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Jul-20-2008 22:54printcomments

Torture and Terrorists: The Opinion of a Combat Infantryman

Phillip Leveque has spent his life as a Combat Infantryman, Physician and Toxicologist.

Salem-News.com
Titled "Abu Torture" courtesy HuffingtonPost

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - I have been reading in the Oregonian Newspaper the McClatchy Newspaper articles about the American soldiers who want to live and go home, versus the Iraq and Afghanistan terrorists who want to die and go to their heaven with 40 virgins (after they are dead?)

I'm going to express my disdain and contempt for the American Pentagon swivel chair waffle butts writing this stuff because they have no concept of what it is to be a frontline soldier in about th worst type of war we've ever been in.

I'm going to start with a few scenarios of what I know of World War Two. We're on the front lines in a static, non-moving situation. It could have been Aacheny, the first German city captured by us. The Germans had many snipers killing and maiming many of our guys. We were finally able to shoot at muzzle flashes and destroy all but two tenacious and deadly snipers.

One of our guys finally said "I'm going to circle around back and get one of those guys"!

Some dogface Infantrymen are a bit more "crazy" than most. He got back in a couple hours with a captured sniper! Our boys wanted to know where the other sniper was. What do you think our guys were going to do now- play patty cake.

When our paratroopers landed in France, some were caught in the trees. If they were high the krauts shot them, if they were low they cut off their genitals. Our paratroopers had a response to this.

The krauts captured several dozen Canadian & British soldiers and put them in a jail in Caen, Normandie. When it became evident that the British were taking Caen, the krauts took them out in the yardc and machine gunned them. What was the Canadian's response?

When our guys came upon the Concentration/death camps and saw what the well fed kraut guards had done to their prisoners, they lined them up and shot them.

The Oregonian article says our boys humiliated their prisoners! They were also trying to get information from them. This is not a patty cake situation. Obviously, yes obviously, information from these guys saved many American lives or they wouldn't do it.

I weep no tears for these terrorists who WANT TO DIE. One of these human bombs can kill dozens of our boys and Iraqi citizens.

These prisoners are getting good Arab food, beds, showers, etc. They obviously won't give up the "bad guys". If they did, we wouldn't have to keep tehm and maintain Gitmo.

We know several of those released have gone back to their terrorist ways. Why should we release any tell things quiet down in Iraq, etc?

Fifty terrorists not worth the life of one American soldier. Hoorah for the Infantry.

(Editor's, note: Dr. Leveques' opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinion or political position of Salem-News.com)

*******************************************************
Got a question or comment for Dr. Leveque?
Email him: Newsroom@Salem-News.com

More information on the history of Leveque can be found in his book, General Patton's Dogface Soldier of Phil Leveque about his experiences in WWII.
Order the book by mail by following this link: Dogface Soldier.
If you are a World War II history buff, you don't want to miss it.

Watch for more streaming video question and answer segments about medical marijuana with Bonnie King and Dr. Phil Leveque.

Click on this link for other articles and video segments about PTSD and medical marijuana on Salem-News.com: Dr. Leveque INTERVIEWS & ARTICLES




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Vic July 23, 2008 1:33 pm (Pacific time)

Well said, Henry !


Henry Ruark July 23, 2008 7:23 am (Pacific time)

Bene. et al: Your key phrase is: "To apply contemporary mores to past events gives one an incorrect picture of history..." Thank you for rational, reasonable review which seems to me needed here. Surely we can understand the good doctor's reaction, surely guiding his statement of feelings-then, as mirrored in memory now...we've all had the same experience. What's different here is that we all should have also learned painfully still more surely th damned, desperate and despairing consequences of any conflict, for any reason, on all concerned. In this 21st Century there is no such things as victory via war any longer, no way in which any one group can avoid the dreadful impacts brought on all in this world when the wasting Unwisdom of war is allowed to devastate any of us. We may never have a chance for any future learning, if anyone, anywhere, drops that Big One...


Beneficiary July 22, 2008 10:32 am (Pacific time)

How many of you poster's are actual combat veterans? War and combat is insane, those involved in it undergo tremendous changes so they can survive and insulate themselves from turning into something they are not. Many of these up close and personal combat veterans may use terms that many of you may find offensive, but to call them racists is wrong. To call those who live off the blood and sacrifice of these veterans, parasites, on the other hand, is not always incorrect. To apply contemporary mores to past events gives one an incorrect picture of history, likewise for those who have not tasted combat.


