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Do Unto Your Enemy...
NYT ^ | September 25, 2006 | PAUL RIECKHOFF

Posted on 09/25/2006 1:30:04 PM PDT by RDTF

-snip-

I remember a seasoned senior officer explaining the importance of the Geneva Conventions. He said, “When an enemy fighter knows he’ll be treated well by United States forces if he is captured, he is more likely to give up.”

A year later on the streets of Baghdad, I saw countless insurgents surrender when faced with the prospect of a hot meal, a pack of cigarettes and air-conditioning. America’s moral integrity was the single most important weapon my platoon had on the streets of Iraq. It saved innumerable lives, encouraged cooperation with our allies and deterred Iraqis from joining the growing insurgency.

But those days are over. America’s moral standing has eroded, thanks to its flawed rationale for war and scandals like Abu Ghraib, Guantánamo and Haditha. The last thing we can afford now is to leave Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions open to reinterpretation, as President Bush proposed to do and can still do under the compromise bill that emerged last week.

-snip-

It is not hard to imagine that one of our Special Forces soldiers might one day be captured by Iranian forces while investigating a potential nuclear weapons program. What is to stop that soldier from being water-boarded, locked in a cold room for days without sleep as Iranian pop music blares all around him — and finally sentenced to die without a fair trial or the right to see the evidence against him?

If America continues to erode the meaning of the Geneva Conventions, we will cede the ground upon which to prosecute dictators and warlords. We will also become unable to protect our troops if they are perceived as being no more bound by the rule of law than dictators and warlords themselves.

-snip-

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: nytreasontimes
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To: RDTF

Being shot on site is quite an effective deterent.


21 posted on 09/25/2006 2:30:19 PM PDT by HOTTIEBOY (I'm your huckleberry)
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To: RDTF

Where did this loser come from. Lead his platoon? Platoon of what? Suppose this is another Hackette type claiming all this expereince Iraq when he was nothing but a REMF.

Seems true. A Democrat is a Democrat 1st and anything else WAY second. Pretty obvious just like John Kerry and John Murtha this clown has sold his soul for politics.

Hey "Vet" why don't you tell the truth? How about you speak truth to your Democrat Party whiners? So some balls "Vet". Tell them how the Terrorists DO NOT fall under the Genevea Convetion. Point out to them how conditions in Gitmo are better BY FAR then those in most American prisons?

But of course not Paul. Your political self agrandizement comes WAY before anything like truth or intellectual honesty doesn't it?


22 posted on 09/25/2006 2:31:03 PM PDT by MNJohnnie (Say Leftists. How many Nazis did killing Nazis in WW2 create? or Samurai? or Fascists?)
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To: sgtbono2002

I think the "solider" is a journalist.


23 posted on 09/25/2006 2:51:09 PM PDT by Tahoe3002 (Death to Terrorists!!! Semper Fi! USMC 1970-1981)
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To: RDTF
"It is not hard to imagine that one of our Special Forces soldiers might one day be captured by Iranian forces while investigating a potential nuclear weapons program. What is to stop that soldier from being water-boarded, locked in a cold room for days without sleep as Iranian pop music blares all around him — and finally sentenced to die without a fair trial or the right to see the evidence against him?"

Mind-boggling idiocy. This guy is really really ignorant and really really naive if he thinks the GCs have ANYTHING to do with how Iran will treat any Special Ops captives or with how any jihadist group will treat ANYONE from the USA, military or civilian.
24 posted on 09/25/2006 2:57:58 PM PDT by Enchante (There are 3 kinds of lies: Lies, Damned Lies, and the Drive-By Media)
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To: RDTF


Well he's definitely a lib selling a book, but he has experience of both 9/11 rescue efforts and combat in Iraq. He thought Iraq was "bullshit" even before he went, though, so he's seeing everything from a Bush-bashing mindset...... why supposedly savvy, experienced people like him could ever think that Iran's Mullahs or any jihad-terror group gives 2 craps about the GCs will always be a mystery to me!!

http://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Ghosts-Soldiers-America-Washington/dp/0451218418/sr=8-1/qid=1159221585/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-0901540-7312861?ie=UTF8&s=books

http://www.paulrieckhoff.com/home/index.asp


25 posted on 09/25/2006 3:07:15 PM PDT by Enchante (There are 3 kinds of lies: Lies, Damned Lies, and the Drive-By Media)
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To: Tahoe3002

Well I read the article and it said this man had a platoon in Baghdad. I never heard of a journalist with a platoon. Maybe if you paid more attention to the story and less to my typo's you would get more out of it.


26 posted on 09/25/2006 3:22:48 PM PDT by sgtbono2002 (The fourth estate is a fifth column.)
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To: edzo4

Exactly! When the terrorists themselves show they are worthy of Geneva protections, by wearing uniforms, and agreeing themselves to abide by the Geneva rules THEN they will get such protections.


27 posted on 09/25/2006 4:00:22 PM PDT by boop (Now Greg, you know I don't like that WORD!)
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To: sgtbono2002

Any one know if our two soldiers that were captured at the Check Point last June were treated with Geneva Convention limitations? Torture dimemberment, drug behind cars, and bodies burned (hopefully after death).

Versus the torture of panties on the head or a barking dog!!!!! Or loud music!


28 posted on 09/25/2006 4:18:40 PM PDT by Claytonbridge
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To: sgtbono2002
Buzz off Sgt. I did not comment on your typos. The posted article excerpt does not use the word Platoon. Maybe you went to NYTs' website, which I will not do.
29 posted on 09/26/2006 10:07:26 AM PDT by Tahoe3002 (Death to Terrorists!!! Semper Fi! USMC 1970-1981)
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To: RDTF

"It is not hard to imagine that one of our Special Forces soldiers might one day be captured by Iranian forces while investigating a potential nuclear weapons program. What is to stop that soldier from being water-boarded, locked in a cold room for days without sleep as Iranian pop music blares all around him — and finally sentenced to die without a fair trial or the right to see the evidence against him?"

This is what SF guys train to endure.

This is nothing new to them and they infact expect this to be the case if captured.


30 posted on 09/26/2006 10:10:32 AM PDT by roaddog727 (Bullsh## doesn't get bridges built.)
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To: Tahoe3002

**** America’s moral integrity was the single most important weapon my platoon had on the streets of Iraq. It saved innumerable lives, encouraged cooperation with our allies and deterred Iraqis from joining the growing insurgency. ***

2nd paragraph--2nd sentence. I suggest you read it again./

Right at the top of this page. It isnt hidden. You didnt need to comment on the typo you used it.

Try doing a little buzzing off yourself.


31 posted on 09/26/2006 12:19:24 PM PDT by sgtbono2002 (The fourth estate is a fifth column.)
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