Taliban Ambush in Eastern Kunar Kills 4 US Marines

The Captain's Journal ^ | 9/8/2009 | Herschel Smith

[Saije]

Again, this is a sad day for the Marines, but I sense that there is more here than casualties. Or better said, there is more here than a mere tactical or intelligence failure. I fear that we are attempting to win hearts and minds without the necessary concomitant force projection. We all know that the Anbar experience will not directly apply to Helmand, or Kunar, or anywhere else for that matter. But if we can look past that nuance we can learn from the campaign for Anbar and what lessons it might have for us in Afghanistan.

[milwguy]

The father of the Marine who was photographed by the AP after being hit by an RPG was on TV last week saying ROE had been responsible for his son’s death. Here is another case of Obama not understanding that changing the ROE to appease the corrupt Karzai is resulting in the deaths of our brave Marines.

Obama has blood on his hands, I only wish the MSM cared more about our brave Marines than our dear leaders fantasy about curing the world’s problems with his soothing words. That we could not call in artillery support while our Marines were being killed is criminal.

[milwguy]

here is the story about the Marine killed by the RPG in August................Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard, 21, of New Portland, Maine, was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade in a Taliban ambush Aug. 14 in Helmand province of southern Afghanistan.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/26762.html#ixzz0QcemL1Gy

[BOBTHENAILER]

I said it would happen, and only recently “officials” have admitted that the new Afghanistan ROE have opened up new space for the insurgents. Now it has cost the lives of four more U.S. Marines. How many more Marines will have to die before this issue is addressed?

The new ROE are an OBAMINATION

[Grampa Dave]

0b0z0’s rules of engagement will be like LBJ’s during the Nam war and the cold war.

LBJ’s screwing Americans ROEs cost us a lot of good men in Nam and in the cold war, the Pueblo and later the disgrace of what happened to the crew on the Liberty.

[Deo volente]

I fear that we are attempting to win hearts and minds without the necessary concomitant force projection.

A half-million troops might do the job. I don't see us winning with anything less than that.

The field commanders also need to be given wide latitude in the rules of engagement. If Obama tries to micromanage this war and politicize it, we're doomed to failure. Hasn't he learned the lessons of Vietnam?