Posted on 08/17/2007 2:26:56 PM PDT by Kid Shelleen
Now that Marcus Luttrell's book "Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of Seal Team 10" is a national bestseller, maybe Americans are ready to start discussing the core issue his story brings to light: the inverted morality, even insanity, of the American military's rules of engagement (ROE).
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Somehow our military engagments have become crime scenes. This is a leftist dream and will cripple us for years to come. As a mother who has a son, up until recently I would have encouraged my son to join the military if it was his hearts desire. But sending my son into war with his hands tied behind his back is not sane and I will not do it. We are patriotic as can be, but not insane.
Thanks for posting.
Yes, will be ordering this book this week-end.
I hope it causes the whole country to understand that the way American soldiers are dictated to wage war is totally immoral. You either go in to win, and there are many conflicts that this is a necessary evil, or you don’t go at all. We seem to be the only country in the world, outside of Israel, that these rules apply to.
Quit trying to fight a politically correct war. Get the politicians out of the war plans and let the pros handle it. Ever since we’ve let the stupid politicians make battle decisions—Oh, you can’t bomb Hanoi...you might hurt someone—or impact the ROE, we haven’t won a war. (I don’t think we won Desert Storm, otherwise we wouldn’t have had to got back.) Crush it now while it’s still over there, and gag the politicians. If they get there way, the battle field will be Central Park rather than Baghdad.
So tell me, would it have been murder for the Seals to have killed the three Afghanis?
It all depends on your definition of "murder"..
The wisest and most effective life extending advice I ever received - was from a semi-literate Gunny.
Two pieces of advice:
1. The ONLY fair fight is the one you win and live, and the other guy loses and dies...
2. You are on a battlefield - where thousands of armed men, women and children want you dead... They are your enemy. Do not trust anyone who is not wearing a uniform like yours, and be prepared to kill them in an instant if necessary..
It all comes down to whose life do you value most..
Your own -- or some clown who looks and acts exactly like your un-uniformed enemy?
Folks who wish to prosecute a warrior who made a decision to kill when he felt justified -- should volunteer themselves or their children to go fight future wars....
Only those cases where no plausible "self defense" or "justifiable precaution" can be shown, should be investigated.. Enemy witnesses should be disregarded unless corroborated by fellow warriors.
Without question - the ROEs in Iraq/Afghanistan are far more stringent, dangerous and closely monitored and exploited by our enemy than at any time in history..
I have no doubt that the hesitation they impose on a young warrior has led to many unnecessary dead American warriors..
What makes this so ludicrous - is that our current Islamic enemy is without question one of the least humane and most contemptible of the "Rules of War" and the minimal standards of humanity...
Most warriors exposed to hot, fast and furious fire fights in close proximity to "civilian" habitates -- took some questionable shots...
But - they're still alive....and guilt free.
Then send in the troops, but only after the lawyers have identified all the targets.
Oh, yeah, those lawyers have to go with a disinterested third-party lawyer, maybe from the ACLU, or, if in the Middle East, from CAIR.
On point too!
Thanks, Kid.
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