Is the U.S. soldier starring in this popular youtube video a tough, Patton-esque, tell-'em-like-it-is inspirational leader … or is he an unprofessional jerk?
That’s the question FOXNews.com set out to answer when we asked the U.S. Army to help identify and locate the soldier for an interview. But the Army was less than forthcoming, so we’re looking for help finding him.
Here’s what we do know: The video was shot at least six to eight months ago, according to Maj. Hunter Holliday of the Multinational Force Iraq Media Operations Center. It features a U.S. soldier who begins what seems like a routine training speech for a squad of Iraqi troops. But the volume, pace and sharpness of the soldier’s voice escalates considerably in what becomes a more-than-five-minute lecture -- or tirade, depending on one’s point of view -- on his many issues with the Iraqis’ non-performance.
"You know why I'm p----- off?" he shouts at one point. "I come down here with my soldiers to try to train you, and you're trying to f------ kill Americans, you're trying to kill your fellow f------ Iraqis, 'cuz you got no f------ backbone."
The Army may be reluctant to identify the soldier because it doesn’t like what it saw in the video -- which has already picked up more than half a million views on Youtube.
"The Soldier's behavior is inconsistent with our Army values and does not represent the position of Coalition Forces," Holliday wrote in an e-mail to FOXNews.com. Holliday added "appropriate action" could be taken against the soldier following an investigation.
But some former military personnel defended what they saw.
"That's the way drill sergeants drill recruits," said retired Maj. Gen. Paul Vallely, a FOX News senior military analyst who said he understood the soldier’s frustration. "They're tough, and they do use profanity to varying degrees.”
Help us identify the soldier, and get the story straight from him. Email
talktofox@foxnews.com and we’ll report back when we get the full story.
Joshua Rhett Miller contributed to this report.
11/87-04/08
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