Marine Lance Cpl. Gregory T. Buckley, 21, of Oceanside, N.Y., died Aug. 10 in Garmsir, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force. There is an incredibly disturbing story in the New York Times this week where soldiers have reported being told by American officials to ignore the rape and abuse of Afghan boys at a base by Afghan officers so not to interfere with a cultural practice. The boys were brought to the base to be raped as part of what Afghans call bacha bazi, literally “boy play.” Lance Cpl. Gregory Buckley Jr. told his father that he would lay on his bunk at night and listen to the screaming of the boys as they were sexually abused by Afghan officers. Buckley went to his superiors and was allegedly told not to interfere. Buckley was later shot to death by an Afghan policeman at the base in 2012.
Buckley’s father believes that his son’s effort to stop the raping of the boys was a factor in his killing.
It is a disgusting report, but should be read by every American. We should then resolve to confirm every American official who maintained this policy and guarantee that they are removed immediately from government and military service, including any Defense, Intelligence, or State officials who had knowledge of the policy and did nothing to stop it. The question is whether there will be a true and independent investigation to confirm if these accounts are true and, if so, who was responsible for this policy.
Sexual abuse of children is a rampant and open problem in Afghanistan, particularly among armed commanders. Dan Quinn, a former Special Forces captain, was disciplined after he beat up an American-backed militia commander for keeping a boy chained to his bed as a sex slave. Quinn was relieved of his command after he roughed up the Afghan officer. The Army is also trying to forcibly retire Sgt. First Class Charles Martland, a Special Forces member who joined Captain Quinn in confronting the commander and is himself a Bronze Star recipient for valor for his actions during a Taliban ambush. The incident occurred when, in September 2011, an Afghan woman appeared with physical bruises on the base with her son who was also limping. She explained that he son was prized as a sex slave by Afghan officers because of his looks and that one of the Afghan police commanders in the area, Abdul Rahman, had abducted the boy and chained to his bed to be used as a sex slave. When she tried to save her son, she was beaten. Captain Quinn summoned Abdul Rahman and Rahman reportedly admitted it but laughed when told that it was unacceptable. Quinn then threw him to the ground and Rahman complained to American authorities who relieved Quinn and Martland — no doubt signaling to other Afghan officers that raping of children would be allowed.
Col. Brian Tribus, a spokesman for the military insisted: “Generally, allegations of child sexual abuse by Afghan military or police personnel would be a matter of domestic Afghan criminal law . . . there would be no express requirement that U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan report it.”
By the way, the man involved in the killing of Buckley was an Afghan police commander named Sarwar Jan who was himself a notorious figure accused of rampant abuse and corruption. Buckley had complained that Jan has moved a large number of “tea boys” into the same barracks as the Marines to be used as sex slaves. Two weeks after Buckley sent a report on Jan’s sex slaves, one one of the older boys with Mr. Jan — around 17 years old — grabbed a rifle and killed Lance Corporal Buckley and the other Marines.
During later proceedings related to the shooting, the Marine Corps indicated that it might not allow evidence of Jan’s penchant raping boys as a “classified matter.”
Jan of course was promoted to a higher-ranking police command in the same province.
For years, many of us have criticized the continuing loss of American lives and treasure to prop up the corrupt Afghan government despite widespread abuses of children, women, and religious minorities. However, to have U.S. officials looking the other way as Afghan officials chain and abuse child sex slaves would represent a point of moral relativism that few would have thought possible for our nation. This warrants congressional investigation and, if found to be found, the termination of every official who helped maintain this policy.
Update: The Army has refused to rescind or reverse the discharging of Quinn.
Source: NY Times
steve, Read all the comments praising the good ol’ days of the Taliban?? They go back to yesterday. Of course you didn’t. I’m pointing out the sheer stupidity of the false choices provided by people w/ limited intelligence and unlimited hypocrisy. Get up to speed before you comment, steve. You look bade when you shoot from the hip. You’re better than that. Some here are not.
Again, an important story and the regular posters here are talking about Malala? I guess I’m starting to understand why the ABA admires this site. It will keep people from challenging preconceived beliefs and it simply tells people that America is great and wonderful and there is one way to keep it that way. Of course the bar loves this…
Some holes libertarians live in are so deep, so dank, making them so angry and twisted they actually think it’s a normal way to be. This is very sad.
