Military

Perry attacks Obama admin’s ‘disdain for the military’ [VIDEO]

Jeff Poor Media Reporter
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The video of U.S. Marines urinating on dead Taliban soldiers that surfaced last week has sparked its share of outrage. However, it is the Obama administration’s reaction that has Texas Gov. Rick Perry concerned.

In an appearance on Sunday’s broadcast of CNN’s “State of the Union,” Perry called the act “a stupid mistake” and alluded to similar actions that occurred throughout history during times of war.

“Well, obviously, 18, 19-year-old kids make stupid mistakes all too often, and that’s what’s occurred here,” he said. “But when you’re in war — and history, kind of, backs up — there’s a picture of General [George] Patton doing basically the same thing in the Rhine River. And although there’s not a picture, [Winston] Churchill did the same thing on the Siegfried line.”

In contrast to his mild criticism of the troops involved, Perry ferociously attacked the Obama administration for its reaction to the video.

“But what I’m saying is what is really disturbing to me is just the over-the-top rhetoric from this administration and their disdain for the military, it appears, whether it’s the secretary of state or whether it’s the secretary of defense,” Perry said.

“I mean, these kids made a mistake. There’s not any doubt about it. They shouldn’t have done it. It’s bad. But to call it a criminal act, I think, is over the top.”

Watch:

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Perry suggested a mild reprimand for the troops over of criminal prosecution.

“Well, here’s the issue — I will suggest to you that these are 18, 19, 20-year-old kids,” he said.

“They make mistakes. There is video out there of all types of things, I will suggest to you. But the idea that this administration would go after these young people for a criminal act is … over the top. And did they make a mistake? Absolutely. Should they be reprimanded and appropriately punished? Yes. But going after them as a criminal act, I think [is a] really bad message.”

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