Posted on 09/08/2009 8:26:52 PM PDT by Saije
We walked into a trap, a killing zone of relentless gunfire and rocket barrages from Afghan insurgents hidden in the mountainsides and in a fortress-like village where women and children were replenishing their ammunition.
"We will do to you what we did to the Russians," the insurgent's leader boasted over the radio, referring to the failure of Soviet troops to capture Ganjgal during the 1979-89 Soviet occupation.
Dashing from boulder to boulder, diving into trenches and ducking behind stone walls as the insurgents maneuvered to outflank us, we waited more than an hour for U.S. helicopters to arrive, despite earlier assurances that air cover would be five minutes away.
U.S. commanders, citing new rules to avoid civilian casualties, rejected repeated calls to unleash artillery rounds at attackers dug into the slopes and tree lines — despite being told repeatedly that they weren't near the village.
"We are pinned down. We are running low on ammo. We have no air. We've lost today," Marine Maj. Kevin Williams, 37, said through his translator to his Afghan counterpart, responding to the latter's repeated demands for helicopters.
(Excerpt) Read more at mcclatchydc.com ...
God bless your son for his service and sacrifice. I hope he has a good VA. If the primary hospital isn’t providing acceptable service try a nearby VA clinic or a different VA hospital.
.........Mr. Gibbs I have a two part question.....4 U.S. Marines died when they were denied the support they requested. Is this type of report what we can expect more often under the Obama Administration and what other restrictions can we expect to be put on our soldiers?...
.........Mr. Gibbs I have a two part question.....4 U.S. Marines died when they were denied the support they requested. Is this type of report what we can expect more often under the Obama Administration and what other restrictions can we expect to be put on our soldiers?...
Either let them win or get them out. Even then, I am hard-pressed to understand our national interest in Afghanistan. I understood Iraq: Saddam's butchery, his terrorist support, the strategic and economic value of the Persian Gulf. I do not understand what compelling national interest justifies losing so many of our brave soldiers in Afghanistan, as did the Soviet Union 30 years ago.
Self Ping to #119 to save.
Amen.
Exactly
His Giant Ego is too busy trying to be king of the World. He has no time to be bothered with what could be avoidable deaths of American servicemen.
Besides, he's proving his qualifications to head up the “Security Council” (excuse my utter hysterical laughter!) to the America hating dweebs at the U.N..:
“Obama to seal US-UN relationship”
“Where the hell is the media.”
The hell with the media. Where is the PENTAGON??? We just had Troops killed rescuing a New York Times reporter. Do you think the NYT is going to thank them or support them?
The ONLY thing of value in Afghanistan is the drugs. The ONLY thing. I have been saying it over and over and over, but the “search” for a freaking DEAD Bin Laden has been the excuse used by the powers that be to keep our Troops there, now under almost impossible condititons.
McChrystal is a politician. He sold his bowl of venison to the Senate in order to be promoted to general. There had to be reasons why he was not promoted before that, Pat Tillman not withstanding. I would like to know what Petraeus thinks of his performance in Afghanistan. And I wonder where the Pentagon is when there appears to be outright anger from the troops serving under his command and they are not being quiet about it.
I have been hearing it under the radar for weeks, but it has become much more public now.
He is clearly putting our Troops in danger. This is NO WAY TO RUN A WAR.
**********************************************
“from November 1994 to June 1996. After a year as a senior service college fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, he moved up to command the entire 75th Ranger Regiment from June 1997 to August 1999, then spent another year as a military fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.”
“At the beginning of the Iraq War in March 2003, he was serving in the Pentagon as a member of the Joint Staff, where he had been vice director of operations, J-3, since July 2002. McChrystal was selected to deliver nationally televised Pentagon briefings on U.S. military operations in Iraq, including one in April 2003 shortly after the fall of Baghdad in which he announced, ‘I would anticipate that the major combat engagements are over.’”
