Posted on 08/20/2006 6:22:39 AM PDT by kellynla
We call it "the war in Iraq." But to many of the Marines here, it's not really a war – at least not on their side.
"They are fighting a war," a Marine from 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment tells me – "they" meaning the insurgents lurking "outside the wire" of a Marine forward operating base in the Euphrates River town of Barwanah, in western Al Anbar province.
"But us?" the Marine goes on. "We aren't fighting a war. We're just doing a police action."
The young Marine is right. While the insurgents here and throughout Iraq battle American Marines and soldiers with deadly weapons of warfare – IEDs ("improvised explosive devices," or roadside bombs), sniper attacks, mortars, two of which exploded near this forward operating base just the day before – the Marines have to respond under "rules of engagement," or "ROEs," that would be familiar to any cop in America.
Are the Marines catching sniper rounds from a cluster of buildings in the city? In a conventional war, that would be reason enough to light up the buildings with suppressive fire.
But under the Iraq ROEs, unless the Marines get "P.I.D." or "positive identification" – eyes on a guy with a rifle, or a muzzle flash, something very localized and specific – they can't fire back.
Do the Marines see four young males fleeing the scene of an IED attack? The Marines can try to chase them down in vehicles or on foot – this while the Marines are carrying 60 or 70 pounds of equipment on their backs – but they can't even fire warning shots from their M-16s, much less lethal ones, to try to make them stop.
(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
At which point the US should admit it lost again and bug out or be prepared to occupy Mesopotania for a century.
The problem at this stage is total, flat out war on whom? Theoretically we won the war and have our allies setting up a friendly, democratic government. At this point we can't go around flattening their electorate.
Newsflash, you are not going to get the insurgent central command to agree to unconditional surrender.
Not with PC bullsh*t.
As far as the "panties on the head" torture...
It would be better to do it like this--
Tell the captured insurgent, "We have two sets of panties to put on your head."
"If you cooperate, Heidi Klum."
"If not...."
"Janet Reno!"
Cheers!
Lawyers and politicians will lose a war every time. You don't call a garbage collector to rewire your house either. Vietnam all over again, meaning the liberals are having their way in running the war to ensure our loss.
In a rational world, the US would declare Iran a combatant enemy power if they provide material support to the insurgents and then cross the frontier. This would end the insurgency in Iraq. As well as Hezbollah, and Syria's current regime.
The reason this hasn't happened is that the Iranians have a very powerful capable ally in the US called the American Democrat party and the likes of Joe Wilson, the New York Times and such who have harassed and lied about the war, its aims and its progress continuously since Baghdad fell.
It is astounding that our politicians NEVER learn that they should not interfere when they commit troops to a combat zone. This sounds for all the world like the same ridiculous ROE that we were forced to endure in Beirut in 1983! The Reagan Administration was so afraid of appearing like warmongerers to the rest of the world that they imposed the "Peacekeeper" role to the most absurd extreme. No one could be engaged unless they were in the open act of engaging you first and then your response could not outweigh their method, if they were hitting you with small arms you could only respond with small arms, and that response first had to be DOD approved!
If they are going to tie the hands of this generation too then they need to start the withdrawel now because when you get targeted enough and don't respond the insurgency is only emboldened and their provocations will only escalate. I hate to see the Bush administration caving to world opinion when it comes to our folks in a combat zone. If they aren't allowed to do their jobs, let alone protect themselves then it is time to leave.
Semper Fidelis
I wholeheartedly agree. We are good at killing people and breaking things. we cannot build nations. If a nation needs taking down we should do it as forcefully as is required to complete the job quickly and get out. Let that nation re-build itself and if it is non-threatening to other nations, fine. but if it threatens other countries and becomes a danger to us, take it down again. Eventually, that nation will become non-threatening, i think.
Bad press should simply be ignored or countered with well-founded blistering attacks on the accuracy and loyalty of the media.
Instead, we weaken our troops and are slowly but inevitably allowing the press-arm of the Islamofascists to define the battlefield in terms that will force us to lose.
Pathetic.
I was born at Parris Island during "Big Al, the tankes pal" CMC years. To be technically correct, Gen PX Kelley was CMC whle I was at boot camp, but Gen Al took over the following year. Immediate differance with us going to the field, training training training instead of "tank inspections, inventory" etc...
"If the dumb (and increasingly corrupt) "Washington" Marine Corps finally triumphs over the smart, Warfighting Marine Corps, in the end both will disappear. And that will be a shame, because the smart Marine Corps, Al Gray’s Marine Corps, really had something going. It was on its way to becoming the first American Third Generation armed service."
Truer words were never spoken.....We need Al Gray back in the driver seat, he would correct these politico-generals!
Semper Fidelis
I dearly hope and pray that the United States will never again cut and run FRom any field of combat.
A reasonable person would think that after so many cut and run debacles since WW II, we would have learned our lesson.
At some point, we are going to have to draw a line in the sand and make a stand. Now is a good a time as any, and Iraq and Afganistan and the Worldwide War on Terror are damn fine places to start!
Western Civilization's collective motto in regard to the War against IslamoFacism should be, nay, BETTER BE! MUST BE! "Whatever it takes!"
The United States and its Western Civilization allies are in a war to the death. I shudder to think what would happen if the IslamoFacists prevail.
God help us if the Chair Warmers and REMFs have their way, and continue to undermine the way our military men and women are "allowed" to make war.
We are going to kill "insurgent central command!"
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