Preventing civilian casualties is killing more and more coalition troops. When will the strategy change? Apparently the U.S. government's psychological operations procedures of dropping leaflets suggesting the Iraqi military surrender on sight, and the American government's desire to sustain unprecendentedly miniscule numbers of civilian deaths is not what I would call a success.
I am deeply angered at the evil nature in which the Iraqi military, and those who are being controlled by their violent regime, are luring our coalition forces into ambushes and targeted areas under the guise of surrender. War, like all things that separates us from animals, has rules. And Goddamit I want those "Rules of Engagement" to be adhered to, or we should just throw the rules out and bomb the hell out of Iraq until nothing moves or breathes.
Does that sound cruel? Does that sound inhumane? Sorry, but my patience has worn thin with the haphazard ways in which the brave representatives of this country are being slaughtered, when every possible effort has been made to prevent killing or hurting a sand flea.
I imagine the far left who read this - or even your average moderate person - might counter me with a "well we are invading their country unwelcomed and without the blessing of much of the world, the onus to prevent civilian casualty is on us."
Understood - but at some point we must wake up and realize we are prolonging the inevitable with this inch-by-inch measure, and I just die a little more inside when I see headlines like these: "Coalition forces fought against soldiers wearing civilian clothes and using guerrilla tactics at the key Iraqi port of Umm Qasr." Bullshit I say.
Isn't it clear to the world by now, that the U.S. represents a different mindset than much of the uncivilized world? Regardless of what the critics say, ours is a country that by and large wishes to conduct itself with a certain set of standards for which we would wish the rest of the world to live by. Hardly a difficult measure, unless of course you consider integrity, compassion and a desire for freedom of all peoples to be difficult to acheive.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
I completely empathize with your frustration at different rules for different players - it isn't fair and is costing lives. The only consolation is that we follow the rules for our own sake, to live up to our own ideals.