“McChrystal was considered a candidate to succeed General Bryan D. Brown as commander of U.S. Special Operations Command in 2007,[12] and to succeed General David H. Petraeus as commanding general of Multi-National Force - Iraq or Admiral William J. Fallon as commander of U.S. Central Command in 2008, all four-star positions. ***Instead, McChrystal was nominated to succeed Lieutenant General Walter L. Sharp as director of the Joint Staff in February 2008, another three-star position.***”
“Normally a routine process, McChrystal’s Senate confirmation was stalled by members of the Senate Armed Services Committee who sought more information about the alleged mistreatment of detainees by Special Operations troops under McChrystal’s command in Iraq and Afghanistan. After meeting with McChrystal in private, the Senate Armed Services Committee confirmed his reappointment as lieutenant general in May 2008 and he became director of the Joint Staff in August 2008. With his June 10, 2009 Senate approval to take command in Afghanistan, McChrystal was promoted to General. Shortly after McChrystal assumed command of NATO operations, Operation Khanjar commenced, marking the largest offensive operation and the beginning of the deadliest combat month for NATO forces since 2001.”
************************************
And it has been getting steadily worse since he took over. He has completely disregarded the safety and security of the Troops under his command, OURS as well as other country’s.
They will not stay there under McChrystal much longer.
Our Troops are nothing more than cannon fodder over there. They are not allowed to engage the enemy. They are not even allowed to defend themselves.
This is insane. The whole thing is insane.
If we are there because of pakistan, then it’s Pakistan we need to deal with on a much more aggressive level. Instead we baby them.
ENOUGH of this.
Prayers for your son and your family, panthermom. I wish I could do more. More NEEDS to be done. MUCH more.
Patriots are with you. GOD be with you and all of our Troops.
First things first. Would you do me a favor? Would you give your son one of the biggest hugs and kisses you've ever given him in you life for me today? Look deeply into his eyes and tell him “Thank You and God Bless You” for me. Please let him know that there will be prayers for his recovery.
One moment at a time, one hour at a time, one day at a time and he will get through this recovery period. There may be a million steps for him to take between now and the future, but he WILL get there.
(P.S. Prayers up for you too Mommy.:) You will be his best advocate. You produced one great man there.)
Flyer
We need GRASSROOTS action. Either let us do what is necessary, or get the eff out. There is nothing and no one there worth one more American life.
http://www.military.com/cs/Satellite?c=maArticle&cid=1199422047446&pagename=News%2FnwsLayout
GIs Told Not to Risk Civilian Lives
July 02, 2009
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services
KABUL — Beginning today, American Soldiers in Afghanistan will be under orders to back down when they’re chasing Taliban fighters whenever they think that civilians might be at risk.
Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top commander in Afghanistan, will issue the directive as part of an effort to cut down on civilian casualties, which have enraged the Afghan government and residents. Instead of calling in air support or firing into civilian homes where Taliban fighters have sought refuge, commanders will be instructed to reach out to tribal elders or undertake other efforts to dislodge the fighters.
The order is consistent with what national security adviser James L. Jones told McClatchy Newspapers in Washington Wednesday was President Barack Obama’s concern about civilian casualties in Afghanistan.
“General McChrystal has been given instructions when he left here that, in all military operations, that we redouble our efforts to make sure that innocent loss of life is minimized, with zero being the goal,” Jones said, noting that, “In one mishap you can create thousands more terrorists than you had before the mishap.”
The new order, however, is likely to draw criticism from some U.S. troops, many of whom feel the rules that govern how they fight the war already are too restrictive.
Many troops here say they depend on air power and heavy weaponry because there aren’t enough ground troops to chase Taliban forces on foot. Jones said no additional ground troops will be sent this year, even though some ground commanders want them.
“Everybody had their day in court, so to speak, before the president made his decision,” he said. “We signed off on the strategy, and now we’re in the implementation phase.”
McChrystal’s order will instruct Soldiers to “think about what else can we do,” said Rear Adm. Gregory Smith, the military’s top spokesman in Afghanistan. “We cannot keep going down the path of putting civilians at risk. ... People want to see changes in behavior.”
(more at link)
These brave men’s deaths are on Obama’s head.
I agree Mesta. This can not continue.
