Soldiers Told Ignore Sex Abuse of Boys by Afghan Police

[Trip]

U.S. Soldiers Told to Ignore Sexual Abuse of Boys by Afghan Allies
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/21/world/asia/us-soldiers-told-to-ignore-afghan-allies-abuse-of-boys.html?_r=0

KABUL, Afghanistan — In his last phone call home, Lance Cpl. Gregory Buckley Jr. told his father what was troubling him: From his bunk in southern Afghanistan, he could hear Afghan police officers sexually abusing boys they had brought to the base.

When two Army soldiers beat up an Afghan police commander who was abusing an 11-year-old boy, they were disciplined by the military. One has since left the service, and the Army is trying to forcibly retire the other.

Here a NPR Audio story on the same topic:
http://media.scpr.org/audio/upload/2015/09/28/U.S._military_members_grapple_with_authority__morality_in_dealing_with_child_sex_abuse_among_Afghan_allies-60c1d880.mp3?via=website

There is a 34 sec. teaser then story starts.
if you don't want to hear the teaser
use your mouse to drag the timer to 0:34 sec.

[chud]

Soldier who beat Afghan man over child’s rape faces Army discharge: click

[yeniseri]

That is just the tip of the iceberg!
On my last deployment, we used to hear tales of Afghans bring up the bacha bazi crew to their graduation at US training facilities and everyone turned a blind eye, and this was 6 years ago!

[grzegorz]

I've been following this for a few years. I'm glad that it's finally getting attention. Like the Catholic priests sexual abuse scandal this should get just as much attention, (if not more) but because it involves essentially going after the what the troops did overseas it seems people prefer to look the other way because the whole thing is a mess and tragedy all the way around. I'm not blaming the troops but someone in the chain of command needs to be held responsible (just as the priests who are guilty should be held responsible.)

[Andy_S]

Gzreg:

It is not the soldiers doing it, it is the locals. The soldiers were uncomfortable about it, but were told to ignore -after all, it is part of Pathan "culture." Even Colonel Sir Harry Flashman noted this unpleasant habit - and that was at the height of the Victorian era.

Apparently, the Afghans form different tribes in the north of the country find this habit as reprehensible as we do.

Frankly, I don't know the answer. Only by nation building and inculcating a liberal democracy and appropriate institutions - or, at the least, a government with some kind of moral compass and the means and willingness to enforce basic morality - can this kind of practice be stamped out.

[grzegorz]

Yes Andy, I am well aware of the situation. My comparison to the Catholic church scandal is that in that scandal people knew what was happening and did nothing or in some situations moved known sexual predators to other locations to avoid prosecution. Perhaps that was the confusion. I never said our troops did anything but doing nothing is just as bad in my estimation and I can't imagine how damaging it must have been for our troops to witness these things and just follow orders to ignore it. In one situation they discuss finding a boy chained to an Afgani commander's bed, supposedly under the Taliban this practice was outlawed. Kind of ironic... As with the church scandal I find people protecting these predators even more disturbing than the predators themselves in some ways since these are otherwise good "everyday" people who are choosing to let such evil things happen whereas we already know the predators themselves sold their soul to devil long ago. Then again I was recently at a store and saw a young man stealing something small but I did nothing, perhaps people do nothing to protect themselves. I wanted to do something but I didn't want to deal with any unforeseeable consequences perhaps that's human nature although it doesn't compare with what happened in these sex abuse cases.

[wiesiek]

..."In one situation they discuss finding a boy chained to an Afgani commander's bed, supposedly under the Taliban this practice was outlawed. ..."

are you sure about it G.,?
I heard big rumor about sex abuse done under ISIS flag, it is the same Taliban, isn`t it ?
hmm,
maybe woman qualified, boys not, I`m not follow their holly law direction.

Child abuse in Catholic Church has completely different dimension, dough.

[windwalker]

It is not the soldiers doing it, it is the locals. The soldiers were uncomfortable about it, but were told to ignore -after all, it is part of Pathan "culture." Even Colonel Sir Harry Flashman noted this unpleasant habit - and that was at the height of the Victorian era.

Apparently, the Afghans form different tribes in the north of the country find this habit as reprehensible as we do.

