Maybe you could tell us what YOU see going on. Have things changed for you since the ROE changes went into effect? How are our guys taking all this?
We hear long distance. If you are there, help us understand.
I am a security contractor protecting a USAID project, and not under any ROE. I work with some good airborne soldiers every day on the task of securing a road being re-built between the provinces of Paktia and Khost. This is an area with traditionally high levels of enemy activity. A better road will facilitate troop movement, and connect the local to services. Of course the latter will require the Afghan government to get off it’s rear end and make an effort, but that’s another story.
As I said earlier, the Army is conducting more offensive ops than I’ve seen at other times. This trend started last winter in an effort to get into areas used as base camps and sanctuaries - some of which US forces had not been into for years. At the same time this is one of the more active times for the Taliban, Haqqani, etc. They are quite capable of reading the newspaper, and know this is a good time for high visibility operations.
I speak with US battalion and company commanders routinely, and with soldiers just about every day, and I’ve not heard any of them complain about the new ROE, or Mcchrystal. That doesn’t mean they don’t, just that I’ve not heard it.
“Afghanistan as usual.” I like that.