This is a betrayal of our troops. Words can not express the anger I feel upon learning about these new rules of engagement. If there are civilians in the area and troops can not call in artillery support then sending the soldiers in unaided is tantamount to murder. If they can’t use artillery than don’t send them in to be ambushed like that. Better yet don’t give such a stupid order.
If they’re not going to give our troops the tools to survive and win, then bring them all home now!
REPOST:
Thursday, September 03, 2009 6:36:09 AM · 8 of 15
MestaMachine to ImpBill
THIS is why Peters, and many guys with boots on the ground, are angry at the changes in ROE and McChrystal’s throwing caution to the wind where it comes to protecting our troops.
He thinks our TROOPS have acted too defensively in their own best interest and caused the “poor, helpless civilians” humiliation.
NOTE THE DATE.
General wants more troops for Afghan war
By: The Associated Press - The Sentinel-Record - Published: 08/02/2009
MORE TROOPS: Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the U.S. general in charge of turning around the war in Afghanistan, may recommend significant changes to U.S. and NATO operations in a report due in August.WASHINGTON - The U.S. general put in charge of turning around the war in Afghanistan is likely to recommend significant changes in the campaign and may include a request for more U.S. forces that the White House is expected to resist.
Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s long-awaited reassessment of the war against Taliban insurgents aims for a transformation of the shaky relationship between U.S. forces and Afghan civilians as troops press a counterinsurgency strategy of clearing and holding populated areas, said officials apprised of the report’s contents.
The biggest change urged in McChrystal’s report is a “cultural shift” in how U.S. and foreign troops operate - ranging from how they live and travel among the Afghan population to where and how they fight, a senior military official in Kabul said Friday.
The latest draft of the assessment also urges speeding up the training of Afghan soldiers and police and nearly doubling their numbers to roughly 400,000, said a senior defense official in Washington, one of several uniformed and civilian officials who spoke on condition anonymity because the report has not been made public.
As McChrystal readies the assessment of the war, due in two weeks, numerous U.S. officials and outsiders aware of his thinking suggest that he will request in a companion report that more American troops, probably including marines, be added next year.
Several people familiar with the work being done cautioned that McChrystal could opt not to ask for an increase at all - a recognition that President Barack Obama and other White House advisers would not look favorably on adding new numbers to U.S. forces after already agreeing to boost their ranks by 21,000 troops earlier this year.
The main recommendations for change stem from the military’s new counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan, which is now designed to focus less on going after Taliban strongholds and more on protecting the local population.
The new U.S. strategy is also aimed at helping develop an Afghan government that civilians will embrace rather than siding with the insurgents, two senior military officials said. To achieve that, one official said, the latest draft of McChrystal’s assessment includes the following recommendations:
- Using intelligence less to hunt insurgents and more to understand local, tribal and social power structures in the areas where they operate. McChrystal is considering concentrating troops around populated areas rather than going after sparsely populated mountain areas where Taliban hide.
- Getting troops more active in fighting corruption. U.S. forces will need to take care in their dealings with local Afghan leaders to ensure that they are not perceived by the Afghan population to be empowering corrupt officials.
*PLEASE NOTE THIS PARAGRAPH IN PARTICULAR.
In preparing his assessment of the Afghan command, McChrystal found an American military culture that showed a great concern for troops’ protection – sometimes at the expense of their relations with Afghan civilians.
To change those relations, McChrystal wants American forces to think twice about basic conduct - for instance no longer pointing their guns at people when they pass in convoy or blocking narrow roads with their convoys, while relegating Afghans to the ditches.
To deal with the most contentious aspect of those shaky relations, McChrystal has already committed to try to reduce civilian casualties by issuing new orders that restrict when troops should call in bombing strikes.
Winning "hearts and minds" is the job of Missionaries and Mothers, and, if they are very good, diplomats.
War is hell. Our military is sent to do a job. Win the war they are sent into, one battle at a time.
This nonsense of Miranda Rights for terrorists and cataloging shots fired at the enemy will produce the end result=wounded or killed troops.
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