So why do libertarians keep digging? Seems irrational.
The first rule for getting out of a hole is to stop digging. LOL!
It may have escaped libertarians that despite all the years that we Americans shed our blood and spent our tax money in Afghanistan that we have not made the social strides we thought possible to bring these people out of their self imposed dark ages. Taliban or no Taliban, Afghanistan is still a hell hole.
Annie, other than in the kids wearing body armor and boots, my feeling is that no intention existed to make social strides in Afghanistan. It was all business from the MIC and the career politicians who it employs.
Steve, yes, it seems that the military contractors and their enablers are the only ones who benefitted from the wars.
What we might be seeing here is acceptance of pedophilia in Afghanistan by libertarians perpetuated by Afghan military commanders ONLY because they are NOT Taliban. What is wrong with this picture? I guess if does not occur to libertarians that non Taliban may be as bad as the Taliban.
Why do libertarians endorse pedophilia by Afgan commanders? Why does stating facts translate to praise of the Taliban by libertarians? Gives libertarians a bad name.
The duopoly mindset in the US has millions of people saying every election, “Yes, my party may suck, but we’re better than that other party.” You see the duopoly mindset here. Incredible! FALSE CHOICES!
Why do Progressives hate Malala and praise the Taliban?
Nick writes, “Why do Progressives hate Malala and praise the Taliban?”
Nick, I’m starting to believe the rumor that you’re a troll. What’s up? Had a few cold beers?
Malala would shake her wise head at the antics of those who defend pedophiles.
Malala would not be in favor of Afghan men who molest young boys, even if they are not Taliban. Get a grip.
No one is defending the Taliban, it would take a real twisting of rational thought to even attempt to do so.
The fact is that this is NOT an Islamic practice, but IS a cultural one that has sickened an entire nation/s and infected them with wide spread pedophilia to the point in which it’s become accepted. The law against such practices exists in Afghanistan, but it appears the authorities turn a blind eye, because the military commanders who engage in it are very powerful.
Inga – if the boys are over 11 it is not pedophilia.
Malala is weeping.
Mala is weeping.
The Taliban Fan Club here says all one needs to know about the depravity and ignorance of Progressives. Maybe they would like to start a Taliban People’s Party in the US?
http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/11/19/us-afghan-dancingboys-idUSISL1848920071119
Article about the revival of the Bach Bazi practice, note the year, 2007.
They are known as “bacha bereesh”, boys without beards, teenage boys who dress up as girls and dance for male patrons at parties in northern Afghanistan.
It’s an age old practice that has led to some of the boy dancers being turned into sex slaves by wealthy and powerful patrons, often former warlords, who dress the boys up as girls, shower them with gifts and keep them as “mistresses”.
Afghan police are battling to crackdown on the practice which has angered Islamic clerics who say those involved should be stoned for sodomy, forbidden under Islamic law.
In a society where the sexes are strictly segregated, it is common for men to dance for other men at weddings in Afghanistan.
But in northern Afghanistan, former warlords and mujahideen commanders have taken that a step further with competitions for their dancing boys.
Having the best-looking boy and the best dancer is a mark of prestige.
“Everyone tries to have the best, most handsome and good-looking boy,” said a former mujahideen commander, who declined to be named.
“Sometimes we gather and make our boys dance and whoever wins, his boy will be the best boy.”
Former mujahideen commanders hold such parties in and around Pul-e Khumri about once a week.
Malala and the Taliban. Simply Google Taliban atrocities. It will take you awhile to read them all. They include killing hundreds of children for simply laughing. Stupid, duopoly mindset, people love to present false choices.
When are you idiots gonna stop letting sonny boy Floyd and Carla go join up with the military so they can go off to Vietnam or Afghanistan and see the world? Its cheaper for you (mommy and daddy) than sending them off to college isn’t it?
You see those tent heads in the photo with our actor President Ronnie Raygun up there dont you?
Went in dumb, come out dumb too, Hustlin round Atlanta in our alligator shoes. We’re Rednecks!
Rednecks! We dont know an arse from a hole n the ground. etc
Y’all know who Ike was? Here was his warning on his Farewell Address when he left office on January 17, 1961:
A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction…
This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence — economic, political, even spiritual — is felt in every city, every statehouse, every office of the federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military–industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together.