Soldiers Frustrated At Being "Nice Guy" (MUST READ!!)

Chicago Sun-Times (Daily Telegraph) ^ | March 25, 2003 | Oliver Poole

[Dirk McQuickly]

CENTRAL IRAQ--"I lost a scout this morning to sniper fire and my first sergeant was hit by a mortar yesterday. That means I am taking it a little bit personally. How am I meant to protect my men when the generals are denying me the ability to bomb enemy positions?"

On the outskirts of the Iraqi town of Samawah, U.S. Army Capt. David Waldron and his company of tanks are locked in a defensive formation. His men are under intermittent attack. They are also increasingly angry.

From Basra to Karbala, south of Baghdad, allied troops are under attack from soldiers in civilian clothes and Saddam's shadowy Fedayeen paramilitaries.

And yet 50 percent of the coalition's desired targets are being vetoed by high command for fear of hitting a sensitive "no combat zone."

In the latest insight into the resistance, one of Waldron's patrols stopped a civilian car and found an armed Iraqi in the back seat. Only this was not a trained soldier but a 12-year-old boy, his face stricken with terror as he hugged an AK-47.

According to the unit that detained him, the boy said he had been given the weapon by men from the paramilitary forces.

Saddam knows that Washington, worried about alienating public opinion, is eager to avoid inflicting civilian deaths. But there are indications that he has adopted a plan to try to make it appear that the coalition forces are doing just that.

As one of Waldron's tank commanders, Sgt. Robert Byrd, put it: "It's time to stop trying to be Mr. Nice Guy. They are bombing us. Let's start bombing the hell out of them."

Of the more than 300 prisoners taken by Waldron's battalion, most have been in civilian clothing.

"I am meant to be in Karbala by now and instead we are screwing around here," he said. "My sentries were so jumpy last night they were getting nervous about donkeys--and we are in tanks for God's sake.

Daily Telegraph

[Dirk McQuickly]

These are extremely disconcerting comments. We're hearing today that Basra has fallen back into Iraqi hands? What the hell is going on?

[RippleFire]

BUMP

[CatoRenasci]

Anyone taken armed in civilian clothing is (1) not subject to the Geneva Convention, and (2) subject to being shot on sight under the traditional rules of warfare. We should 'make it so'.

[ventana]

BTTT :( V's wife.

[Cboldt]

These are extremely disconcerting comments. We're hearing today that Basra has fallen back into Iraqi hands? What the hell is going on?

The media is attacking your resolve.

The campaign is not perfect, and even if it was, there would be somebody complaining about how it was prosecuted.

[MJM59]

I don't think that we ever really held Basra. It was contained more than anything. However, there appears to be a pocket of resistance hiding out in there like rats. So, we'll have to go in there and exterminate them the hard way.

[Destructor]

The "rules of engagement" need to be reviewed. As it stands now that set of rules is costing American Soldiers, Marines, and Airmen their lives. America doesn't need to pull it's punches. We need to hit the Iraqis hard, and make 'em holler "Uncle."

[Dirk McQuickly]

That would be fine if these were some journalist's comments. This came from the tank commander. That's what's disconcerting. Troop morale needs to be a priority.

[honway]

It's time to stop trying to be Mr. Nice Guy. They are bombing us. Let's start bombing the hell out of them."

These Generals and politicians didn't learn a damn thing from studying Vietnam.

God help the U.S. fighting man and woman.

This report makes my blood boil. This PC driven, "Religion of Peace" crap has got to end when American soldiers are dying on the battlefield.

[Our God given right to be free]

I'm certainly compassionate toward the citizen's of Iraq but if they get in the way whether by their choice or not sorry but they have to go. I personally wish the innocent citizens would find a way out of the towns to safety so we could level their damn towns along with their soldiers. These extemely evil doers must be eliminated or ther will be NO safe place in the world!!!!!!

[Cboldt]

That would be fine if these were some journalist's comments. This came from the tank commander. That's what's disconcerting. Troop morale needs to be a priority.

The campaign is not perfect, and even if it was, there would be somebody complaining about how it was prosecuted. In this case, the somebody is a tank commander. There are also Air Force/Army/Marine/Navy rivalries that will come off as negative comments, and discontent between superiors and workers is part of reality. Oftimes the second-guessers are proven right. The action will not be prosecuted "perfectly."

Troop morale is better than public morale, at this point.

[clouda]

Well said!!

[=Intervention=]

Maybe you don't mean to be humorous, but this statement was, nonetheless. Just because a bunch of greenhorn reporters think it's the end of the world yet again does *NOT* mean the rest of us have to swallow that line, too.

[savedbygrace]

It's time to let the White House hear from us about this.

[Publius6961]

the generals are denying me the ability to bomb enemy positions?"

If this can be verified and documented, I would love to see it.
A half-assed war is a war against ourselves.
I value American lives a lot more than that. No lives for PR or PC, please.

I will reserve my true feelings for when this statement is documented.

[yoe]

Lift the "no combat zone" regulations to "all combat zone". This is NOT a police action, this is WAR and the lives of our military are at stake. Other than the Geneva rules, this is not about political correctness. The enemy is deadly serious about killing US soldiers anytime, anywhere for any reason. Stop the bs, we’re wasting time and precious lives taking prisoners, they are enemy combatants in all sorts of uniforms and disguises; take no prisoners and get on with it – once the word is out that we shoot to kill...

[jackbob]

Soldiers always gripe up and down the chain of command. The media always gives a distorted report. And the whiners always whine about both. And when I do it, its grumbling.

[canalabamian]

I'm waiting for the first EPW bomber. Raise the black flag now!