“Big difference. They had to pulverize those countries into submission. Now, they can’t even shoot unless they get shot at first.”
Oh, we pummeled Iraqis and Afghanis, too. Remember Shock and Awe? It didn’t take as much, but that’s because their military-industrial capacity was not that of the others. Also, Afghanistan was pre-pulverized from decades past. Wasn’t their average age for adult males like 13, or somesuch ridiculous number?
As for restrictive rules of engagement, I’m sure we had to use kid gloves in Germany and (perhaps less so) Japan after surrender, too. No doubt we’re more politically correct these days, and in many ways it’ll never be the same. But you forget about the distinction, which is as old as manned air flight itself, between ground and air killing. one is unaccountably okay and the other evil. Ground troops may be handcuffed into the mold of post-Rodney King LA cops, but bombs and missles can still, early in the war at least, rain down like it’s 1945.
Nope. In fact the occupation of Germany was pretty brutal. (Dunno as much about Japan...)
For example, after WWII, there was a coal shortage. With winter approaching available coal was routed to France, the UK, etc. Germany was slighted because it was felt that the US occupation force would have fewer problems shooting German civilians if they rioted... There were no “kid gloves” for the losers back then.
IMHO, the current issue derives from the treaties on the laws of land warfare that were signed AFTER WWII. Roughly translated, they seem to read “The US is not allowed to use its full might to bring a war to an absolute and satisfactory conclusion.”
Sure, Shock and Awe was a lot of firepower, but it was strictly a 'military perimeter' engagement. They keeled over backwards not to even scratch a 'civilian' brick or mortar.
I don't recall any cities or towns in Iraq or Afghanistan looking like this...
Dresden
Hamburg
Cologne