How would American Soldiers be captured in the ‘triangle of death’ in Iraq?
It’s something to think about. We need to seriously think about it. It’s a microcosm of why the Battle of Iraq is not further along. It’s also a microcosm of the social revolution going on in our country right now.
Our military is far superior to any other in the world at this time. Yet, after all this time, they are still vulnerable in a country that has been the current battleground in the Global War on Terror for a few years now.
It is my belief that it is because the military has it’s hands tied by political wrangling.
When Marines are in SHACKLES and MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON because some Iraqi said they MIGHT have shot a guy who MAY OR MAY NOT have been a combatant, I would think it would cause a little pause on the part of our Soldiers.
When a UNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN will announce to the INTERNATIONAL PRESS that Marines killed innocents ‘in cold blood’, and those Marines are identified and put under public scrutiny and have to hire attorneys and their CHARACTER IS QUESTIONED IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE WORLD, I would think it would cause our Soldiers pause.
When the press hops on these stories and expresses more outrage at the white gloved, pampered treatment of PRISONERS OF WAR at Gitmo than at the treatment of OUR OWN SOLDIERS AND MARINES at the hands of our enemy AND at the hands of those who try to APPEASE OUR OWN MEDIA, I would think it would cause the Soldiers pause.
When the UNITED STATES MEDIA puts more value on some pampered spoiled celebrity who has contributed NOTHING to the world and whose only claim to fame is being born wealthy and running around exposing herself then they do to a true hero who wins a Navy Cross or Metal of Honor by showing a willingness to sacrifice his life to save others. It clearly sends the message that our society’s values are skewed. I would think it would cause our Soldiers pause.
When a Soldier or Marine has to HESITATE for fear he’ll be court marshaled or have his name and career ruined by being dragged through the nasty mud oozing from the MSM, he is endangered.
Under these rules of engagement every Marine that fought in World War II or Vietnam would have been tried for war crimes! That’s our fathers, people. The left really loves to insult our military men, but remember these military men/women are our fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, children. They are us. Whether you like it or not.
When we have not been able to CLEAR OUT ANY Triangles of Death throughout that country for fear of the way the MSM will spin it and demonize the military, it endangers all of our Soldiers. It should be so safe there a family could PICNIC in the ‘Triangle of Death’ - aside from any residual radiation that is.
Today, with Soldiers missing and Marines in prison for DOING THEIR JOBS, we have MSM still declaring a big conspiracy to harm PRISONERS OF WAR at Gitmo.
I say release the prisoners from Gitmo and give them housing next door to the editor of the New York Times and in Hollywood. Make sure they have their korans and their prayer rugs.
This is NO WAY TO FIGHT A WAR.
I say CARPET BOMB the ‘Triangle of Death’ and any other area that is known to harbor terrorists. Then when the insurgents start making accusations and complain that somebody got killed, reply by saying, ‘YEAH … AND…. there’s more where that came from, WUS’
Let loose the dogs of war and THIS battle will be over before we can blink our eyes. And the rest of the little muslims will get awfully cooperative.
We can easily beat the terrorists. But can we prevail over the enemy within our own borders? The propaganda machine that equates our military with their hatred for President Bush? The EXTREMELY WEALTHY, ‘INTELLECTUAL’ class that is willing to lose a war because they believe winning it validates a President they hate?
Cowards, seditionists and traitors. THEY are the enemy and they are getting our Soldiers killed.
~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Riehl World also says it’s time to quit playing nice.
Flopping Aces says:
I’m dreading a video that may come out soon produced and directed by the liberals freedom fighters as they kill our troops.
Iraq the Model takes a look at challenges faced so far by Operation Forward Together.
Republican National Convention Blog has a long list of videos
A Blog for All is posting this and has updates on other fronts of the War.
Also reporting: A Lady’s Ruminations, Assorted Babble, National Terror Alert Response Center, Paxalles
June 18th, 2006 at 10:26 pm
First, I want to preface my questions by saying that I am pretty new to your blog but can tell you put a lot of emotion and genuine concern for our troops in your posts. I don’t agree with everything you write, but I hope you will take my questions as being serious and not snarky rhetorical garbage, as I am trying to learn a little more about your position.
1) I agree that unsubstantiated accusations in the media (especially those that attach names or units to them) are at best unhelpful and at worst harmful to those in the field. But do you think that the Haiditha incident specifically is within the rules of engagement or do you have the general world view that “war is hell” and since we are fighting an enemy without uniforms anything goes? Simply put, in your opinion is there any plausible scenario in which American soldiers COULD commit a “war crime” in Iraq?
2) I’m starting with the premise that we are in a war against islamofascism (you have to call a spade a spade). Also, since you are suggesting the tactic, I assume you think it is legitimate for us to “CARPET BOMB the ‘Triangle of Death’ and any other area that is known to harbor terrorists” as a means of making “the rest of the little muslims … awfully cooperative.” Thus, would you accept it as being equally legitimate for the other side to engage in acts targeting both civilian and military targets with the intent of making us “awfully cooperative”? If not, what is the distinction?
3) I agree that history will have a much more generous view of Bush as Commander in Chief. But shouldn’t he be more willing to do what is right/necessary to win rather than worrying about what the press might write or say? After all, the people who actually initiate court-marshals work for him and not the Left.
Thanks for all you do to support the troops and for sharing your thoughts.
June 18th, 2006 at 10:26 pm
While carpet bombing cities may not be necessary, then again it might be. The point is that what needs to be done MUST be done, without the constant efforts to undermine the effort by the communists, jihadists, radical relativists in OUR country, and the help of their mind-numb moonbat zombies that follow what Keith Olbermann says or Al Franken says, etc., like they’re gods.
