In Case You Missed This... And THANK YOU Wikileaks !!!

[WillyT]

'Dancing Boy' Scandal Taints Both Americans and Afghans
To win over Afghan locals, American contractor DynCorp bankrolled 'bacha bazi' parties -- the culturally accepted practice of pedophilia by men against boys.
By Shirin Sadeghi - AlterNet
December 28, 2010

<snip>

Every culture has its dark secrets, the practices that many people on the outside would frown on or shudder at. There’s Mormons and polygamy. Hindus and sati. Muslims and virgin brides. And many other cultures that have very specific practices associated with them.

The list is endless but it's also not comprehensive. Not all Mormons practice polygamy -- in fact a comparatively few percentage of them do. The same for Hindus and sati or Muslims and virgin brides. Over time, increased awareness of these issues and any problems associated with them, has led to laws that provide rights to the victims of these practices. But even more effective than laws are social changes. Society's rejection of these practices are a more powerful enforcement against them than laws can ever be, it seems. Which is why public awareness is critical to changing these practices from the ground up.

This week, the WikiLeaks cables publicized another culture's dark secret: the Pashtuns and bacha bazi, the ancient practice of pedophilia by men against boys. Not all Pashtuns practice it, but like other dark secrets in other cultures, it is an inescapable fact that it exists and is strongly associated with Pashtuns.

When the issue arises, so does the sensitivity. No one wants their culture to be known for a horrible thing. But the subject cannot and should not be avoided. Bacha bazi -- literally "playing with children" -- is practiced amongst Pashtuns in Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere. Not all of them do it, but it is acceptable among certain sections of Pashtun culture, which is why it is openly practiced. And also why, as the WikiLeaks cables demonstrated, the American contractor DynCorp took advantage of the practice to appease local Pashtuns in an area of Afghanistan in which they needed to rein in the locals to be able to continue their work there.

It was very easy for DynCorp to bankroll bacha bazi parties for those local Pashtuns who practice it. They arranged for the boys to be purchased, for the venue, and for the guests who would attend the party. Some Pashtuns came. They saw. And they partied.

Children were abused on American military dollars. The cables are undoubtedly an embarrassment to the war effort. Whereas previously bacha bazi was used in the media to stress the necessity of the war effort – "these people need to be liberated," so the theory went – the WikiLeaks cables have completely reversed that notion. Americans are clearly not liberators if they are promoting child abuse instead of preventing and prohibiting it.

<snip>

More: http://www.alternet.org/world/149352/'dancing_boy'_scandal_taints_both_americans_and_afghans

:mad::nuke::mad:

[underpants]

1. "The all to necessary expense of human resources"

as SpongeBob learned in the Krusty Krab training video

Eh! people are the cost of doin' bidness for a military contractor operation. Hell the only reason they get to go make the big bucks is because people are dying .... people they don't even have to pay almost nothing to start with. The US government pays the low grade start-up costs for them like they do in stem cell, GPS, tennis equipment, ski equipment, pharmaceuticals, tires, lots of stuff.


This post is more riddled with satire than the contractors are riddled with assholes.

[molly77]

39. I saw a hearing years ago of congress

with Rumsfield during the bush administration. Cynthia McKinney asked him why the US does business with a corporation that is involved in sex trafficking with women and children. Only time I have ever seen Rumsfield at a loss for words.

[katty]

58. yes, and our gov has been doing this for decades in various

forms/various countries.

[mrdmk]

59. This is the reason Cynthia McKinney is no longer in Congress n/t

[midnight]

65. Molly that question needs to be brought to the forefront of

this new congress.....

[OneGrassRoot]

2. Holy shit, I had not seen that.

I knew of bacha bazi; I wasn't aware of DynCorp's role.

:puke:

:mad:

I wonder if this will see the light of day beyond sites like DU? If people truly, truly understand the horrors committed in our name, surely they wouldn't keep supporting these wars.

