Collectively short memories

I'm bugged by the comparisons in the media between the Haditha massacre in Anbar Province, Iraq, and the Abu Ghraib scandal. A more appropriate comparison would be the Mai Lai massacre in Vietnam in March 1968.

A 'security analyst' in the USA stated that the massacre was likely conducted by a 'few bad apples'. That's playing down something more serious. Morale is collapsing across the US forces stationed in Iraq - discipline has broken down - understandable when you are constantly getting stoned, shot at, are avoiding IADs, are not given appropriate armour protection, have little idea when you get to return home - and your comrades-in-arms are dying around you.

But to raise a gun against the unarmed is immoral, whatever language you speak. But I guess that's what happens when you send out young kids halfway across the World, fully-armed.

Unfortunately, people don't appear to get that angry anymore - and they tend to have shorter memories too.