Incomprehensibly stupid Army regulation killing Americans in Afghanistan

DC Independent Examiner ^ | Jan. 7, 2012 | James Simpson

[George Varnum]

...Army regulations require that medevac helicopters follow the Geneva Convention, which specifies that they must be unarmed and display prominent Red Cross markings. Furthermore, Army regulation forbids medevac choppers from entering a combat zone without armed helicopter escort.

If armed escort is not immediately available, medevac helicopters remain grounded, regardless the emergency. Once they do go in, they become a conspicuous target for enemy forces, most of whom have never read the Geneva Convention, and would laugh it out of existence if they had.

[mc5cents]

Am I the only American with the sneaking suspicion that we were never supposed to "win" this war in the first place?

This is how you win a war.

You use OVERWHELMING FORCE and put the fear of God (or Allah) into them until they surrender, unconditionally. And yes it is ugly, but war is ugly by definition. If you cannot commit to total war then just opt out and wait for the inevitable result which is your defeat.

[fhayek]

Audible farting? I am not sure that I have the proper sphincter articulation that could guaranty that.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks George Varnum.

[dolander2002]

Yes, it is true about the Army Medivac helicopters. It is NOT true, however, about the Marines. They do not have to abide by that rule and they DO shoot back.

[Squantos]

I could get on a detailed incremental rant but publicity is what is hurting current EOD profession. Secrecy was our security and mixing our methods of approach and means of travel saved us from IED ambushes . SMUD aka small munitions disruption was a viable Render safe procedure (RSP). We were one of the first DOD assets to use the Barrett M82A1, now the M107, with the raufus rounds to disrupt suspected IED’s, UXO, submunitions and mines etc ....

IMO...as long as the polidiots pussyfoot around with the host nation and neighboring countries that feed and support the enemy it’s a losing situation. SOP should be if IED goes off on the road next to Bagone Zeggi then bring in the dozers and level Bagone Zeggi and bus all the little goat humpers to a pro-afghani / american ville and let peer pressure and dislocation of their operators mess up plan “A”......

With all due respect this crop of EOD techs are earning their hazardous duty and demo pay these days.......God Protect em all ...please !

Stay safe Travis !

[Silentgypsy]

I can’t handle reading the blog. I just cry and pray....

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Thank you for praying for my friend, and all our people over there!

[bigheadfred]

Everone knows the real reason we are in F ghanistan is to get those secret underground nuclear sub bases in place. To use against Iran.

In other news, with the repeal of “Don’t ask, Don’t tell”, and the pussification of the military, the enemy has switched from using IEDs to IUDs.

[leapfrog0202]

[Oldexpat]

We have a family member scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan this year. Given the current state of ROI and other PC requirements..I think it is time that we leave. Let the Taliban have the place. I know a lot of Vets with a lot of seniority and rank who feel the same way. If they won’t allow us to kill then enemy and imprison the captured..then it no longer a military operation. If the State Dept wants to do a country building job with the civilians..let them send the libs to sort the place out, but the military shouldn’t be doing the job.

[FreedomPoster]

Michael Yon has been screaming about this idiocy for a while now. Several of his recent dispatches have covered this.

http://www.michaelyon-online.com/michael-s-dispatches/

[R. Scott]

When I was medivaced in Viet Nam it was by a Marine cargo Chinook 46. No red crosses, no support. We were under heavy ground fire and helicopters were ordered not to come in. Two Marine pilots couldn’t take it anymore and came in steep and fast. We were quickly loaded and took off, the helicopter taking rounds. Luckily we made it to Phu Bai.
I wonder how many pilots today ignore orders.

[leapfrog0202]

We have a family member scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan this year. Given the current state of ROI and other PC requirements..I think it is time that we leave. Let the Taliban have the place. I know a lot of Vets with a lot of seniority and rank who feel the same way. If they won’t allow us to kill then enemy and imprison the captured..then it no longer a military operation. If the State Dept wants to do a country building job with the civilians..let them send the libs to sort the place out, but the military shouldn’t be doing the job.
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Have to agree. We also need to quit giving Pakistan money. They are making life harder in Afghanistan for us.

[Venturer]

If I were the General in charge, I would take the Red Cross off the side, arm the helicopter to the teeth, and put a medic on board and bring the wounded out in a combat chopper. The Taliban is not going to stop shooting because of a Red Cross on the chopper anyway.

[George Varnum]

I’ve heard that the red cross actually has a tendency to enrage Mooslims, as they see it as a “Christian” symbol.

I suppose it might be a little reminiscent of the red “Maltese Cross” used as the ancient logo of the Knights Templar, AKA “Crusaders”.

Islamics are still a little sensitive about that, we are told.

If anything a red cross would draw fire from about any Muslim - including, if they could get away with it, so called “friendlys”.. Wonder if any Vets from over there have seen that happen?

Seems as if I’ve seen photos of US ambulances marked with a red crescent instead of the red cross - so as not to offend the locals, apparently.

IIRC in VietNam we were about the only ones expected to uphold the Geneva Conventions, weren’t we? From what some of the guys who were there (I was in Korea in ‘68) tell, the further back in the boonies you got the less seriously the convention tended to be taken.

[Islander7]

Michael Yon has been on this for months. He has ticked off the brass in Afghanistan with his scathing articles.

[onedoug]

...beginning?...

[rdcbn]

A friend is in the middle of it. Orthopedic Surgeon. Here’s his blog;
http://warbirddoctor.blogspot.com/

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Our Rules of Engagement under Obama are an outrage.

Just read the blog and I have to say that my level of disgust with our leadership has dug a new low that did not think possible

[NY Attitude]

Let us not forget this one.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2826607/posts

[Trailerpark Badass]

look at it this way if they did it would like like this, ...the ex officer protested loudly

Well, that's kinda what I was hinting at.