I pretty much guarantee that they understand that they need to do their job, but they do not "enjoy" doing it. Anyone who has been in combat will tell you the same. (All wannabes will tell you that they love combat - the hallmark statement of a neverbeenthere).
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Cue Queen: We are the champions.
Mr. Mercury: "...another one bites the dust, and another one gone and another one gone, another one bites the dust..."
5.56mm
Friendly fire - isn't.
Recoilless rifles - aren't. .
Suppressive fires - won't..
You are not Superman; Marines and fighter pilots take note..
A sucking chest wound is Nature's way of telling you to slow down. .
If it's stupid but it works, it isn't stupid..
Try to look unimportant; the enemy may be low on ammo and not want to waste a bullet on you. .
If at first you don't succeed, call in an air strike. .
If you are forward of your position, your artillery will fall short. .
Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than yourself..
Never go to bed with anyone crazier than yourself. .
Never forget that your weapon was made by the lowest bidder. .
If your attack is going really well, it's an ambush. .
The enemy diversion you're ignoring is their main attack. .
The enemy invariably attacks on two occasions: when they're ready.. when you're not.
The easy way is always mined.
Teamwork is essential; it gives the enemy other people to shoot at.
Don't look conspicuous; it draws fire. For this reason, it is not at all uncommon for aircraft carriers to be known as bomb magnets.
Never draw fire; it irritates everyone around you.
If you are short of everything but the enemy, you are in the combat zone.
When you have secured the area, make sure the enemy knows it too.
Incoming fire has the right of way.
No combat ready unit has ever passed inspection.
No inspection ready unit has ever passed combat.
If the enemy is within range, so are you.
The only thing more accurate than incoming enemy fire is incoming friendly fire.
Things which must be shipped together as a set, aren't.
Things that must work together, can't be carried to the field that way.
Radios will fail as soon as you need fire support.
Radar tends to fail at night and in bad weather, and especially during both.)
Anything you do can get you killed, including nothing.
Make it too tough for the enemy to get in, and you won't be able to get out.
Tracers work both ways.
If you take more than your fair share of objectives, you will get more than your fair share of objectives to take.
When both sides are convinced they're about to lose, they're both right.
Professional soldiers are predictable; the world is full of dangerous amateurs.
Military Intelligence is a contradiction. Fortify your front; you'll get your rear shot up.
Weather ain't neutral.
If you can't remember, the Claymore is pointed toward you.
The Cavalry doesn't always come to the rescue.
Napalm is an area support weapon.
Mines are equal opportunity weapons.
B-52s are the ultimate close support weapon.
Sniper's motto: reach out and touch someone.
The one item you need is always in short supply.
Interchangeable parts aren't.
It's not the one with your name on it; it's the one addressed "to whom it may concern" you've got to think about.
When in doubt, empty your magazine.
Which explains why they feel compelled to commit suicide bombings (not that I am in any way condoning such an action). They have no chance in the military arena, so out of desperation, they resort to these sort of inhumane tactics.
Tuor
However, one must remember that barbarians brought down the Roman empire and that Ghengis Kahn conquered half of Europe, Russia and most of Asia above India, that the Russian Red Army beat the Germans at Stalingrad and Leningrad, and that Napoleon was defeated in Russia, while the Biritsh and the Russians were beaten by the Afghans. Last but not least, let's not forget Vietnam.
It is one thing to recognize your enemy's weakness and there is an altogether different thing to minimize his potential. The Arabs have potential. One out of every five Israeli citizens. They are Israeli-born citizens of Israel and their numbers are growing much faster than the Israeli numbers are. Look at Kosovo: in 1968, 67% of the poulation was ehtnic Albanian; twenty years later it was close to 90%. Why? The Albaninas have the highest natality rate in Europe.
Superior technology and civilization can control the situation for a while, but winning in this case would take a lot more. We left Somalia because it wasn't worth losing out soliders in that place for a dubious cause. Sure, many more Vietnamese died than Americans, and sure many more Mogadishans died, but for a civilized world where life is valued a lot more, each and every death is a terrible blow. It took just one "barbarian" as you call them to kill 250 Marines in Beirut. It took a dozen terrorist to kill nearly 3,000 people in the pentagon anf WTC attacks.
There is no place for jingoism here, and certainly never ever underestimate your enemy no matter how stupid, inept or untrained he may appear.