Cruel To Be Thirsty (video)

Here's a video clip of a US soldier winning hearts and minds by taunting a bunch of thirsty Iraqi kids with a bottle of water. Man, that one kid can run, too. And then comes the heartbreaking ending...

youtube link via njdube

Comments

[Barry]

Holy crap! I have seen this on so many sites it's not funny. I personally don't agree with the war at all, but I also don't agree with the amount of press this clip is receiving. Why not show the clips of children throwing rocks at conveys (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZABl1UqIzt4), or the fact that most children chase the army expecting handouts. Why not show the clip of a soldier playing keep ups with Iraqi children (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3sxop1-PkI)? Why not show the photo of the John Gebhardt holding a child whose family had been killed by insurgents(http://www.snopes.com/photos/military/gebhardt.asp)?

[Major Eyeroll]

Anyone that knows what it's like to live in a third world nation would realize that these children aren't chasing the truck out of desperation. They have water to drink, duh, or they'd be dead. They want a free *anything* given out by a "superpower." The cachet of having a free water bottle is worth chasing the truck for. Calling the children 'desperate' is biased.

[jtm]

Barry - Dunno, maybe because "dog bites man" isn't interesting, but "man bites dog" is, meaning that US soldiers behaving the way they're supposed to behave (morally and ethically, delivering services and democracy) isn't news, but them behaving like the twisted teenage sadists some of them are is news. Plus its a very dramatic clip, far more emotional and better than any of those equal time clips you listed. This all makes it good sticky (viral) propaganda. Though I hadnt seen it before. -jtm

[Alexa]

I don't quite understand. Was this clip posted in order to show the humour and futility of the eager Iraqi kid(s) running and running and then NOT getting the water? Or was it posted in order to show the lame cruelty of a couple of American soldiers? Or was it posted in order to show the horrific realities of war? Truly, this video of a bunch of kids running after a military truck is not even close to being horrible or awful (if that was your intent in posting it)

It appears to me to be just another forgettable viral video. The tradition of troops (any troops, any country, any war, any time period) taunting, teasing and humilating the "locals" is a long and sad one. Just because it's on YouTube doesn't make it post-worthy. What's the difference between this video and let's say the Michael Richards video? They're both just cheap internet entertainment. TWO THUMBS DOWN.

[Bolando]

"What's the difference between this video and let's say the Michael Richards video? They're both just cheap internet entertainment. TWO THUMBS DOWN."

Exactly! The fact that we are discussing it at length right now, and that 1800 people have commented on it on youtube is further proof that it has NO VALUE WHATSOEVER! Now let's all stop discussing it this instant. Stop reading what I'm saying right now!

You're still reading my pointless comment on this pointless video. What's wrong with you?

Why are you still reading? I dont have anything to say, and I am saying it. If you are not careful, you will soon have to use the scroll bar to see what else I have to say.

See?! I knew you would do that! Go away now! Just go home!

Or get back to work.

Anybody know where I can buy an inflatable Michael Richards Love Doll?

[Westy Shiffle]

It is every American's God-given right to taunt brown skinned people wherever, whenever, and however they please.

[SD]

This is so cheap. Alexa asks why was this shown. it was shown because the left wing dickheads at this station and website want to make the U.S. look bad. they wouldnt show a positive video like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzflKJTvjlw Actually they shouldn't, just like they shouldn't have shown the video we're talking about. Stick to stories about Colisseum books, which nobody gives a fuck about and the William Burroughs poem about the evil country that allowed him to express himself and make a lot of money doing it. fuck you.

[kyle]

our cultural equivalent would be japanese business-men driving down the street in a honda holding out an ipod, with snotty brats chasing after it

[squarepusher]

um, all i see is a bunch of kids doing kid stuff (for that locale)

[hungry commie]

>>the William Burroughs poem about the evil country that allowed him to express himself and make a lot of money doing it. fuck you.<<<

ya that's why Naked Lunch was put on trial for obscenity in the U.S. and Burroughs had to go to Europe to get it published. USA!

[SheckyGrey]

support the jock assholes from your old high school ... er ... I mean troops.

[Justin]

it's the person own action make him/her look bad not who shown it to the world. i bet the guy who holding the water teasing those kids voted for GW Bush. so SD fuck you too.

[Station Manager Ken]

Actually, SD, Westy, et al, it's comments like yours that really give our country a bad name, far more than videos like this one. At least this soldier didn't shoot any of the kids. More than I can say for some other Iraq war videos, and I'm referring to one in particular which show Scottish mercenary troops, not Americans.

-ken

[Freedoo Galhehm]

OMG! I'm convulsing in fright and anger at that. He made a kid run for 20 seconds! The horror. This is a war crime comparable to the Japanese soldiers who led the Bataan Death March. Exactly the same.

[casper]

support the troops? no!

[Listener Mike D.]

Silly Iraqis! Water is for Americans!

[Station Manager Ken]

Freedo - Thank you for establishing the Bataan Death March as the moral watershed that we Americans must strive to rise above. It is true that this GI did not starve, torture or kill this kid and for that he must be honored and applauded! It's also true that the US has never killed 10,000 POWs on a death march as the Japanese did during WWII. Our murder is less direct - our invasion of Iraq has caused the death of at least 100,000 innocent civilians. But we didn't march these people to death, and for this, we really should pat ourselves on the back.

-ken

[krebstar01]

Greetings gentlemen and ladies. I'd like to point out one possible, yet crucial point to this puzzle: were these kids G.I. (Goverment Issue) or were they among the many paid consultants left out of the chain of command (KBR hired sociopath hitmen... like the guys picking off innocent bystanders, while listening to Metallica).

If there G.I., they should be discharged. Real simple, if but for the reason that a) they were dicks and b) there inciting hatred against there fellow soldiers.

And Hey, SD, not everyone likes Burroughs... But few American poets understood and better framed the American Asshole swagger better then him. Stick to Norman Rockwell paintings,
Crate and Barrel, South Park and .99 cent wings at Chiles.
Like it or not, THIS IS OUR CHARACTER to some extent. This is how we are viewed. SORRY. Don't like it? Sorry, can't help you. Just remember, the asshole taunting the kids, was DUMB ENOUGH TO TAPE HIMSELF. This says more about American culture than the actual taunting. He did it, taped it to show to his buddies for a laugh.

It"s funny, but, your actually seeing what you should be seeing on the evening news. Fuck Michael Richards, Britney Spears and her Divorce.
And you know the real reason this resonates with so many peole? why their are over 2000 comments on a single You Tube Posting?

BECAUSE WE ARE CAPABLE OF SO MUCH BETTER. WE HAVE DONE GREAT THINGS IN THIS WORLD IN THE PAST, AND THEREFORE THE WORLD EXPECTS BETTER OF US. Guess what SD, If were going to be the cops of the world, we have to be fair ones. Otherwise, we should hang up our hats, and retire down to the corner bar to have a drink with all the other failed nations of empire. Perhaps it time.

Regards, krebstar01

[dafid]

my pe coach made me run worser wind sprintz

[GIMNASIO iNGLES]

WE as a group watched the video today Water international Day, and we think the video about the bottle of water it is not funny at all .Our question is what is going to happen to this soldiers in some years? Would they have water and start running after it ? is it nice to laugh about someone suffering? NO it is not a nice video But we as children from this small community in Armenia Quindio Colombia S.A are conscious about the war and the problems with water .LETS SAVE THE WORLD.
4B AND HOMEROOM TEACHER
Gimnasio Ingles
Armenia Quindio
Colombia S.A