Note the word mass. Civilian casualties are a harsh reality. Every civilian in that town knew that he was in the area. It would have been appropriate to smoke the whole town. But we did not. That is the restraint and decency that the USA shows.
Your reply was DEAD on; a fact lost on virtually everyone.
Precisely!!!
If this was another time and place with a true Imperial power such as Rome.
Every adult male in the town would have been killed and the women and children sold into slavery.
It IS BECAUSE WE ARE A BENEVOLENT NATION that we are conducting this Iraq campaign in the first place.
A real Imperial power with our kind of weaponry would have just vaporized the Middle East after 9-11.
We are actually trying to reform and SAVE the Middle East and in the process SAVE millions of lives.
A different slant on things here.
Yes, I'm sure most locals knew of his presence.
I don't agree with the "it would have been appropriate to level the whole town" thing. Why?
Bad publicity / relations.
That and the fact that this is all these people have ever known.
Don't get me wrong. Should this place turn out to be a "hot bed" of harboring terrorists, etc., - then I'd agree with the scorched earth policy.
Notice how the Iraqi forces were the first ones on the scene for this? Followed closely by the boys?
Why is it we are there?
Insightful comment.