Frankly, I don't know the answer. Only by nation building and inculcating a liberal democracy and appropriate institutions - or, at the least, a government with some kind of moral compass and the means and willingness to enforce basic morality - can this kind of practice be stamped out.

While I agree in principle what other practices would one "stamp out" in another culture that one really has no idea nor understanding of.
Our idea of "democracy" only works until it works against us then its not supported any more as in when leaders are democratically elected that the US does not support.

It would seem that the only way to combat the practices would be with those that have some culturally affinity with the peoples of the region.
They do have a body of laws that should address the practices. The US has no standing to use them as a basis of action.

Sharia law Arabic: شريعة) is the body of Islamic law. The term means "way" or "path"; it is the legal framework within which the public and some private aspects of life are regulated for those living in a legal system based on Islam.

Sharia deals with all aspects of day-to-day life, including politics, economics, banking, business law, contract law, sexuality, and social issues.

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharia_law

By asking the soldiers to stay of out local affairs it keeps the mission very clear.

note " i dont agree with nor condone the practices mentioned" but understand the rational for non interference

[Doc Stier]

I'm sorry, but I would have handed those bastards their asses, too, without hesitation and without any concern about the consequences of doing so. The US soldiers in question did the morally and ethically right thing, imo. Respect!

[windwalker]

And yet we have SOFA agreements to protect our troops from their laws

We left Iraq when the sofa was not supported by the government there

[Bao]

I'm sorry, but I would have handed those bastards their asses, too, without hesitation and without any concern about the consequences of doing so. The US soldiers in question did the morally and ethically right thing, imo. Respect!

But... But... A soldier is suppose to obey orders regardless how stupid they are. That's a soldiers job. And if they didn't do their jobs... There would be no wars!

[amor]

Gzreg:

It is not the soldiers doing it, it is the locals. The soldiers were uncomfortable about it, but were told to ignore -after all, it is part of Pathan "culture." Even Colonel Sir Harry Flashman noted this unpleasant habit - and that was at the height of the Victorian era.

Apparently, the Afghans form different tribes in the north of the country find this habit as reprehensible as we do.

Frankly, I don't know the answer. Only by nation building and inculcating a liberal democracy and appropriate institutions - or, at the least, a government with some kind of moral compass and the means and willingness to enforce basic morality - can this kind of practice be stamped out.

Er, I read it's actually the Northern afghan lot who like to bring young boys, make them dance in some 'gatherings' before they do the sexual abuse. I'm sure the pashtuns do this too but it's the northern lot who are the majority involved in these sorts of activities with the young boys.

[grzegorz]

..."In one situation they discuss finding a boy chained to an Afgani commander's bed, supposedly under the Taliban this practice was outlawed. ..."

are you sure about it G.,?
I heard big rumor about sex abuse done under ISIS flag, it is the same Taliban, isn`t it ?
hmm,
maybe woman qualified, boys not, I`m not follow their holly law direction.

Child abuse in Catholic Church has completely different dimension, dough.

Of course I'm no expert and have never been to Afghanistan but the Washington Post seems to say the same.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/world/ ... story.html

I don't believe there are the same as ISIS from what I know of them in fact in some ways they are in conflict with each other as I understand it but I do believe they attract the same type of young people.

[windwalker]

I'm sorry, but I would have handed those bastards their asses, too, without hesitation and without any concern about the consequences of doing so. The US soldiers in question did the morally and ethically right thing, imo. Respect!

But... But... A soldier is suppose to obey orders regardless how stupid they are. That's a soldiers job. And if they didn't do their jobs... There would be no wars!

Wars are inherently immoral the ability to follow and execute orders with a high degree of inner morality
helps to ensure inmoral actions remain under control in accordance with the laws and customs of the country in question this is called good order and discipline a little hard to understand if one is not in the military

[Doc Stier]

I'm sorry, but I would have handed those bastards their asses, too, without hesitation and without any concern about the consequences of doing so. The US soldiers in question did the morally and ethically right thing, imo. Respect!

But... But... A soldier is suppose to obey orders regardless how stupid they are. That's a soldiers job. And if they didn't do their jobs... There would be no wars!

Yes, of course. Roger that. "A soldier is supposed to obey orders..." being the operative words there. However, nonetheless, horrible accidents can happen to anyone, anywhere, at anytime. Karma can be a bitch!