Hero Marine who urinated on corpses in Afghanistan dies!!

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

https://news.yahoo.com/marine-urinated-corpses-afghanistan-dies-165137744.html


Marine who urinated on corpses in Afghanistan dies

.

Associated Press
By MARTHA WAGGONER
6 hours ago

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A decorated retired Marine whose career as a sniper was derailed by a video that showed him urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters has died, his attorney said Friday.





Cpl. Robert Richards, 28, was found dead Wednesday by his wife at their Jacksonville home, Attorney Guy Womack said. Neither foul play nor suicide is suspected.

The death was most likely from Richards changing medications he took because of injuries he suffered in a roadside bomb during one of his three tours in Afghanistan, Womack said.

Richards was demoted from sergeant after a video showed four Camp Lejeune Marines — in full body armor — urinating on three Afghans in 2011. One Marine looks down at the bodies and jokes, "Have a good day, buddy."

The video was posted on YouTube in early 2012. It was condemned internationally and caused outrage in the Middle East.

It was "a temporary lapse of discipline, and it should in no way define the service and honor of the snipers," Womack said.

Richards' sniper unit killed 12 Taliban fighters, some of whom the Marines knew were part of a cell making roadside bombs and training others, Womack said. About a month earlier, the Taliban cell had planted a bomb that blew the legs off a Marine.

One of the Marines in the video testified that their operation was designed to pursue bomb-making experts believed responsible for killing a corporal whose leg was later found hanging from a tree. The Marines were reacting to those events when they urinated on the bodies, Womack said.

"He never said it was OK," Womack said. "Marines shouldn't do that. At the same time, it really wasn't the crime of the century. "

Richards almost died when a roadside bomb exploded near him during his second tour, Womack said. Shrapnel went through his throat and an emergency tracheotomy on the battlefield saved his life, the attorney said. He also almost lost a foot and suffered back injuries. He was awarded a Purple Heart.

Richards was supposed to get 18 months off from active duty, but he returned early when a platoon commander asked him to join a new sniper unit that had no combat veteran snipers.

God rest his soul, a true hero has died. I am sure the usual suspects are celebrating but asswipes like that will get theirs someday. Some day can not come soon enough for me!!!!

This man was a patriot , a hero and a Proud and Honorable Marine!!!--Tyr

[DragonStryk72]

God rest his soul, a true hero has died. I am sure the usual suspects are celebrating but asswipes like that will get theirs someday. Some day can not come soon enough for me!!!!

This man was a patriot , a hero and a Proud and Honorable Marine!!!--Tyr

I'm telling you, as Navy, no, he wasn't. Honor?! How does pissing on the enemy show honor? How does it show Courage? Any asshole can piss on some bodies, they're not heroes.

Tyr, I'm going to say this now, and I really need you to hear me: Not every military member is a hero, period. Some of them are assholes, who give the rest of us a bad name. Other are lazy shitbags who are just trying to wait out their time for retirement, or to get their GI Bill. Yes, there are certainly heroes in all branches of the military, but he wasn't one of them.

We, as a country, and as a military, are better than the childish behavior shown by him and his buddies. I'm not wishing death on him, and I know his family's going through a lot of pain and suffering right now, but whatever else he might be, his own actions mean he doesn't get to keep wearing the hero moniker. To do so, is to demean the meaning of the word for those that truly have earned.

[NightTrain]

I realize that we, as Americans, hold our troops and and their conduct to a much higher standard than the savages they're engaged in combat with.

That said, I personally don't have any problem with what he did. One of his comrades had his legs blown off by those guys and they found it in a tree. The atrocities committed against our fallen soldiers' bodies are numerous and appalling - and broadcast worldwide. Pissing on the bodies of the fuckers that were trying to kill you and your buddies is tame indeed when compared to what happens to American corpses.

I can see where Richards was coming from.

Combat personnell view their foes as less than human and is a natural mechanism to do their job.

To the day he died, my Grandfather viewed Japanese as subhuman monsters and was quite unapologetic about it... but he picked that up on Okinawa as a U.S. Marine when he saw some of the things the Japanese were doing to American POWs & corpses - not to mention watching men in his platoon gunned down and taking a couple of rounds and a bayonet through his left forearm when he charged the machine gun nest in the mouth of a cave, after which he killed 2 of them with his BAR & the last one with his Ka-Bar.

