Marine general: "It's fun to shoot people"

Marine general: It's 'fun to shoot people'
Thursday, February 3, 2005 Posted: 4:16 PM EST (2116 GMT) CNN.COM

This CNN article has to do with Lt. Gen. James Mattis (Marines) who said:

"Actually it's quite fun to fight them, you know. It's a hell of a hoot," Mattis said, prompting laughter from some military members in the audience. "It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up there with you. I like brawling.

"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil," Mattis said. "You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them."

***Sigh***

The rest of the article is harumphing denials by other military such as "one of this country's bravest and most experienced military leaders." and "agrees he should have chosen his words more carefully."

Okay, I've never been in a war situation so I don't really know what it's like. I did see Saving Private Ryan and the opening 20 minutes showing in graphic detail the D-Day landing at Normandy has really caused me to think a lot. So did the comment in Gladiator about "Unleash hell". I'm sure that when fighting in a battle, your very humanity is stretched and tested very much.

But, I don't care if he were to choose his words carefully or not. The words he spoke says a lot about his character, and lack of humane treatment of the people he meets. If he were to hold the same feelings, but choose his words carefully, then his inhumanity would be hidden. At least this way his inhumanity is out in the open for us to see.

This stinks no matter which way you look at it.