[hootinholler]

16. Are these the guys who were doing butt shots? n/t

[fascisthunter]

3. absolutely disgusting

[WillyT]

4. My Thought As Well...

:mad:

[drm604]

5. I saw this at the time.

What I want to know is why this isn't all over the media.

[WillyT]

6. Yeah Huh ??? - Has All The Elements Of A Great Story...

:shrug:

[northoftheborder]

7. Terrible.

I have heard of this practice in those countries, but DID NOT KNOW an American contractor was arranging and paying for this depravity. Yes, this needs to be reported around other sites.

[WillyT]

8. With OUR Tax Dollars !!!

WE paid for this!

Not acceptable!!!

:mad:

[abelenkpe]

29. Crazy huh?

I think most people who champion privatization (in this case military contractors) don't realize that their taxes are not lowered. They still pay their taxes and those taxes still go to pay for the thing that was taken over by a private organization only now there is no oversight, no recourse that the taxpayer can take if that money is spent unwisely. Privatization is the biggest freaking scam ever. It never saves money. It never reduces taxes. And I seriously doubt it improves service. Certainly no improvement here....

This story is truly shameful. Why it isn't a bigger story is beyond me.

[newspeak]

72. yes, people don't realize that they're still going to be paying

taxes and corporations will have no or less accountability with our money.

[The Midway Rebel]

19. Maybe because it might make Wikileaks look good. nt

edit spelling

[dflprincess]

24. Just as the Catholic hierarchy protected pedophile priests

those running the U.S. and its media will see that their child abusing friends and partners are protected.

Not only is this our tax dollars at work - we're also borrowing money from China so this can continue.

[molly77]

40. drm604

WE have "state media". Obama is going to crack down on WikiLeaks. DynCorp and the child sex slave has been going on a long time.

[newspeak]

71. wasn't Dyncorp involved in a sex ring

during the Bosnia police action? I thought a whistleblower came forward-something about taking young women's passports and forcing them into the sex trade.

I hope no one is attempting to argue about cultural relativism-because this is so wrong on so many levels.

[lark]

56. You know why this isn't all over the msm

War is extremely profitable and nothing can be done that would turn even more Americans against the conflict in Afghanistan. Truth isn't important, profits are. Welcome to the US of Fascists, initiated with the SCOTUS stealing the election for the BFEE in 2000 and growing swiftly ever since.

[lovuian]

9. this is why the Afghan War needs to stop

and the US get out of there

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[lildreamer316]

11. Um. Are you serious?

As the mother of a young boy, I hope I never meet someone like you.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

36. PLEASE SOMEONE PM ME THE NAME OF THE POSTER. Kthxbai. -nt

[fascisthunter]

47. I would like to know as well

[WillyT]

12. Really ??? - You Feel The Same Way About Clitoridectomy... Slavery...

Really???

:wtf:

[itsrobert]

13. Alerted

We have no use for pedophiles here. Please report to FR.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. So you are saying we should ignore child rape on our dime

That's pretty disgusting.

[The Midway Rebel]

18. That post takes the cake.

Stupidest fucking thing I have ever read at DU.

Congratulations.

[neverforget]

20. I can't believe anyone is defending this.....

:wtf:

[ZombieHorde]

21. Why are old cultures worthy of respect? nt

[Lucian]

22. Just because it's been around for millennia doesn't make it right.

[awoke_in_2003]

23. The persian culture...

is hell of a lot older than ours, and if a woman is an "adulteress" (whether voluntarily or by rape- I know, screwed up huh) she is buried up to her neck and stoned. They do not have culture.

[WinkyDink]

51. This is not "Persian." This is Islamic.

[liberation]

52. "They do not have culture."

... neither do you, apparently.

[awoke_in_2003]

79. If not supporting pedophilia...

and the stoning of women counts as not having culture, then I guess I don't have any. People who support this shit are little better than animals- no, I take that back. They are animals.

