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our seconds in Afghanistan: Was it combat, or a crime?
LA Times ^ | 10 June 2012 | Kim Murphy

Posted on 06/18/2012 7:23:07 PM PDT by Sarajevo

A seasoned Army sergeant makes a split-second decision to stop a possible bombing. Now he's stunned to be charged with negligent homicide.

Sgt. 1st Class Walter Taylor's life collapsed in four interminable seconds in a dusty field in central Afghanistan.

His convoy was reeling from a roadside bomb, his fellow soldiers were engaged in combat with insurgents — and a mysterious black car had just screeched to a stop in the middle of the firefight. Some nine minutes later, a black door opens.

Second 1: A figure dressed in dark, bulky clothing emerges.

Second 2: The figure begins walking toward the trunk.

Second 3: Taylor, with five wounded comrades behind him, sees a thin trigger wire seeming to snake directly toward the black car. Could there be a second bomb in the trunk?

Second 4: Taylor squeezes the trigger on his M-4 carbine. The figure crumples to the dirt.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Miscellaneous; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; bomb; ied; sfcwaltertaylor; splitseconddecision; usarmy; warzone
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To: Repeat Offender

I will be retiring from the USAF on August 1st, 2014 after 24 years of service. The military has changed since I completed basic training in 1990. And not for the better.


21 posted on 06/18/2012 9:05:48 PM PDT by An American in Turkiye
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To: Sarajevo

Prayers for this soldier and his loved ones.
The reason that Afcrapistan has rarely been conquered is that everyone eventually realizes that this worthless land of ungrateful, Satan worshipping, little boy raping, mysoginistc cavemen with macine guns is not worth one drop of their blood.
That and a muslim pres—ent that hates the military and has no intention of winning a war against sunnis...


22 posted on 06/18/2012 9:13:06 PM PDT by Eagles6
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To: piytar

“Good answer, good answer, I like the way you think....I’m going to keep my eye on you.”

The rules of engagement can vacillate from month to month here in Afghanistan.....without an imbedded JAG with each patrol, I have no idea how they keep it straight.

That’s the ticket, imbed JAG’s with the patrols.....then see how well they make decisions under fire.


23 posted on 06/18/2012 9:32:05 PM PDT by Puckster
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To: Sarajevo

Sending Prayers.


24 posted on 06/18/2012 9:36:20 PM PDT by Kitty Mittens (To God Be All Excellent Praise!)
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To: The_Media_never_lie

That this country is run by idiots is putting it rather mildly. All I can say is that sooner than later something got to give.


25 posted on 06/18/2012 9:47:55 PM PDT by saintgermaine
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To: The_Media_never_lie

That this country is run by idiots is putting it rather mildly. All I can say is that sooner than later something got to give.


26 posted on 06/18/2012 9:48:22 PM PDT by saintgermaine
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To: Sarajevo

somebody please tell me what happens after the figure crumples to the ground. the link is taking too long to open


27 posted on 06/18/2012 9:51:21 PM PDT by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience. It is a guide to your actions.)
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To: Sarajevo

So let me see if I get this straight - our President, while enjoying his breakfast every Tuesday morning, selects targets off a kill list and collateral damage be damned, executes at will. SFC Taylor on the other hand....

If Obama had a son, he’d look a lot like SFC Taylor.. just sayin’


28 posted on 06/18/2012 10:07:17 PM PDT by castowell (I am Andrew Breitbart!)
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To: Eagles6

>>>>>The reason that Afcrapistan has rarely been conquered is that everyone eventually realizes that this worthless land of ungrateful, Satan worshipping, little boy raping, mysoginistc cavemen with macine guns is not worth one drop of their blood.>>>>>

So true!


29 posted on 06/19/2012 1:24:09 AM PDT by cunning_fish
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To: SoldierDad

BTTT


30 posted on 06/19/2012 1:46:14 AM PDT by E.G.C.
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To: Steve Van Doorn
What I don’t get is why is the LAtimes on our side?

They've been on fast and furious, too.

I think they've seen the light at the end of the tunnel and realize it is a train.

31 posted on 06/19/2012 2:03:17 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing)
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To: FixitGuy

The Massacre at Béziers refers to the slaughter of the inhabitants during the sack of Béziers, an event that took place on July 22, 1209 and represented the first major military action of the Albigensian Crusade in Southern France. About twenty years later Caesarius of Heisterbach relates this story about the massacre,

“When they discovered, from the admissions of some of them, that there were Catholics mingled with the heretics they said to the abbot “Sir, what shall we do, for we cannot distinguish between the faithful and the heretics.” The abbot, like the others, was afraid that many, in fear of death, would pretend to be Catholics, and after their departure, would return to their heresy, and is said to have replied “Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius - Kill them all for the Lord knoweth them that are His” (2 Tim. ii. 19) and so countless number in that town were slain.”

While there remains doubt that the abbot said these words - also paraphrased as “Kill them all, God will know His own”, “Kill them all, God will sort his own”, or “Kill them all ,/and let God sort them out” — there is little if any doubt that these words captured the spirit of the assault.