July 21, 2008 8:53 am (Pacific time)

I know the doctor means well, but I am fairly shocked to see this point of view coming from what I consider to be a humanitarian.  This is really sad; comparing WWII with the conflict that "W" forced upon the world is pretty clueless.


Henry Ruark July 21, 2008 10:02 am (Pacific time)

Vic et all: Your confession re close relationships with many usually given those quoted names highly appreciated, and most appropriate, too. My h.s. buddy was fullblood Maine Indian, still speaking languge of his ancestors--and one of best athletes, then coach, ever in state history. Another was called "Kikey" and attended synagugue, very small one in small Maine town. Third was black as midnight and top student in whole of h.s., went on to doctorate and national appointments later. I was thin, weak, wordy-kid seeking whatever support I could win...and still am !! SO much for stereotyping and its unavoidable psychological underpinnings, still top study topic for cognitive scients...Chomasky now at work on racism, I have heard, seeking still further proof for points made in one of my recent Op Eds. Did you ever try reading Chomsky in the original ? Don't waste your time --he writes in equations; seek out Pinker et al for reasonable summary. Again, your participation richly appreciated, sir.


Henry Ruark July 21, 2008 9:10 am (Pacific time)

"Anon" et al: What makes you believe that World War II was not forced upon us all precisely as most previous such conflicts have been, by the same forces and for the same reasons ? In fact, deep enough digging will mirror manipulation by some of the same corporate sources now known to be complicit predators in the Iraq-Iran struggle for the remaining oil resources which underlie so much of the region there. "They" never give up their remorseless determination, as demonstrated by fact of same corporations now involved in oil-snatch in Iraq that were cut off and kicked out nearly 40 years ago.


Vic July 21, 2008 9:02 am (Pacific time)

By the way, my wife is a "kraut". I also know some other "krauts", along with "wops", "kikes", "spics"and even a couple "Sambos". We also know a few "ragheads" and I have a brother who is a "faggot". The only people we make a point to avoid are arrogant racist types who generalize others and use demeaning nicknames to bolter their sense of superiority.


Henry Ruark July 21, 2008 9:02 am (Pacific time)

To all: Here we have demonstrated precisely what it is that will continue to build exceedingly damaging confrontation and kill off the possibilities of any workable cooperation --head-on conflict of equally valuable and deeply held conviction. For me, I must agree with both of these comments, while understanding from whence they each cometh. NOT having been "in combat" personally, but having done many interviews with those who served there, I understand Warrior's reactions only too well from sharing the damaged life-remnant left to the victim interviewed. But surely Vic's feelings must be seen as the rational, reasonable valuation of such actions as described, too --if we are to pretend to any human concerns still left to us after far too many wasting wars now known to have been driven by deep economic reason rather than by the ostensible motivations manipulated by those who triggered these conflicts for private reasons. Chieftain warriors ever since Marine General Smedley Butler and later-President Ike Eisenhower have made that causative statement completely clear,on the historic record, long ago. Peace is surely the only possible palliative for any such wasting disease of the culture as clearly mirrored here; and comparison of such Comments surely topical and timely, in sight of our THIRD War now threatened with Iran.


Anonymous July 21, 2008 8:53 am (Pacific time)

I know the doctor means well, but I am fairly shocked to see this point of view coming from what I consider to be a humanitarian. This is really sad; comparing WWII with the conflict that "W" forced upon the world is pretty clueless.


Wolfhawk July 21, 2008 8:08 am (Pacific time)

Right on Dr. Leveque!!!


Vic July 21, 2008 7:38 am (Pacific time)

Is this article for real or is it supposed to be some kind of sick parody? Me thinks the good doctor would have fit right in with his Nazi counterparts. Time to pull the plug on this racist old warmonger..I appreciate the fact that SN publishes a variety of opinions, but I have to wonder about this one. Medical marijuanna evidently does nothing for dementia, or racism.


Warrior July 21, 2008 6:58 am (Pacific time)

You are correct on this assessment, but I imagine a few posters will take issue because they have no idea what happens in the insane world of up front and close combat. War is for winning, there are no options until the enemy capitulates.

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