[sabrina 1]

62. And should American tax-payers be forced to fund

those 'cultures'? I guess it's called 'being pragmatic'? Another reason I hate that word. Everything bad that is done in our name is done because 'we belong to the reality-based, pragmantic community'.

And as the article states, we were supposed to be there to stop these abuses and rescue 'the tortured' the 'women' and the child victims. Instead we find out, we exploit them.

Trillions of tax dollars have been wasted, worse used for criminal purposes in these wars. And there are still Americans who defend them.

Yes, thank you Wikileaks for exposing this filth.

[awoke_in_2003]

76. I did not say we should fund this "culture"

the post I responded to said that this boy dancing was part of their "culture" and we should respect it. I came back with another instance of "culture". Neither are good, and neither should be supported.

[sabrina 1]

83. My mistake, I apologize.

[awoke_in_2003]

84. no problem, it happens...

context means everything- the post I was replying to was deleted, and looking at that I could see where the mistake might occur. You are one of my favorite people here (just in case I have never said it before), so I took the time to explain the misunderstanding. At least you gave me the chance to explain myself, and didn't just automatically place me on ignore. :hi:

[sabrina 1]

86. I would never put you on ignore ~

I was surprised when I thought you were 'explaining' it, but as you pointed out, the post you responded to was deleted, so I didn't get the context. I shouldn't read so fast, must make that a New Year's resolution

Thank you for the compliment :blush: and I feel the same way about your comments :-)

[awoke_in_2003]

88. "I shouldn't read so fast"...

you aren't alone- I have jumped the gun a time or two myself. :hi:

[newspeak]

73. yeah, well Rome had slavery

and preyed on children and loved those blood sports and became more hedonistic and corrupt. However, I believe in social evolution-an awareness that harming others, especially innocent children, is wrong.

[awoke_in_2003]

78. I am not defending this one little bit...

the person who I responded to did, saying it was part of their culture. I pointed out that another "culture" supports stoning women. I called bullshit on the culture line, I don't get where people think I am supporting it.

[Roland99]

15. DynCorp??? Weren't they involved in some shit in Iraq years ago?

[EFerrari]

17. And the State Department's response was, it's inappropriate BUT

no one touched the children.

Cool or what?

:puke:

[glinda]

25. Hello media where the hell are you????

[FrancisTreptoe]

30. Thats what i was thinking.

[glinda]

34. There needs to be a way that all this info can flood the net and airwaves.

[valerief]

45. You gotta buy the airwaves and have your own army to protect it.

That's what the pigs who control the media have behind them.

[glinda]

70. it is time

[hedgehog]

26. I wonder if this was a practice left over from when Alexander's

army passed through. Some Scripture scholars maintain that the New Testament verses that supposedly denounce relations between adult males are actually directed against adult males having sex with boys.

[Octafish]

27. DUers brought up DynCorpse sleaze years ago.

And to think some laughed when a few DUers brought up this thing years ago. Oh well, Your Tax Dollars at Work.

[Maraya1969]

28. In case anyone want to make a comment to this company's ethics department

https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/media/en/gui/27481/index.html

Here is some of their bullshit:

"DynCorp International is committed to providing our employees with a safe and productive workplace. As our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct provides, the following principles guide our daily behavior:

* We adhere scrupulously to the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and fairness when engaged in any activity concerning the Company and its relationships with customers, suppliers, and the general public.
* We comply with the spirit and letter of all applicable laws and regulations.
* We deliver the highest quality service to our customers.
* We compete vigorously in the marketplace and avoid business dealings that violate antitrust laws, conflict of interest principles, or procurement integrity guidelines.
* We offer equal employment opportunities."

