Rick Perry Defends Marines' Urination Video: 'These Kids Made a Mistake'
Presidential hopeful Rick Perry has attacked the U.S. government for its "over-the-top" response to the four Marines’ urination video, and for suing the state of South Carolina for its immigration law.
Perry, the former governor of Texas, has constantly accused the Obama administration of having unfavorable views on the military and used the Marine controversy in an attempt to validate his claims, according to Daily Mail.
"What’s really disturbing to me is just, kind of, the over-the-top-rhetoric from this administration and their disdain for the military," said Perry Sunday on CNN’s "State of the Union."
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After a video showing four marines urinating on dead corpses in Afghanistan recently went viral, a number of critics including government officials lashed out, and called for the urinating troops to be prosecuted.
Despite widespread condemnation, Perry brushed off the incident and insisted it had been blown out of proportion.
"Obviously, 18-, 19-year-olds make stupid mistakes all too often, and that’s what’s occurred here," Perry said.
"These kids made a mistake, there’s no doubt about it ... But to call it a criminal act, I think, is over the top," he added.
The troops in the video have been identified as members of the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines out of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
Although they have not yet been punished, recent comments from government officials have confirmed the matter has been taken very seriously.
Last week Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the incident "absolutely inconsistent with the standards of behavior that the vast majority of Marines hold themselves to," reports The Associated Press.
"This matter will be fully investigated and those responsible will be held accountable for their actions," Marines spokeswoman Kendra Hardesty told TMZ.
Some political commentators, including CNN contributor Dana Loesch, have made comments that are in line with Perry's.
"C'mon people, this is a war. Do I have a problem with that as a citizen of the United States? No, I don't," Loesch said on her own personal radio show.
Still, critics have started questioning whether Perry is strategically attacking the Obama administration to gain political spotlight during what they argue is now Perry's faltering political campaign.
While speaking at a barbecue counter in Orangeburg, S.C., Perry criticized the government for suing the S.C. state government over its immigration law.
The 61-year-old accused the government of interfering with state matters and told diners that if elected, he would better state affairs.
“Under my administration, you will not see a Department of Justice coming in and suing a state for issues that are that state’s sovereign right,” Perry said.
