Recap: a video of a Marine smiling and then tossing a puppy off a cliff as if it were all fun and games was posted to YouTube and horrified millions of people.
Update: He’s been punished and drummed out of the Corps. The exact punishment for him and the guy who shot the video is unknown due to Corps privacy rules but it’s enough for me that the Corps kicked him out.
Back when the uproar occurred, some people pointed out that the Marines (and other military I’m assume) have been told to kill stray dogs as a matter of safety. They could have bombs strapped to them before being urged towards Marine camps and etc for example.
And as much as I hate the thought of it, I can understand and accept such a thing. As someone who has spent many hours, days and months involved with dog rescue, I know all too well that it is not possible to save every animal.
However, that is NO EXCUSE to be cruel and torture the animals. If you must kill them, make it quick and painless. We demand the same of our animal shelters that kill thousands of animals every day.
Good riddance to Lance Cpl. David Motari
While I agree with you that in some cases the feral dog population must be controlled as a matter of safety, I would like to emphasize the fact that this marine was stationed in Hawaii! As far as I know, there are not that many bomb-strapped dogs running around Hawaii. This act was an outrage no matter how you look at it.
Thanks for drawing attention to the conclusion of this case. Many times people just forget or don’t care. These marines are no better than Michael Vick and should receive the same punishment.
Motari may have been based in Hawaii but the article states in the opening sentence “throwing a puppy over a cliff while on patrol in Iraq”.
He should have named the video… ” Watch me get fired, ruin a bunch of future career opportunities and kill this dog in 30 seconds flat.”
Any idiot can throw a dog from a cliff… it takes a special kind to tape and post it where it will be found. No?
Say cheeeeese.
From what I’ve been told, by a soldier in the military, of the soldiers stationed in the Middle East, that guy is part of the majority. Majority being soldiers are raging assholes.
You want to know why so many countries hate USA. It’s because their only experience with Americans is the huge asshole soldiers stationed in their respected countries. It’s sad. I guess warriors don’t make good diplomats.
Rob, I thnk the soldier is almost right about the majority thing. The majority of our soldiers are asked to do things in Iraq that we would find repulsive, inhumane and probably would retch at the thought of. Everywhere I see this story I hear “well I love dogs so this marine is a cruel bastard”.
Only thing is Iraqis hate dogs. They kick them and leave them to fend for themselves in the streets. I have spoken to soldiers online who say it is normal for a soldier to have to euthanize dozens of puppies during a tour in certain provinces- and it’s for their own good. They don’t have the convenience of an injection and a vet, and usually have to shoot them. Do you like the sight of blood and braind and intestines splattered on rocks?
Humans all deal with horror and inhumane tasks they HAVE to accomplish in their own way. I think the real story here is the Marine was dealing with HAVING to kill another puppy in his own rather twisted way. It was certainly cleaner for him and the puppy likely didn’t hurt any worse than a bullet. I think we all missed the message he was inadvertantly sending us, that these men are going to come back changed- hardened by the inumanity of their jobs.
In any case get over the idea that a Marine threw a puppy off a cliff for sick fun when there were loving homes for him all over Iraq. That puppy was in for one cruel and painfully short life. Motari did him a favor.