[defendandprotect]

31. Dark Secrets of male-supremacy .... as they rise, so does sexual perversion .... sexual slavery....

[LiberalLoner]

54. Exactly this +1,000

[go west young man]

32. Link to the PBS Frontline program on the subject.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/dancingboys/view/

[Swagman]

33. it is illegal to assist others to break laws abroad under sex tourism

laws. It doesn't matter that this may be an "ancient practice"..no American is allowed to assist anyone break laws that are covered by child sex laws in their homeland.

This is the pits...using children ..shocking. It should be a huge scandal. Where are all the child protection people ?

[midnight]

35. I wish I could rec. this more than once......

[mackerel]

37. Reading this just made me want to hurl!

What the feck is wrong with mankind?

[Swamp Rat]

38. k&r

:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[Enthusiast]

41. K&R Because bacha bazi is SICK!

Way to go Wikileaks! Another heroic action.

[siligut]

42. Here is a link to a video on Youtube

The video shows a young male probably around 13 yrs old, dressed in a long shimmering red dress. He is dancing up and down along between two rows of men, who are sitting on the ground. There is music and the men are hooting some. The boy has a bland expression on his face. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNUxq8rI6lM

Here is a link to a film concerning this abuse, it is sad, but has a happy ending, The Kite Runner: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419887/ This is a summary of the film, written by IMDB contributer Huggo:

In 1978 Kabul, adolescent Amir Qadiri's best friend is Hassan, the son of his family's servant, Ali. Hassan will do whatever for the respect of his best friend. Among other things they do together, they compete as a team in kite fighting competitions, Hassan who is a natural runner in knowing where the cut kites will eventually land. Amir's family are "ethnically superior" Pashtuns, whereas Hassan's family are "ethnically inferior" Hazaras. Regardless, Amir's wealthy widowed father, who Amir calls Baba, considers Hassan the son he would have wanted as he sees Amir as being a weak minded boy who indulges too much in creative writing. When Amir and Hassan are confronted by older local bully Assef, it is Hassan who always stands up to him. In the face of what Amir sees as this lack of outward love from Baba to him, Baba's friend, Rahim Khan, provides Amir with that fatherly type assurance. On a day that should be the most triumphant in both Amir and Hassan's young lives and one where Amir may finally receive the respect from Baba he so craves, Amir witnesses an incident with Hassan, who is unaware that Amir saw what happened, that will forever change their lives. Fast forward several years to the San Francisco Bay area, where Baba and Amir eventually settle following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. There, they have led a working class life. Amir, the aspiring writer, eventually marries Soraya, a Pashtun Afghani like himself, who has lived a working class life in the United States after being in the privileged class in Afghanistan. In 2000, after Baba has passed away, Amir receives a telephone call from Rahim Khan asking him to return to Afghanistan for a special mission concerning Hassan's orphaned son, Hassan and his wife having been murdered by the Taliban. When Amir learns of his own family's history in the story, Amir does what he can to honor the memory of his old friend Hassan. He not only has to beware of the Taliban in general, but an old nemesis in particular who has only gotten more sadistic with age.

[xchrom]

43. recommend

[amyrose2712]

44. Sick.

[krispos42]

46. wow

k&r

[raouldukelives]

48. All in our name

Thanks government!

[dmr]

49. This leaves me angry & speechless

:cry:

[WinkyDink]

50. We are decidedly not, nor have we ever been, "liberators." We are wanna-be conquerors.

[ck4829]

53. This is not freedom. This is not liberation.

[Uncle Joe]

55. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, WillyT.

[bobthedrummer]

57. K&R, this is nothing new from the mercenaries @ DynCorp International

Below is a link to Kelly Patricia O'Meara's 1-14-2002 article DynCorp Disgrace (via CorpWatch)
"Middle-aged men having sex with 12-to 15-year-olds was too much for Ben Johnson..."
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=11119

DynCorp (SourceWatch profile)
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=DynCorp

DynCorp (PowerBase profile)
"DynCorp International is a mercenary company owned by Veritas Capital, Global Linguist Solutions is one of its subsidiaries"
http://www.powerbase.info/index.php/DynCorp

:nuke:

[bobthedrummer]

60. Kick + WikiLeaks: the latest developments (posted 1-5-11 by Simon Jeffery @ The Guardian)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/jan/05/wikileaks-latest-developments

So where is the accountability-the change we can believe in-- of continuing to employ these child predators aka mercenaries???

