Posted on 11/06/2005 10:15:09 AM PST by SelectiveJNJ
The Sunday Times November 06, 2005
Iraq battle stress worse than WWII MICHAEL SMITH
SENIOR army doctors have warned that troops in Iraq are suffering levels of battle stress not experienced since the second world war because of fears that if they shoot an insurgent, they will end up in court.
The two senior Royal Army Medical Corps officers, one of whom is a psychologist, have recently returned from Basra, where they said they counselled young soldiers who feared a military police investigation as much as they did the insurgents.
The revelations follow the collapse last week of the court martial of seven paratroopers accused of murdering an Iraqi who died near al- Amarah just after the war and amid signs of a dramatic drop in morale among frontline infantry soldiers.
The doctors’ warnings came in post-operational reports submitted by senior officers to their formation commanders after serving in a battle zone. They are exceptional because of their content.
One source said: “There doesn’t appear to be any overt consideration or understanding of the pressures that our soldiers are under.
“The unpopularity of the war at home and a belief that firing their rifles in virtually any circumstances is likely to see them end up in court are sapping morale.”
One corporal said that troops arriving in Basra were confronted by warnings from the Royal Military Police. “They make it clear that any and every incident will be investigated. It is also made clear that if you shoot someone, you will face an inquiry that could take up to a year.
For the rest of the article: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1859664_2,00.html
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
To paraphrase Patton - '' I'd rather have a terrorist in front of me than a Leftist behind me.''
American troops have the same problems.
The World Court, the MSN, POW treatment stories, etc makes all the sideline issues harder on the troops in combat.
Look at the nut balls in Europe that wanted to have President Bush arrested when he came for a visit. Nut balls all.
Can you imagine a soldier in WWII being tried in court if he shot a Wermacht soldier in battle? Or a Japanese soldier?
We live in queer and bizarre times. Something should be done about this. That's too much of a burden to put on combat troops.
Kill Political Correctness RIGHT NOW!
"For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!"
.....Kipling.
"American troops have the same problems."
Agreed. Consider Panatano.
It's a worldwide strategy being pursued by the worldwide organized hard left (WOHL). Pretending there is no difference between soldiering and policing.
Sometimes I wander if we are fighting the wrong enemy.
".....Kipling."
Good ref.
I smell a mutiny!
My reply - '' I'd rather have a leftist in front of me than a terrorist behind me.'' Put the SOBs infront where you can line up your sights on them!
it's the lawyers.....
The JAG guys need to tour the front lines, another Kipling reference:
Pagett, M.P.
Rudyard Kipling
The toad beneath the harrow knows
Exactly where each tooth-point goes.
The butterfly upon the road
Preaches contentment to that toad.
PAGETT, M.P., was a liar, and a fluent liar therewith—
He spoke of the heat of India as the “Asian Solar Myth”;
Came on a four months’ visit, to “study the East,” in November,
And I got him to sign an agreement vowing to stay till September.
March came in with the koïl. Pagett was cool and gay,
Called me a “bloated Brahmin,” talked of my “princely pay.”
March went out with the roses. “Where is your heat?” said he.
“Coming,” said I to Pagett, “Skittles!” said Pagett, M.P.
April began with the punkah, coolies, and prickly-heat,—
Pagett was dear to mosquitoes, sandflies found him a treat.
He grew speckled and mumpy-hammered, I grieve to say,
Aryan brothers who fanned him, in an illiberal way.
May set in with a dust-storm,—Pagett went down with the sun.
All the delights of the season tickled him one by one.
Imprimis—ten day’s “liver”—due to his drinking beer;
Later, a dose of fever—slight, but he called it severe.
Dysent’ry touched him in June, after the Chota Bursat—
Lowered his portly person—made him yearn to depart.
He didn’t call me a “Brahmin,” or “bloated,” or “overpaid,”
But seemed to think it a wonder that any one stayed.
July was a trifle unhealthy,—Pagett was ill with fear.
’Called it the “Cholera Morbus,” hinted that life was dear.
He babbled of “Eastern Exile,” and mentioned his home with tears;
But I haven’t seen my children for close upon seven years.
We reached a hundred and twenty once in the Court at noon,
(I’ve mentioned Pagett was portly) Pagett, went off in a swoon.
That was an end to the business; Pagett, the perjured, fled
With a practical, working knowledge of “Solar Myths” in his head.
And I laughed as I drove from the station, but the mirth died out on my lips
As I thought of the fools like Pagett who write of their “Eastern trips,”
And the sneers of the traveled idiots who duly misgovern the land,
And I prayed to the Lord to deliver another one into my hand.
LOL!
This made me laugh so quick that I had to respond. It reminded me of my business attorneys. Butterfly's, however, just fly away at the approach of danger while lawyers just stand there in court or conference and piddle down their leg. I'm going to make phrase that into a plaque and present it to one of my favorite legal "pissers".
The Kennedy's, Durbin's, Kerry's, we all know their names. The "imbedded reporters", who are nothing more than spies. It seems that nothing has really changed in the hundred years , or so, that Kipling penned the condition of man on the frontier of human nature. We can progress technically, but we will need to evolve further, as a species, before we are able to recognize the enemy in our midst.
All "civilians" in danger under the present circumstances are either enemy combatants out of uniform, or supporters of them, complicit through their silence.
For our young soldiers, dying every day, it is a lose-lose proposition.
I certainly do not support it.
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