I don't have any doubt that Gramps would have happily pissed on their bodies if he hadn't been grievously injured. And to question his honor would have meant an immediate ass-kicking, I don't care who it was that would have been silly enough to say it.

[Gunny]

God rest his soul, a true hero has died. I am sure the usual suspects are celebrating but asswipes like that will get theirs someday. Some day can not come soon enough for me!!!!

This man was a patriot , a hero and a Proud and Honorable Marine!!!--TyrYeah, They like to put you on shit that makes you whack out, then blame YOU when it goes wrong. And Heaven forbid you ask for something YOU know works -- they're smarter. Just ask them.

Temporary lapse of discipline? That's called "gotcha motherfucker". This shit pisses me off. Youtube and the morons that want to post crap? You have NO idea what we have seen and been through. And yeah, it's called payback. This guy has his life on the on line; yet, his whole life is judged by the leftwingnuts for a minute of being pissed off? And now he's gone. Just another casualty.

For those who understand, I don't have to explain. For those of you who have never been there, no explanation is enough. But go to Hell. But I'll meet you there. Send us to do your dirty work but don't have the balls to get off momma's couch? Really?

And yes, I'm ALWAYS angry.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

I'm telling you, as Navy, no, he wasn't. Honor?! How does pissing on the enemy show honor? How does it show Courage? Any asshole can piss on some bodies, they're not heroes.

Tyr, I'm going to say this now, and I really need you to hear me: Not every military member is a hero, period. Some of them are assholes, who give the rest of us a bad name. Other are lazy shitbags who are just trying to wait out their time for retirement, or to get their GI Bill. Yes, there are certainly heroes in all branches of the military, but he wasn't one of them.

We, as a country, and as a military, are better than the childish behavior shown by him and his buddies. I'm not wishing death on him, and I know his family's going through a lot of pain and suffering right now, but whatever else he might be, his own actions mean he doesn't get to keep wearing the hero moniker. To do so, is to demean the meaning of the word for those that truly have earned.

I disagree. Soldiers experience hell when in combat and pissing on a dead body may seem to be a great thing to civilians but to a soldier in combat that has seen so very , very much worse than that it is nothing. Besides , how can you or anybody negate all that man's service for a single act that showed pure contempt for the insane, totally dishonorable , murdering enemy he fought?
You have every right to hold your moral view of the act of pissing on dead enemy but do you really think that one act destroyed all of that soldier's former service ???

By the way, I do not hold that every soldier is great or a hero. I do hold all that SERVE, RISKING LIFE AND ENDURING GREAT SACRIFICE should not be set aside(condemned) for merely showing contempt for a dead enemy body. Even if one believes it was in very poor taste there still remains the previous service to consider.
Myself, I hold the man's service intact despite his act of pissing on dead muslim enemy soldiers.... -Tyr
My ancestors -(Native American warriors) did hideous things to prisoners while they were alive but still held a great warrior in reverence.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

Yeah, They like to put you on shit that makes you whack out, then blame YOU when it goes wrong. And Heaven forbid you ask for something YOU know works -- they're smarter. Just ask them.

Temporary lapse of discipline? That's called "gotcha motherfucker". This shit pisses me off. Youtube and the morons that want to post crap? You have NO idea what we have seen and been through. And yeah, it's called payback. This guy has his life on the on line; yet, his whole life is judged by the leftwingnuts for a minute of being pissed off? And now he's gone. Just another casualty.

For those who understand, I don't have to explain. For those of you who have never been there, no explanation is enough. But go to Hell. But I'll meet you there. Send us to do your dirty work but don't have the balls to get off momma's couch? Really?

And yes, I'm ALWAYS angry.

No way, will I negate that soldier's service simply because in the heat of battle he pissed on dead enemy bodies. Especially since those same enemies murder innocent women and children, torture their prisoners and desire every infidel either dead or enslaved.
Myself, I think I would have likely pissed on the ffing murdering savages too. If my saying that disappoints or angers anybody I don't care.
I hold my core principles to be above catering to the desires and wishes of others.

