New US battle rule: No fighting near Afghan homes

AP via Yahoo ^ | June 22, 2009 | Jason Straziuso

[COBOL2Java]

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?

I THOUGHT those ears on Obama looked familiar...

[Oldexpat]

McCrystal is respected by the guys in Special Ops. Let’s give him a chance to do his thing.
Protecting the civilian population is the key to success of counter-insurgency.
I have friend’s who are currently deployed to A and will get feedback on the situation.

[wardaddy]

This general and Gates are folowing orders.

They could resign though.

[skully]

Another battlefield rule was just anounnced:

From HQ NINCOMPOOP:

From this point forward all American and NATO personnel are to cease carrying any weapons. If Taliban are encountered; soldiers are to make a gun using thumb and index finger and loudly yell BANG BANG YOU'RE DEAD!!!

[dirtboy]

I see now why Obama wanted a change in commanders. And one has to wonder what Petreaus thinks about this.

[lormand]

New Taliban Rules

Fight near homes

[GeronL]

Someone added this to breaking news. cool.

It languished on Yahoo for 52 minutes before I found it.

[Landru]

"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."

Wonder if the *General* heard of what happened in Iraq with the no firing on mosques rule?
I'd like to think zerO's trying to micromanage. A General grade Infantry officer can't possibly be that stupid.

This crap keeps up, they'll find hard times ahead trying to recruit. I can see then, out of necessity, zerO might just have to reinstate the draft.
Unbeknownst to the imbecile he's flirting with the biggest of all the unintended consequences he's due for.

Think the moonbats, DUmmiies & assorted leftist-quisling flakes are rapidly losing faith in their messiah, now?
Wait.
Start drafting 'em.

zerO's fund-raising statement while trying to bilk Hollywierd's elite, "You ain't seen nothin' yet.", will take on an entirely new meaning. LOL

[ArtyFO]

That’s what happens when you call in a B1 bomber to suppress enemy fire, you destroy the entire village.

[dirtboy]

Protecting the civilian population is the key to success of counter-insurgency.

Yeah, but what is the point of announcing something like this? It's a no-win situation. If you hold to it, the Taliban know they can retreat into civilian homes for sanctuary. If you break the pledge, it gives the Taliban a propaganda coup.

[SumProVita]

“And so the Vietnamization of a war begins again.”

Yep....I thought the same thing....as if POLITICIANS know anything about running a war. Sheeeeshhhh....

[SJackson]

Mosques are staging areas, add to that homes. That should please the Taliban, there are far more homes than Mosques.

[GeronL]

I can guess what Petreaus thinks of this. “

While it might sound good to some basement-dwelling bureaucratic functionary, it is far different in real life. If US troops cannot fight ‘near’ Afghan civilian homes, then how do we protect those civilians in those homes? Define ‘near’. If the Taliban invade a civilian home and take the family hostage, is it still a ‘civilian home’ under this order?”

[Vanders9]

The least that could have been done is not to TELL the enemy the new strategy.

[wardaddy]

I would imagine he thinks it naive.

Historically insurgents often shield themselves with civilians.

How we have ever followed up D-Day to roll over France?

would have made Bastogne pretty tough, of course civilians in WWII often tried to flee ahead of the fighting

[Chickensoup]

And so the Vietnamization of a war begins again.

The vietnamization f the war has been going on for a long time. This is just another rule among many ridiculous rules that have tied our troops hands.

I would not send a child into the US military at this time. I hurt for all the troops trapped in this Catch 22. OUr government is making the troops ineffective

[radioone]

Vietnam quagmire...here we go again.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Next Obama rule: Miranda rights read to combatants. Just wait.

[GeronL]

I think that was last week actually

[rollo tomasi]

I agree, we have a bunch of political animals at the helm, not soldiers or warriors. Wife might have to go to Afghan soon. This (Plus many other restrictions) crap just pisses me off.

Talked to a good friend who just got back from Afghan. Was there for 18 months and said it's just getting worse. He has an administrative role so he is no grunt. Says it's futile and can't understand (Lt. Col) what the commander's strategies are or what kind of training it came from. They are just worried about not getting there name on CNN or NYT in case civis, who actually fire on our troops, get press while our combat troops get "bamboozled".

Says the civis over there are not helpful. They just want to be left alone and most of the time take the side of the Taliban. A cluster f* in the making that will needlessly kill a lot of good men and women who are already stretched too thin back at there home base in the States.