Technology has changed the nature of warfare but just as much how democracies experience warfare. That is a simple fact. Add to this the shrill public voice of radicals and perverts, the morally polluted state of academia, media and Hollywood, and you have a nation facing a cross-roads: not in Iraq, but at home.
What we need is quite simply the establishment of SEDITION laws. Lincoln, Wilson, FDR (all “progressive” heroes) ARRESTED critics of the war.
It’s that simple.
D. Ox
http://thomistic.blogspot.com
June 18th, 2006 at 11:17 pm
I agree Fred and Ox. We need to fight and quit the pussy-footing around. Ox, a quote I’ve often quoted of Lincoln’s is about what should be done with Congressmen who undermine a war effort. He advocated exile or hanging….
David, I’ll take you at your word that you aren’t being snarky, so I’ll do what I can to respond to your questions. I can only respond from my own perspective with the understanding that I, by no means, have all the answers.
But do you think that the Haiditha incident specifically is within the rules of engagement or do you have the general world view that “war is hell†and since we are fighting an enemy without uniforms anything goes? Simply put, in your opinion is there any plausible scenario in which American soldiers COULD commit a “war crime†in Iraq?
I don’t know what happened in Haditha - neither do you and neither do the congressmen who were briefed. They were apparently given a briefing on the initial concerns about the incident because there had not been an investigation at that point. It was and is irresponsible for anyone, particularly a congressman who should have his country’s interest at heart, to make allegations public to an international audience that were/are unsubstantiated. He SHOULD have known that it would create a firestorm of media attention, speculation and fodder for anti-military and anti-American rhetoric.
I can’t answer whether the incident falls within the military code for rules of engagement or not. I don’t know. I’m not an expert in military law. I also, as I said, don’t know what happened.
What I do know, is that those Soldiers have been tried and convicted in many people’s minds because of the press it has gotten. People know the WORD Haditha and relate it to Mei-Lai (sp?) - so regardles of the outcome of the investigation - there is a probability they will have personal repercusions from it.
And yeah, war is hell.
War crimes? Of course it’s possible. But in my own mind, I have a hard time defining something as a ‘war crime’ when it’s in response to an attack.
The military is a microcosm of society. There are psychos in the military just like anywhere else. They are, however, very well disciplined and since it’s an all volunteer Army, it seems less likely for someone to go off the deep end, but that’s just speculation.
2. Yes, it’s a legitimate way to get control of an area - we’ve done it in every other war we’ve ever fought and it’s part of warfare. If they were fighting in my town, I’d expect danger. You have to get their attention and they have to know you will do what you have to do to win.
The distinction between that and the attacks the islamofascists attacks on our civilians is that their attacks are not provoked. We don’t intentional target civilians. In fact, we go so far out of our way to avoid civilian casualties that it creates further danger for our Soldiers and other civilians (ie: the market attacks in Baghdad could be better controlled except we are so reluctant to absorb any bad press).
3. You are right. I do think that for the most part he leads as his conscience dictates. I don’t always agree with him, but he doesn’t seem overly driven by the polls. However, I do think the pentagon would be fighting this war more agressively if left to their own, but someone is holding them back. I put that at George’s feet. I do agree, he should be more agressive in this war. He should NEVER have appologized for saying ‘Bring it on’ for instance.
But he does a lot of things right and I don’t see any viable options at the moment. He does get a bad rap in the press AND has had an uphill battle since he’s been in office.
June 19th, 2006 at 9:05 am
You said it perfectly.
June 19th, 2006 at 9:55 am
Breaking News: Al-Qaeda Claims they have our Soldiers…
Those bastards claim they have our soldiers. Please excuse my language, but that is putting it nicely of what I really think of these evil killers and this infuriates me. We must pray for these soldier ……
June 19th, 2006 at 10:38 am
Thank you Beth, excellent post!
I reposted it with TP to you!
Pet
June 19th, 2006 at 11:09 am
Mujahedeen Shura Council Claims To Have Kidnapped GI’s ……
So, an Al Quada connected group has claimed responsibility for kidnapping the GI’s in Iraq. At a checkpoint.
…
June 19th, 2006 at 2:48 pm
The mere thought of our soldiers in harms way makes me ill…How can anyone living in America not feel compassion for our military?..Its beyond my ability to comprehend.
June 19th, 2006 at 4:45 pm
I have heard it said that one cannot be taken advantage of unless that person allows it. As long as we let apathy rule, special interest groups are going to elect the do-nothing, arrogant and corrupt politicians that make a politically correct war possible and unwinable.
War is hell and once the decision is made to go to war, uncontested victory must be the only goal. Look at the cease-fire solution in North Korea! That really worked didn’t it? Look at Vietnam! What a waste! And here we are going down that same road again.
We have no one but ourselves to blame folks. Vote, get off your butt and make a difference. If not, keep quiet and start thinking about buying your prayer rug and burka at Bloomingdales!
June 19th, 2006 at 8:14 pm
I really appreciate you taking the time to respond, Beth. You are right that none of us have all the answers, but I think it is discussion that gets us a step closer. Thanks for clarifying about Haiditha - now that I see your concern, I definitely agree.
With regard to the second question, you said the difference is not so much the object of the action (”it’s part of warfare”), but rather that their attacks “are not provoked”. With that distinction have we not opened the door to legitimize future terrroist attacks committed by Sunni against Shi’a (or for that matter Iraqis against Americans)? I’m not ready to go so far as to say that the war in Iraq was entirely unprovoked (in the sense that it was preventive), but it seems to be a clear provocation at least to the Ba’athists and others thrown out of power by the CPA. Any thoughts are much appreciated.