Two of my best friends in life were war veterans, (Korea and Vietnam), both told me of horrific incidents. Too many people think war is like the movies , when no movie ever made shows what it is really like.
Pissing on a dead enemy body is next to nothing when compared to the true horrors of war IMHO.
Thank you for your military service...--Tyr

[Gaffer]

I'd have pissed on em too. It's simply a warrior showing contempt for the enemy. It's the kind of thing that goes on in different ways in every war. Modern times just means it gets easily recorded.

[Gunny]

This guy was so screwed in the head he killed himself. Let's not discuss THAT. Let's point out he pissed on someone.

I hate this thread, btw. It took me somewhere I NEVER want to be. This is for us ... the vets .... y'know what burning babies smell like? Ever seen a platoon of grown Marines cry? Now go figure what those same grown Marines are going to do once that hurt turns into rage. We are quite the destructive little fellows. You kill women and children and someone pisses on you? You got off lucky. You're dead. I can think of lots worse things to do to you.

And yeah, that burning baby is in my head EVERY fucking night. Since Feb 91. I never go to bed without it. But we're just a bunch of thugs and killers, right? That guy had his heart and his mind fucked. Enough to kill himself. And all the media cares about is that he pissed on some corpses.

[jimnyc]

From my POV, for what its worth from a regular 'ol citizen - I view all of our men and women in uniform as heroes, so long as they serve admirably and don't get a bad discharge, or try to leave their fellow soldiers hanging like Bergdahl. Outside of that, to me they are all heroes. But I'm a civilian, and I am ever grateful for those that protect me and my country, and those who even perform support, if not on the field of battle.

I don't have an issue with what this soldier did. I do believe we should be better, but I won't question what these soldiers go through. What I've seen myself, from the enemy on several fronts, makes this look like one of ours laughing at them. I know it's "wrong", and I know one wrong doesn't make another right... but if I'm out there and see what these people have done to civilians and our soldiers, I may do similar, I really don't know. It's a hell of a lot better than sawing the head off while they were alive, with a dull knife. Just my opinion, I don't want to appear to be questioning any of our veterans.

And what some of you have went through, what some of you have seen.... :salute: I can't even imagine. A salute for a job well done, and for facing this stuff, the best I can offer!

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

This guy was so screwed in the head he killed himself. Let's not discuss THAT. Let's point out he pissed on someone.

I hate this thread, btw. It took me somewhere I NEVER want to be. This is for us ... the vets .... y'know what burning babies smell like? Ever seen a platoon of grown Marines cry? Now go figure what those same grown Marines are going to do once that hurt turns into rage. We are quite the destructive little fellows. You kill women and children and someone pisses on you? You got off lucky. You're dead. I can think of lots worse things to do to you.

And yeah, that burning baby is in my head EVERY fucking night. Since Feb 91. I never go to bed without it. But we're just a bunch of thugs and killers, right? That guy had his heart and his mind fucked. Enough to kill himself. And all the media cares about is that he pissed on some corpses.

What is sick is that same media that crucifies this man protects these true animals that are true savages that murder innocent women and children, rape them too. That media deserves to have justice delivered to their socialist, liberal lying worthless asses too, IMHO.

Very few people caring enough to consider what the soldier had endured and seen. Or even his prior service, war injuries and dedication.

I find that the shallow vermin wanting to soothe their miserable consciences by crucifying this soldier are not much better than the dead muslims that claim Allah instructs them to murder innocent women and children, conquer and enslave the world.

Their "Allah" can kiss this man's ass because that false God is none other than the true Dark Lord in disguise IMHO..
Cold, hard and brutal truth must be shone upon this "political/military cult" that hides behind a HUGE false religious mask. --Tyr

[Drummond]

I see this very simply.

Richards was there. He was capable of judging what that corpse deserved, better than anyone who WASN'T there. And we know what the judgment was ... that he deserved to be urinated on.

What had that corpse, and his friends, done when alive ? How much worse were THEIR actions ? I take the point that the one being urinated on got off lightly by comparison.

I've no problem at all with what that soldier did. It was honest, it was deserved. I am sick of the sort of political correctness which insists that we, on our side, have to be saints, when dealing with scum.

