Posted on 06/22/2009 7:47:52 AM PDT by GeronL
KABUL – The top U.S. general in Afghanistan will soon formally order U.S. and NATO forces to break away from fights with militants hiding in Afghan houses so the battles do not kill civilians, a U.S. official said Monday.
The order would be one of the strongest measures taken by a U.S. commander to protect Afghan civilians in battle. American commanders say such deaths hurt their mission because they turn average Afghans against the government and U.S. and NATO forces.
Civilian casualties are a major source of friction between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the U.S. The U.N. says U.S., NATO and Afghan forces killed 829 civilians in the Afghan war last year.
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who took command of international forces in Afghanistan this month, has said his measure of effectiveness will be the "number of Afghans shielded from violence," and not the number of militants killed.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Yes, thats some way to be "sheltered from violence"
I see why Obama likes this guy.
Don’t they already hide behind women and children already?
Fighting wars half-assed (Korea, Vietnam, Iraq) never works, ever.
General McChrystal is an idiot who will have the blood of our troops on his hands...
This would be a prelude to an announcement that we can’t win and a phase down by Obama.
New Taliban Rule: Hide in peoples’ homes all the time.
A good way to get US GIs killed.... No shooting even if they shoot at you from a house.
Gutless way to fight a war.
We will certainly lose this one if this is the protocol.
Game over. We should bring the troops home now. They cannot win like this. Instead there will simply be a prolonged conflict with US casualties mounting and limited damage inflicted on the Taliban.
In other news, the Taliban announced that they were purchasing 2,000 Winnebagos for moving troops around the country. “We have assurances that civilian homes will not be targeted by Nato forces, and we expect that to extend to motor homes as well.” The Obama Administration applauded the decision, seeing how it would help the struggling RV industry back home. “This is proof again of how dialogue brings meaningful progress to all parties.”
Does anyone believe these orders originated in the White House?
Hey, our “President” is an islamist. What’s the news?
Yup. That coupled with a big increase in US casualties.
We’ll lose.
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who took command of international forces in Afghanistan this month, has said his measure of effectiveness will be the “number of Afghans shielded from violence,” and not the number of militants killed.
I see why Obama likes this guy.
Maybe we can revamp Patton’s dictum - the purpose of war is to make the other poor bstrd hide in civilian homes...
And so the Vietnamization of a war begins again.
Is it just me, or does this need to interfere in the military’s business - administration wise - generally comes from the folks who have never served a day...
Sigh.
Tatt
Theoretically this is a good move. It plays well with the home audience, and it means there will be less propoganda opportunities for the taliban and their sinister allies.
Unfortunately, there is a disadvantage. The enemy quickly cotton on to what you are doing and, as you rightly say, take to hiding behind the civilians.
This is a war, and people get hurt in wars. It’s tragic that it is usually non combatants who get the pain, but you cannot let that influence your operations unduly. Forget bombs, missiles, shells, bullets and grenades. What really gets soldiers killed in wars is indecision. If the politicos are convinced that the military has to be committed, you must commit them totally. You cannot pussy foot around. In the short term, yes it may cause fewer deaths and less destruction. But in the long term, like you I fear this will just make the conflict drag on longer, and ultimately cause even more deaths.
They either came from the CinC or someone he appointed. Does anyone think this is not political? Does anyone else think this will not embolden the enemy?
Sounds amazingly like 0bama's jobs "created or saved" nonsense.
All the enemy has to do is go to Yahoo.com to figure it out
We’re fighting and dying to free these adherents to a sub-human faith, but me must NOT disturb their dinner!
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