PC War in Afghanistan (Comments)

[Dallas]

Soldiers from the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division turn their backs so that Afghan women and children may pass as they conduct a sweep of homes Thursday, Nov. 7, 2002 in southeastern Afghanistan (news - web sites). U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan have been instructed to respect local Afghan customs, which forbid women to be seen by men outside their family. When searching Afghan homes U.S. soldiers take care to avoid contact with Afghan females, segregating them in one room to be searched by American female soldiers. (APPhoto/Scott Nelson, Pool)

A female soldier from the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division searches an Afghan child during a sweep of homes Thursday Nov. 7, 2002 in southeastern Afghanistan (news - web sites). Soldiers discovered over a dozen mines and grenades, 14 rocket propelled grenades, and plastic explosives as they searched several compounds as part of Operation Alamo Sweep. (AP Photo/Scott Nelson, Pool)

Afghan translators working with the U.S. military take time out during a sweep of homes in southeastern Afghanistan (news - web sites) to pray as part of Ramadan Thursday Nov. 7, 2002 in Afganistan. In addition to allocating prayer time for the translators, soldiers also were instructed to take care not to eat their prepackaged army food rations in front of Afghans who were fasting in observance of the holy Muslim month. (AP Photo/Scott Nelson, Pool)

Soldiers from the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division examine weapons discovered during a sweep of homes Thursday Nov. 7, 2002 in southeastern Afghanistan (news - web sites). Soldiers discovered over a dozen mines and grenades, 14 rocket propelled grenades, and plastic explosives as they searched several compounds as part of Operation Alamo Sweep. (AP Photo/Scott Nelson, Pool)

Soldiers from the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division search homes Thursday, Nov. 7, 2002 in southeastern Afghanistan (news - web sites). Soldiers discovered over a dozen mines and grenades, 14 rocket propelled grenades, and plastic explosives as they searched several compounds as part of Operation Alamo Sweep. (AP Photo/Scott Nelson, Pool)

An Afghan woman turns away as soldiers from the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division conduct a sweep of her home Thursday, Nov. 7, 2002 in southeastern Afghanistan (news - web sites). Soldiers discovered over a dozen mines and grenades, 14 rocket propelled grenades, and plastic explosives as they searched several compounds as part of Operation Alamo Sweep. (AP Photo/Scott Nelson, Pool)

[Dallas]

Provided the Tukish military doesn't relax it's previous policy.....

[Dallas]

Not all the troops had to turn their backs. I'm sure the female troops were watching the female "indigs" like eagles.

You're assuming there are no armed Taliban inside the huts. I don't think we have the choice to do it any other way, but the risks........geeze

[Dallas]

You can't really advance a coherent argument that this behavior degrades the mission -- in fact, there's plenty of evidence that it enhances it.

Would you care to expand on that ? Or perhaps comment on the fact that U.S. special forces were used to help build Mosques in Indonesia. Are they our friends now, too ?

I think you're mostly just annoyed that US soldiers are respecting Muslim mores.

If you'll read further up, I said I had no problem with respecting Ramadan observances/prayer/etc, but I take issue with these search procedures.

[Jarhead_22]

Come now. At some point you have to trust that no American officer or NCO is going to "respect local sensibilities" to the point that they violate common sense and get someone killed.

Remember the USS Cole, where the sailors on watch were not allowed to aim in with deck guns on approaching fast boats? Remember the Marine Barracks, Beirut and the ROE that wouldn't allow the guy on the gate to insert a magazine in his rifle?

Respecting local sensibilities is key in winning hearts and minds, but bringing your squad back to the hooch in one piece at the end of the mission should be ahead of that in the list of "Things to do today." How many hearts and minds are you going to win in a village where they're hiding mortar shells, RPGs and plastic explosives, anyway?

[silmaril]

You might consider that someone is watching the soldiers' backs since you're looking at a photo of the scene.

And yeah, Christian Science Monitor ran a story a few weeks back on how SF personnel were getting way more info and killing lots more terrorists when our non-SF personnel were behaving with a measure of respect toward the locals....who often know where the terrorists are.

[Dallas]

It's only natural that some Afghans are responding to respect/kindness, and are willing to cooperate. That's just human nature...

But if you think we're earning their loyalty, that's just nuts.

[psychoknk]

I am absolutely positive that the soldiers are entirely sure that they won't get attacked when they turn their backs. They most definetely did not just turn their backs with the possibility of them being taken by surprise. You can surmise and conjecture as long as you want, but there is no way that the soldiers are stupid enough to put themselves in such a situation. And if you think they are, then I suggest finding a country with a competant military.

[Dallas]

And if you think they are, then I suggest finding a country with a competant military.

WTF, is that supposed to mean ?

[silmaril]

Loyalty is nice, but cooperation is what matters.

[Dallas]

Loyalty is nice, but cooperation is what matters.

We've come full circle,....but not at the risk/expense of American lives.

[LadyDoc]

Little things make people mad...

Eating in front of people fasting is politeness, not political correctness.

And having GI Jane search for hidden stuff among shy women is a good thing... it doesn't upset people who still protect their women against barbarians, and it also upsets the barbarians, to see our strong women being equal and as tough as our men...