[aboutime]

I'm telling you, as Navy, no, he wasn't. Honor?! How does pissing on the enemy show honor? How does it show Courage? Any asshole can piss on some bodies, they're not heroes.

Tyr, I'm going to say this now, and I really need you to hear me: Not every military member is a hero, period. Some of them are assholes, who give the rest of us a bad name. Other are lazy shitbags who are just trying to wait out their time for retirement, or to get their GI Bill. Yes, there are certainly heroes in all branches of the military, but he wasn't one of them.

We, as a country, and as a military, are better than the childish behavior shown by him and his buddies. I'm not wishing death on him, and I know his family's going through a lot of pain and suffering right now, but whatever else he might be, his own actions mean he doesn't get to keep wearing the hero moniker. To do so, is to demean the meaning of the word for those that truly have earned.


Dragon. As 30 year navy myself, with two son's, one a Marine, and one who was Army...both of whom saw UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL COMBAT.

I must respectfully disagree with you. I agree, not all military members are hero's..from OUR MILITARY EXPERIENCE, and POINT OF VIEW. But the only respect our Military can get is from CIVILIANS who know nothing, and want nothing to do with DEFENDING their own nation.
Speaking for myself. I never considered myself in that status as a Hero, by any stretch of anyone's imagination. Yet, being the veteran of TWO wars. Where I took part in placing AMERICAN GI bodies into body bags...not in Nam, but a place few Americans remember, called Lebanon. Then, personally experienced a SCUD attack during Operation Desert Storm that made all of us thankful for gas-mask training.
If someone who has never served wishes to THANK YOU, and ME for our service by calling us a Hero.
That is a personal thing to me. And nobody is demanding that you accept their thanks.
So...why make such a big deal out of this?
IF YOU HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED what that MARINE experienced?

[logroller]

Pissing on a corpse, while contemptuous, isn't all that egregious given the enemy's treatment of our dead; but taping it? That's sick IMO.

[jimnyc]

Pissing on a corpse, while contemptuous, isn't all that egregious given the enemy's treatment of our dead; but taping it? That's sick IMO.

Can't say I disagree there. I don't think I would want to keep such memories anyway, not to mention creating evidence isn't wise.

[Gunny]

From my POV, for what its worth from a regular 'ol citizen - I view all of our men and women in uniform as heroes, so long as they serve admirably and don't get a bad discharge, or try to leave their fellow soldiers hanging like Bergdahl. Outside of that, to me they are all heroes. But I'm a civilian, and I am ever grateful for those that protect me and my country, and those who even perform support, if not on the field of battle.

I don't have an issue with what this soldier did. I do believe we should be better, but I won't question what these soldiers go through. What I've seen myself, from the enemy on several fronts, makes this look like one of ours laughing at them. I know it's "wrong", and I know one wrong doesn't make another right... but if I'm out there and see what these people have done to civilians and our soldiers, I may do similar, I really don't know. It's a hell of a lot better than sawing the head off while they were alive, with a dull knife. Just my opinion, I don't want to appear to be questioning any of our veterans.

And what some of you have went through, what some of you have seen.... :salute: I can't even imagine. A salute for a job well done, and for facing this stuff, the best I can offer!

You are correct. We should be better and what he did was a clear violation. And we ARE better. You know what these ass clowns get away with? Not to mention the total pass from the media. What if WE beheaded noncombatants? Set them on fire? Hid snipers in mosques and ambulances? Set indiscriminate explosives in the middle of public roadways? What if WE played by THEIR rules? They'd all be dead. When they turned us loose, what happened? Just a big pile of burning bad guys.

Every time one of those service people dies over there, it's a slap in the face. They're dying for nothing because we aren't there to win. And if we aren't there to win, get them the f- out. Then there's this guy. I can't pretend to know what he saw or did, but it was enough to make him take that final, no going back pain killer.

And all the media cares about is he pissed on a corpse. Gee, did they caveat that with "we support the troops" ?

IF Bergdhal did what he's accused of? Abandon his post during a time of war? The UCMJ is pretty clear on the punishment. For some reason though, that keeps getting swept under the rug. He gets pushed to the back page at every step.

