American and Allied lives are worth infinitely more than the lives of Afghani savages. Rules of engagement should never consider their lives over those of our troops. Every officer and NCO needs to be forced to read and re-read Kipling’s “Arithmetic on the Frontier” until they internalize it.
Either win or leave.
Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of US Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan Paperback – May 11, 2010
by Doug Stanton (Author)
When most people think of war, they think high technology warfare and big scenic battles. They envision gargantuan chopper helicopters, top of the line fighter jets, and cutting edge weapons. Horse Soldiers is yet another book about war, but it stands out from the rest. Horse Soldiers tells the story of a group of soldiers that came together when they were needed in combat in Afghanistan. After the attacks on 9/11, they were mobilized. They barely scrapped their equipment together, and were ready to go to war. What they didn’t know was that they would be carrying out their duties on horseback. Horse Soldiers steers away from the norm, examining a much more personal story of the group of soldiers, and how they went through the war on horses.
Horse Soldiers displays a story not for the audience that enjoys big scale epic battles, but rather the intimacy of the soldiers that go to war. It tells the story of a closely knit group of soldiers that were highly specialized and answered the call of duty when their country needed them the most. Horse Soldiers truly displays a unique look at modern warfare and the lives of the patriots that fight for their country. Horse Soldiers is a must read for all audiences, as it opens up new perspectives never seen before, and makes people appreciate those who fight for them.
They recommended we never put troops in Afghanistan
advice not taken
That was the prevailing consensus in the era of Kipling. There was no doubt in his time about the righteousness of British imperialism and the civilizing, beneficial effect it had wherever it went. That consensus no longer exists and therefore the ability to “win” is no longer possible. The West neither has the will, moral certainty or the disposition to do what is necessary to forcefully transform Islamic culture to make it compatible with modernity. If it is to transform ,it must come from within, or crumble into a violent backwater. Indeed it is far better to leave than to make ongoing fruitless sacrifices.