[jmowreader]

61. Dyncorp and KBR were the two biggest contractors in Bushwar I and II

Not coincidentally, they're also the biggest sleazebags over there.

I have a question that really needs to be answered:

The most prevalent rank in the Army is Specialist--E-4. Everyone who doesn't fuck up eventually makes it because, unless you fuck up it's automatic at 2 years and if you're a really good troop your commander can promote you to it at 18 months. These guys make $1800 per month--$21,600 per year--in base pay. If you add in all the extras, such as food, housing, medical and so on it probably costs $42,500 to maintain one Specialist for a year. Dyncorp and KBR were paying $85,000 for people to do the service support jobs that, in every other war we have fought since the beginning, went to Army personnel.

Does an $85,000 cook make meals twice as tasty as a $42,500 one?
Does an $85,000 truck driver deliver loads twice as fast as a $42,500 one?
Does an $85,000 laundrymen wash clothes twice as clean as a $42,500 one?

I think you get where I'm coming from: in those wars, We the People paid $85,000 for $42,500 worth of work.

(Actually the comparison should be between a $42,500 cook and a $127,500 cook because KBR was probably charging 50 percent over what the employee received.)

[SpiralHawk]

77. +1 - The chickenhawk Republicons brought in the profit-making War concept

to enrich themselves and the RepubliCronies...while they sat safely at home on their fatcat republicon butts and whined...

[patrice]

63. When you think you ARE God, the ends justifies the means. nt

[PatrynXX]

64. Never had a problem of more than one wife.

But Polygamy is a religion. Marrying more than one wife isn't. Most poligamists (sp) mess the whole thing up because they are child abusers and marry off 14 yr olds.

That said. the above will make me throw up.. except I've got acid reflux and could choke to death doing that :( (Luvox was the worst at doing that. Klonopene so so. and if zoloft doesn't go down right really bad.. :(


So while we call for the murder of Julian... he's got the dirt on shit a million times worse. I don't agree with wikileaks all the time but like ACLU, I will support it. Has the right to say what one wants if we Americans practice what we preach.

[Robb]

66. Inconvenient point: you know who outlawed bacha bazi in Afghanistan?

The Taliban.

[ellie]

67. What the hell?

[russspeakeasy]

68. Child abuse is "the cost of doing business"

with these sick bastards. When Rummy was asked about it, he
wasn't at a loss for words, he just didn't answer..........

[RedSpartan]

69. Meh.

They hate us for our freedom, folks. For our freedom.

:sarcasm:

[KansDem]

74. And "they" have the unmitigated gaul to label Assange a "terrorist!"

This is why these thugs and cutthroats don't want Wikileaks to continue! They're afraid it'll expose their nefarious and disgusting endeavors!

[SpiralHawk]

75. Is this more of the Bush-Republicon Values campaign?

Sure sounds like the usual Republicon Twisted Trainwreck of so-called Family Values...

[Sancho]

80. Why don't I see this story on TV?

Has anyone seen this on the 6 PM news?!?!?!? I hope that someone picks it up.

[livingonearth]

81. OMG I just went to the Dyncorp website

These scumbags profit from war, and act like they represent America. I'm sick and tired of this crap.:mad:

[L0oniX]

82. Their is no honor on behalf of the USA in any of these wars.It's all dirty deeds and lies.

[Desertrose]

85. If we had a "real media"....

I like to think things would be different...but anymore, I don't know.

Doesn't matter now cause our media serves the corporate good... as do our "elected" officials.

Sad. Very very sad. Poor boys.

[bobthedrummer]

87. bttt n/t