[Gunny]

From my POV, for what its worth from a regular 'ol citizen - I view all of our men and women in uniform as heroes, so long as they serve admirably and don't get a bad discharge, or try to leave their fellow soldiers hanging like Bergdahl. Outside of that, to me they are all heroes. But I'm a civilian, and I am ever grateful for those that protect me and my country, and those who even perform support, if not on the field of battle.

I don't have an issue with what this soldier did. I do believe we should be better, but I won't question what these soldiers go through. What I've seen myself, from the enemy on several fronts, makes this look like one of ours laughing at them. I know it's "wrong", and I know one wrong doesn't make another right... but if I'm out there and see what these people have done to civilians and our soldiers, I may do similar, I really don't know. It's a hell of a lot better than sawing the head off while they were alive, with a dull knife. Just my opinion, I don't want to appear to be questioning any of our veterans.

And what some of you have went through, what some of you have seen.... :salute: I can't even imagine. A salute for a job well done, and for facing this stuff, the best I can offer!

Jim,

I am going to presume to speak for most if not all of the vets here. Anyone want to correct me, feel free.

Stop apologizing for not being a US military veteran. You've provided a place for all us bitter, crusty old f*cks to sound off. You don't have to wear a uniform nor hump a pack and a rifle to serve something you believe in -- an ideal that's bigger than you. You have the same beliefs we do. And if truth be told, I'm probably not the only one here that ran to a recruiter ahead of a stint in jail. Our motives weren't always lily-white pure. :laugh:

[Gunny]

Dragon. As 30 year navy myself, with two son's, one a Marine, and one who was Army...both of whom saw UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL COMBAT.

I must respectfully disagree with you. I agree, not all military members are hero's..from OUR MILITARY EXPERIENCE, and POINT OF VIEW. But the only respect our Military can get is from CIVILIANS who know nothing, and want nothing to do with DEFENDING their own nation.
Speaking for myself. I never considered myself in that status as a Hero, by any stretch of anyone's imagination. Yet, being the veteran of TWO wars. Where I took part in placing AMERICAN GI bodies into body bags...not in Nam, but a place few Americans remember, called Lebanon. Then, personally experienced a SCUD attack during Operation Desert Storm that made all of us thankful for gas-mask training.
If someone who has never served wishes to THANK YOU, and ME for our service by calling us a Hero.
That is a personal thing to me. And nobody is demanding that you accept their thanks.
So...why make such a big deal out of this?
IF YOU HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED what that MARINE experienced?

I was with the 31st MAU. I knew 6 people that died in that bombing, and I knew 3 of them's families. And they wouldn't let us do a damned thing. We were ready to turn Syria into a sandbox. We sat for days in a combat box just waiting for someone to give the order that never came. My bunkie from boot camp was one of those 6 people. Same last name. Same first initial as my brother who was at the time an active duty Marine out of Lejeune. I thought I was going to shit myself. I actually dropped a cup of coffee -- a cardinal sin in the Corps.

I wanted to kill them all.

[NightTrain]

And if truth be told, I'm probably not the only one here that ran to a recruiter ahead of a stint in jail. Our motives weren't always lily-white pure. :laugh:

Where you been all your life? Bad mouthing your country and listening to Mick Jagger music, I'll bet!

[aboutime]

I was with the 31st MAU. I knew 6 people that died in that bombing, and I knew 3 of them's families. And they wouldn't let us do a damned thing. We were ready to turn Syria into a sandbox. We sat for days in a combat box just waiting for someone to give the order that never came. My bunkie from boot camp was one of those 6 people. Same last name. Same first initial as my brother who was at the time an active duty Marine out of Lejeune. I thought I was going to shit myself. I actually dropped a cup of coffee -- a cardinal sin in the Corps.

I wanted to kill them all.


Gunny. They will NEVER be forgotten. Most Americans have no idea what we are talking about here. Nor do most Americans care.

Our Spoiled, Selfish, I Generation who takes Freedom, Liberty, and their Rights for granted..."On that Silver Platter" where they never have to be responsible for the safety of others, or their nation. Will only understand...when that ONE DAY arrives, and they have to ask "How did that happen?"

This is for you Gunny. In case you missed it yesterday.

SEMPER FI

http://youtu.be/GlRnd3IN05s