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Originally Posted by To Be Quite Honest
While I understand the sensitive nature this war has created, not the I could die here in the desert understand, but the need to want to protect the people. This includes soldiers. I am not pro middle east war, but I do understand the need to protect everyone. I do not agree with this idea however. While I can not relate to this war or the pressure the soldiers are under I do understand that after nearly a DECADE of occupation these invaders of my land continue to point their guns at me I'm eventually not going to care what they think. My point is these people are most likely sick and tired of being treated like second class citizens in their own country. Everyone has a breaking point. If the military decides to forgo the rules of engagement then they will be no better then the terrorists they are trying to find. These rules are here for a reason. It does not matter if you are a General or a new recruit. You signed a contract, you joined a hazard county, and hazard county still has it's rules. You are suggesting to embrace a "no freedom policy if your brown/middle Eastern" mentality. You will lose all backing that you need and create more backlash and more deaths.
My point and I really don't think I made a good job making it is - Rules are there to protect the innocent, or the civilians. These rules existed in Vietnam or the Korean War and everybody looked the same then! They can't just open up on a car or in-surge on civilian homes just because they believe the mean people they are after live in the building as well. IT HAS TO BE PLANNED. There has to be evidence.
It really sucks when our friends and family die but in the end they signed up for it. Rules and all.
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If you look at what the Canadians and the troops have done there to this point, assisting in building infrastructure, building schools, loaning out medic to civilian clinics. Canadian Troops also came up with the program where they're actively living and working in the villages to better protect the civilians.
Lets not make it sound like the Taliban members are some heroic force trying to drive out invaders, lets look at their conduct against Civilians, lets look at their willingness to create civilian casualties by exploding car bombs in the middle of public squares, throwing acid in girls faces for the crimes of getting an education.
The Taliban are monsters who want to re-enact a extreme form of oppressive government.
The thing is that nobody has ever accused the Taliban of being stupid. they know the rules of engagement and take advantage of it. they know that troops have to give multiple warnings to vehicles approaching.
Its time to change the rules of engagement. Its time to find a way to throw them off balance.
Thats why I mentioned sending in JTF2 to gather intelligence, and hunt down insurgent leaders.
Its time that more international pressure was put on Pakistan and especially their ISI who has been playing both sides of the war for years.
Its time to stop waiting for these creeps to plant their bombs and strap on their vests or load up their cars with explosives.
Your fighting an enemy that seems to be well lead, by a bunch of monstrous zealots, its time to treat them that way.
We have a limited time to make a difference over there, we have a limited time to push them back.
The troops need a more aggressive ROE.
If a vehicle approaches at high speed you give him one warning from a distance, if he doesn't turn back, if he speeds up then you don't shoot over his head, you shoot right for the windshield.
If you locate one of their bases, you send in the troops grab as many prisoners as you can and kill the rest.
According to one Seal member during Vietnam, the problem was that the enemy didn't fear them and didn't hear footsteps in the jungle, we're making the same damn mistake here.
We're way to defensive, we're letting the Taliban insurgents dictate the terms and declare the battlefield, that can't go on.