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Oh, I'm just sure that the troops in his unit murmmered among them selves, "How dare Col. West discover we're going to be hit and killed by that kind of beastly method!".

They probably wouldn't.

But they also have been trained to adjust operations to counter expected ambushes and deal with that threat head on. That is what we do.

There is nothing new or unique about an ambush. The troops had a tactical advantage knowing in advance that one was being planned. The leaders of the unit, including LTC West, should have the knowledge and resources available to them to thwart the plan within the already set parameters of the mission.

He chose a different method and even though his troops may admire that, the problem will come when they have to counter a planned ambush and wonder why their new commander didn't just round up some more hajjis and scare the info out of them.

The whole episode is a breeding ground for dissent and indiscipline, the very things the rules are in place to avoid.