Posted on 09/13/2006 3:51:29 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - The U.S. military acknowledged Wednesday that it considered bombing a group of more than 100 Taliban insurgents in southern Afghanistan but decided not to after determining they were on the grounds of a cemetery.
The decision came to light after an NBC News correspondent's blog carried a photograph of the insurgents. Defense department officials first tried to block further publication of the photo, then struggled to explain what it depicted.
NBC News claimed U.S. Army officers wanted to attack the ceremony with missiles carried by an unmanned Predator drone but were prevented under rules of battlefield engagement that bar attacks on cemeteries.
In a statement released Wednesday, the U.S. military in Afghanistan said the picture a grainy black-and-white photo taken in July was given to a journalist to show that Taliban insurgents were congregating in large groups. The statement said U.S. forces considered attacking.
"During the observation of the group over a significant period of time, it was determined that the group was located on the grounds of (the) cemetery and were likely conducting a funeral for Taliban insurgents killed in a coalition operation nearby earlier in the day," the statement said. "A decision was made not to strike this group of insurgents at that specific location and time."
While not giving a reason for the decision, the military concluded the statement saying that while Taliban forces have killed innocent civilians during a funeral, coalition forces "hold themselves to a higher moral and ethical standard than their enemies."
The photo shows what NBC News says are 190 Taliban militants standing in several rows near a vehicle in an open area of land. Gunsight-like brackets were positioned over the group in the photo.
The photo appeared on NBC News correspondent Kerry Sanders' blog. Initially military officials called it an unauthorized release, but they later said it was given to the journalist.
NBC News had quoted one Army officer who was involved with the spy mission as saying "we were so excited" that the group had been spotted and was in the sights of a U.S. drone. But the network quoted the officer, who was not identified, as saying that frustration soon set in after the officers realized they couldn't bomb the funeral under the military's rules of engagement.
Defense Department officials have said repeatedly that while they try to be mindful of religious and cultural sensitivities, they make no promises that such sites can always be avoided in battle because militants often seek cover in those and other civilian sites.
Mosques and similar locations have become frequent sites of violence in the U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and they have often been targets of insurgents and sectarian fighting in Iraq.
Damn Straight!
The only thng "criminal" about this war is the fact its not been fully prosecuted and there is NO reason this travesty can be justified. It should have been one giant crater of virgin seekers!
They fail to mention that firing on a cemetery is against the military rule book of engagement
I'm wondering how old that rule is or if it's part of the news rules that McCain wanted
"I think the junior lawyers in the Services are the real problem."
Part of it, especially the women, but they wouldn't be able to pull their crap without demonrats in congress to give them cover.
Blame it on Murtha's new Global Test. Do you want to deal with the sh_t you'll hear from the MSM or will you do a 'clinton'? "Never mind" "Maybe next time"
What? Were they afraid of killing the residents.
Certainly they weren't afraid of killing the Taliban...were they??
Where are the balls in washington? Affraid the muzzys will hate us more?what a laugh.We will not win this war with this kind of pussy footin around. I cant fathom the thinking behind this.
I dont think it is Rumsfeld. Its policy.AND IT NEEDS TO BE SCRAPED!
I've been saying for a while - start firing some generals.
"I've been saying for a while - start firing some generals."
Generals get handed policy by civilians, and are prevented by their oaths of office from going to the media and complaining.
Micromanaging civilians hand down "rules of engagement" in excruciating detail that you wouldn't believe.
Do they think they are fighting the Trojan War?
which civilians at the pentagon are authorized to give orders to generals? the chain of command flows from the President, to the sec'y of defense, to regional commanders. even the joint chiefs are only advisers, they are not in the chain of command.
WHAT!!!!!!???????
Good point -- why not follow the ones on the front row back to the 'office' and bomb the cr*p out of it
This for the troops, eh?
each and everyone of those men are going to go out and try to kill my brothers, my friends, my family that are overseas...
if we could have zapped those little bast#rds while they were all standing in formation and didn't'...that's it.... pull out. Defend the home land and screw this Bull Sh#t, lying sack of sh#t war we are involved in.
I'm no pussy, I've eaten meat and done the deed. But if we've got such mealy mouthed butt munchers looking at law books instead of targeting and destroying the enemy... then let's just call it what it is... a huge PR scam and WASTE OF MARINES, Army and other armed forces.
Men are dying with these little bast#rds planting IED's and we're running around worried about "rules of engagement"...
We've got pussies covering their ass#s in charge of the men in the field and I can't even think straight right now.... GAWD!!!!
WE ARE AT WAR!!!! That means you kill and destroy everything that can be used against you. EVERYTHING.
Are our "leaders" in the field so f#cked up that they think we'll "lose" the hearts and minds if we frag out a cemetery....
Am I the only one that thinks this is BS!!!!??????
Give me my blood pressure medicine, a six pack of Shiner Blond Beer and look at the middle finger of both hands as I salute this ignorant execution of the war and the backstabbing REMF's that wouldn't know their D#ck from a K-Bar.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.