[george wythe]

This American platoon commander seems to remember this:

"However strong your armies may be, you will always need the favour of the inhabitants to take possession of a province."

Niccoló Machiavelli

[TIGHTEN]

I heard that Al-Sleazerra was reporting that the Shiite's Fatwa was a load of bunk; that he hadn't asked for cooperation with coalition forces. Anyone else hear this or have additional info?

[Bigg Red]

...despite any hatred Najaf's people may harbour for Saddam, they seem resolutely opposed to having "infidel" soldiers violating the holy ground.

But it was okay for Saddam's guys to be shooting at our guys from within the mosque?

[pabianice]

"Everybody smile!" shouted the platoon commander as he told his baffled men to kneel down and point their weapons at the ground, in a surreal act of submission.

Too much sensitivity training crap. This man just reached the end of his career path. American servicemen in uniform are expressly forbidden to bow or kneel.

[Mike Darancette]

Now it will not be Americans that Desecrate a Moslem Holy Place.

[Mister Magoo]

Here's how to win their hearts and minds. Force the Fedayeen Saddam to battle each other in death matches, with wagering on the outcomes.

[KriegerGeist]

This was a complete 180 degrees from what the Fedayeen did to them. I think this commander and his troops showing the Iraqis respect and for their holy shrine did more to cement our "goodwill" towards the Iraqi citizens than any food or water ever can. Too bad Al Jazeera won't show the Arabs of the world this side of us.

[swarthyguy]

Saw this on a couple of networks.

Have to commend the commanding officer. Smart cookie and excellent intelligent tactic of defusing the anger of the locals. Brilliant, I'd say. Looks like the US army is picking up some of the non violent techniques to really achieve victory.

[omega4412]

But when we control Iraq, we will need to search every mosque (school, hospital...) in the country for weapons.

[hardhead]

Bowing down before false gods.

[m1911]

I think it was brilliant. When I saw it yesterday I was amazed at the self control the soldiers had. One of the guys was holding his rifle upside down, by the barrel, while someone screamed at him in a foreign language and wagged his finger in the GI's face.

Respect was the way to go here.

[thtr]

Bravery all around – Brave for the crowd to assemble around their mosque and brave for the soldiers to point their weapons down.

[Zathras]

This is bogus.
"Infidels" have been visiting the Citadel in Cairo and the Dome of the Rock in Israel for years.
All they ask is for everyone to remove their shoes and to be quiet and respectful.

[philetus]

Earlier this week there was a story.
Soldier said he went into a house to search it and the family was terrified.
Said he knelt and offered a little girl some gum and the family immediatly became friendly. The father went ahead of the soldiers and told the other famlies there was nothing to be afraid of.

The town people opposed to the troops going into their mosque didn't want it destroyed.

Saddams goons were in it because the people KNEW they would be killed if they tried to stop them.
The town people would never try to stop the goons like they did our troops.

[Blood of Tyrants]

The last sentence of the article: "Minefields that had been cleared were found to be planted with new mines yesterday."

Sounds like a job for a few well concealed snipers with night vision scopes.

[Allan]

Did you see the footage of this on TV?

It was awesome.

[Allan]

ping

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

I was ever so proud for the dicipline and control of our troops in that situation. It could have been a disaster, the officer was great.

[WaterDragon]

The officer made the decision he thought best, and it probably was the best one. But our military cannot make a habit of this sort of gesture. If we have learned nothing else we know that yielding to displays of Muslim intimidation incites them to violence against us. We are winning the war in Iraq. We have to be careful the peace does not undo the fear and respect we've earned with the blood of Americans. Machiavelli said it is better to be feared than to be loved. That is still true.

[k2blader]

I hope they are just as resolutely opposed to having Fedayeen soldiers violating the holy ground.