32 posted on 06/19/2012 2:58:39 AM PDT by Portcall24
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To: SoldierDad

Prayers on the way for this soldier......


33 posted on 06/19/2012 3:24:15 AM PDT by Kathy in Alaska
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To: Sarajevo
"[Our] main mission is to protect the Afghan people, and ISAF realizes that incidents of this kind damage the confidence of both the Afghan people and the government in ISAF," Lt. Col. Jimmie E. Cummings Jr., a spokesman for the force in Afghanistan, said in a statement to The Times. "We try to prevent accidental or unintentional casualties through a variety of measures which call upon our forces to exercise restraint during operations."

"[Our] main mission is to protect the Afghan people..."

AS OPPOSED to protecting our Troops and minimizing OUR casualties, while eliminating (read: KILLING) the bad guys.

Pretty much sums it up as to why the INSANE and INANE ROE's are putting our Warriors at [unnecessary] risk (even greater than normal) and WHY they need to come home, NOW!!!

34 posted on 06/19/2012 4:03:26 AM PDT by Conservative Vermont Vet
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To: Sarajevo
From: Understanding the War in Aghanistan: The Surge

http://www.ndu.edu/press/understanding-Ch8.html

The United States decided to surge in Afghanistan to reinforce its commitment with military and civilian assets as well as more resources, but it took nearly a year to bring it to fruition. The foundation of the surge was laid by President George W. Bush in 2008, but the construction was completed under President Obama in 2009 and 2010. Studies on our strategy in Afghanistan began in the last year of the Bush administration. The most critical study of all was reportedly conducted under the auspices of the Bush NSC staff. There was a preliminary decision to recommend an increase in forces to President Bush, but it was delayed to give the new team a chance to study the situation and make its own recommendations. Early on, President Obama and his team conducted studies that incorporated the work of the previous administration. Bruce Reidel of RAND, a former CIA executive, supervised the efforts, which were facilitated by the continued presence on the NSC staff of Lieutenant General Doug Lute, USA, who managed the war for the previous administration and has remained an essential element of continuity in the U.S. Afghanistan policy.

President Obama's national security team examined three options. The first came from the field. General McChrystal recommended a beefed-up, population-centric counterinsurgency strategy. He identified two key threats: the vibrant insurgency and a "Crisis of Confidence" in the Karzai regime and the coalition.

Among his key recommendations were greater partnering, increasing the size of the Afghan National Security Forces, improving governance, and gaining the initiative from the Taliban.

MCCHRYSTAL ALSO RECOMMENDED FOCUSING RESOURCES ON THREATENED POPULATIONS, IMPROVING COUNTERNARCOTICS EFFORTS, CHANGING THE CULTURE OF ISAF TO MAKE IT MORE POPULATION FRIENDLY, AND ADAPTING RESTRICTIVE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT TO PROTECT THE POPULATION MORE EFFECTIVELY.

This last measure quickly showed positive results. ISAF-related civilian casualties were 40 percent of the total in 2008, 25 percent in 2009, and 20 percent to midyear 2010.6 His initial assessment did not include a request for a troop increase, but he later identified a favored option of 40,000 additional U.S. troops.

THANKS, McChrystal, you feckless, ASSHAT, MORON!!!

35 posted on 06/19/2012 4:15:52 AM PDT by Conservative Vermont Vet
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To: SoldierDad

Thanks again for your son’s service. Prayers up for Sgt. Taylor.


36 posted on 06/19/2012 4:20:12 AM PDT by BykrBayb (Somewhere, my flower is there. ~ Þ)
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To: SoldierDad
Both GW Bush & 0boz0 have allowed these politically correct witch hunt trials to proliferate against our military, in order to appease & pander to the muzzies. GW Bush reiterated again & again how Islam is a religion of peace & 0boz0 is a muzzie in every sense of the word. Both of these RAT bastards have allowed & encouraged these witch hunt trials to occur, simply by their silence & acquiescence. As CIC, they could overrule and cease & desist these persecutions against our soldiers who have to make life or death decisions to fire or not fire, in a split second.

These are atrocities being committed against our military, by the liberal, socialist, pro-islamic leaders & pres__ent of our country. God help our troops to survive the treachery & treason being committed against them by our own military & civilian leaders.

37 posted on 06/19/2012 8:12:15 AM PDT by rcrngroup
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To: Sarajevo

Thanks for that FB link. Prayers up for this man and his family.


38 posted on 06/19/2012 2:37:51 PM PDT by Bigg Red (Pray for our republic.)
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To: SoldierDad

Thank you for the ping. Prayers up for this brave patriot and his family.


39 posted on 06/19/2012 2:43:10 PM PDT by Bigg Red (Pray for our republic.)
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To: rcrngroup

What an obnoxious and stupid comment. You should be ashamed.


40 posted on 06/19/2012 2:44:48 PM PDT by Bigg Red (Pray for our republic.)
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