Another own goal by the Coalition of the Willing

We know that Coalition troops in Iraq have been liberating the living shit out of the natives for nigh on three years now, but the latest is just plain embarrassing:

The Ministry of Defence has launched an investigation into a video which allegedly shows British soldiers brutally beating a group of young Iraqis.

The film, which was reported in a Sunday newspaper, shows the troops repeatedly kicking, punching and striking civilians with batons.

The newspaper said the footage was filmed during street riots in Basra in 2004 by a corporal who can be heard laughing and encouraging his colleagues in a running commentary.

(Winston Churchill was at one time in favour of using poison gas against the "uncivilised tribes" of the Middle East, so I suppose this is something of a step up.) But seriously, if you want an insight as to why the "Arab Street" is in such an uproar over the Danish cartoons (as well as an ironic take on the "Clash of Civilisations" thesis, to boot), look no further.

The British Ministry of Defence is investigating the incident. I suggest that in the course of the investigation the Ministry takes a good hard look at the kind of military culture that allows something like this to transpire in the first place.

Anyway, you can see the neocon porn for yourself on the News of the World website. As the saying goes: here's a gun, there's your foot.