombers come by NATO should just step aside and let them hvae whats coming to them.
That piece of islamic feces Karzai, is a dead man as soon as America leaves that open sewer.
I'm fuming over the American lives and money that has been wasted proping up Karzai and his corrupt drug dealing buddies. Get the U.S. out NOW!
Sooner out works for me. And with us goes financial aid, and other handouts. Who needs Afghanistan?
G.O.N.E. Get Out Now Everyone
People have been posing with their hunting trophies since they started painting on cave walls. This is disgusting but its not exactly like they killed and dismembered the suicide bomber before they took these pictures. The suicide bombers did that to themselves and in the rush of having survived such attacks, the adrenaline and the euphoria take over.
I wonder if Karzai is offended and horrified by how many innocent people or people trying to defend him and his government were blown to pieces by these bombers?
Having said all that: Fine, let him take over security for his nation. I'm ready for us to stand down and that means no US or NATO security for him and his cohorts either. He wants the war, he is welcome to it. I think we have demonstrated that if we really want to have an impact on some activity in Afghanistan or Pakistan we really don't have to be "boots on the ground" to do it. Given the terrorist activity in Kashmir I'm sure India would find a way to quietly host a small special ops and drone base. Or there are other nations in the region that would happy to take our money on the QT to do so.
I don't like these pictures but I understand the human elements that cause them, and I don't think the media really thought through the implications of publishing them.