Posted on 02/15/2010 11:31:05 AM PST by Steelfish
Troops: Strict War Rules Slow Afghan Offensive Sign in to Recommend
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS February 15, 2010
MARJAH, Afghanistan (AP) -- Some American and Afghan troops say they're fighting the latest offensive in Afghanistan with a handicap -- strict rules that routinely force them to hold their fire.
Although details of the new guidelines are classified to keep insurgents from reading them, U.S. troops say the Taliban are keenly aware of the restrictions.
''I understand the reason behind it, but it's so hard to fight a war like this,'' said Lance Cpl. Travis Anderson, 20, of Altoona, Iowa. ''They're using our rules of engagement against us,'' he said, adding that his platoon had repeatedly seen men drop their guns into ditches and walk away to blend in with civilians.
If a man emerges from a Taliban hideout after shooting erupts, U.S. troops say they cannot fire at him if he is not seen carrying a weapon -- or if they did not personally watch him drop one.
What this means, some contend, is that a militant can fire at them, then set aside his weapon and walk freely out of a compound, possibly toward a weapons cache in another location. It was unclear how often this has happened. In another example, Marines pinned down by a barrage of insurgent bullets say they can't count on quick air support because it takes time to positively identify shooters.
''This is difficult,'' Lance Cpl. Michael Andrejczuk, 20, of Knoxville, Tenn., said Monday. ''We are trained like when we see something, we obliterate it. But here, we have to see them and when we do, they don't have guns.''
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Meanwhile Cheney talks about how gays should geta free pass. Sick of the McCains and Cheneys gay agenda.
Those Rules of Engagement certainly are gay.
Thanks Ubama, you ****. You’re getting more of OUR troops killed.
IF CONGRESS CONTINUES TO RUN THE WAR, AS WE HAVE LEARNED SINCE WWII, WE WILL NOT WIN IN THE MIDDLE EAST. STRATEGY BELONGS IN THE HANDS OF THOSE WHO WERE TRAINED FOR MILITARY SUCCESS. WWII WAS WON BY MEN WHO WOULD NOT ACCEPT FAILURE FOR POLITICAL CORRECTNESS OR RIDICULOUS RULES OF ENGAGEMENT!! GOD BLESS THE MEN IN THE AIR FORCE, MARINES, ARMY, NAVY, NATIONAL GUARD AND COAST GUARD. bECAUSE THEY ARE A BLESSING TO AMERICA!
Our poor soldiers are dying due to this insnane ROE and not a word from McCain or Cheney? Too busy pushing the gays in the military agenda.
Hopefully Palin will wake up and jump ship on stinking MCCain and his gay happy klan.
No! When you see something, and there is probable cause, you Mirandize it. Back to the re-education camp, Lance Cpl!
We'll never be successful in another "war" while we fight with a bunch of insane rules of engagement.
Couldn’t be more true.
Zero is unfit for office. If my son were over there and was killed because of ROE there would be hell to pay.
They shoot you and drop their gun and get a free pass??
Thats insane.
Wow, this from the NY Slimes, the tide is definitely turning against Obozo and Company.
Why is it insane? That’s how socialists and a PC army are taught to fight and we now have a commander-in-chief who doesn’t believe that we are fighting a war on terror, just misguided extremists.
All the enemy has to do is drop their gun and they are “civilians”?? They can’t even be detained?
Thats nuts
OMG!!!! This is UNFREAKING BELIEVABLE!!!
Under the current rules of engagement, troops retain the right to use lethal force in self defense, said U.S. Col. Wayne Shanks, a spokesman for the international force.
The rules seek to put the troops in the ‘’right frame of mind to exercise that right,’’ Shanks said. They require troops to ask a few fundamental questions:
— Even if someone has shot in my general direction, am I still in danger?
— Will I make more enemies than I’ll kill by destroying property, or harming innocent civilians?
— What are my other options to resolve this without escalating the violence?
But Brig. Gen. Sher Mohammad Zazai, commander of Afghan army troops in the south, said there is no plan to revise the rules.
‘’The aim of the operation is not to kill militants,’’ he said. ‘’The aim is to protect civilians and bring in development.’’
If this is the case, we really don’t need to be there.
Amazed that this was actually printed by the Times!
I guess its time to pull out the troops then.
Bring home the troops and send in ACORN!
[Are We Fighting To Win?]No. This is year 9 of whack-a-mole against an unnamed enemy.
I hope the troops brought some good lawyers along.
Amen to that! Looks to me that they are looking for Community Organizers and Unions in order to bring development.
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