It wouldn't be equally as horrific if the dead were soldiers? Soldiers or civilians, it should never be acceptable to act in such a way. --Talus

The killings themselves are what I was referring to. Mutilating dead bodies is horrific no matter who the people were, yes. If you kill a soldier, you could at least make some weak argument of self-defense. At least soldiers know they might die, and volunteer to join the military knowing and accepting the possibility. Civilians should expect to feel safe. They shouldn't be murdered in the streets for no reason.

But yeah, even if in this case it was soldiers killed, the soldiers in Iraq are HELPING the Iraqis. Sometimes it seems like people over there don't know anything but to mindlessly kill everyone who isn't in their immediate social group.

this whole thing reminds me of things like when you have two friends who are at odds and you try to step in and reconcile them. --eestlinc

Reminds me more of a dog biting a vet when the vet is trying to save its life.