In the Afghanistan war new rules of engagement are killing U.S. Troops22
By Jim Campbell
New rules of engagement in Afghanistan that are designed to better protect civilians will endanger U.S soldiers, and NATO Allies.
In concert with Afghans and NATO allies, American soldiers last month waged an aggressive fight against Taliban insurgents in the town of Marjah.
CASUALTIES AND DEATHS AMONG U.S. AND ALLIED TROOPS
HAVE DOUBLED SINCE NEW RULES OF ENGAGEMENT.
Military families back home want to know: Are troops walking into hell with one hand tied behind their backs? Are civilian lives being spared in exchange for military lives?
The answers to both questions are an emphatic yes.
US military commanders revised the rules of engagement and limited some kinds of tactical warfare, such as night operations and raids – in an effort to better protect Afghan civilians. Good public relations, the thinking goes, may matter more than good missile strikes.
If President Obama is to fire Gen. Stanley McChrystal the situation can become even more tenuous on the ground. He did not violate his oath to defend the Constitution, apparently sent the President a smoke signal that all was not right in the sand. Who knows more about the situation in Afghanistan than Gen. McChrystal?
Reacting partially to his inability to sell his troops on the new rules of engagement, Gen. McChrystal, always a straight shooter and one to go on combat operations with his troops made the following remarks that appeared in Rolling Stone:
The profile, headlined The Runaway General, emerged from several weeks of interviews and travel with McChrystal’s tight circle of aides. Understand the vast majority of the remarks are quotes from Gen. McChrystal’s staff.
Some of the strongest criticism was reserved for Holbrooke, Obama’s special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“The boss says he’s like a wounded animal,” a member of the general’s team is quoted as saying. “Holbrooke keeps hearing rumors that he’s going to get fired, so that makes him dangerous.”
During a trip to Paris, McChrystal could not hide his contempt when he received a message from Holbrooke on his smart-phone. “Oh not another email from Holbrooke. I don’t even want to open it,” Rolling Stone quoted him as saying.
Describing Obama’s first White House meeting as a photo-op, one aide told the magazine: “Obama clearly didn’t know anything about him, who he was. Here’s the guy who’s going to run his war, but he didn’t seem very engaged. The boss was pretty disappointed.”
McChrystal aides were pessimistic about the outcome of the conflict. Major General Bill Mayville, his chief of operations, is quoted as saying: “It’s not going to look like a win, smell like a win or taste like a win. This is going to end in an argument.”
The article includes quotes from administration figures that are said to support McChrystal, including the defense secretary, Robert Gates, and the secretary of state, Hillary Clinton.
But the vice-president, Joe Biden, heads a list of those against him. The article quotes members of McChrystal’s team making jokes about Biden. “Biden? Did you say: Bite me?” an aide said.
Another McChrystal aide reportedly called the White House national security adviser, Jim Jones, a clown who was “stuck in 1985.”
The article claims McChrystal has seized control of the war “by never taking his eye off the real enemy: the wimps in the White House”.
Biden initially opposed McChrystal’s proposal for additional forces last year, favoring a narrower counterterrorism strategy.
A leaked internal document revealed that Eikenberry shared those doubts about the extra troops, saying Karzai was not a reliable partner for the counterinsurgency strategy. President Karzai has been personally rebuked by President Obama for the rampant corruption in his administration.
In the Rolling Stone article, McChrystal accused Eikenberry of blaming others.
“Here’s one that covers his flank for the history books,” McChrystal told the magazine. “Now, if we fail, they can say ‘I told you so’.”
From the front lines, soldiers report that they aren’t shooting anyone who can’t clearly be identified as a combatant. Jets race low across the horizon but are not dropping bombs – a show of ready force rather than of needless destruction.
When civilians were caught up in a rocket attack on the Taliban last month, the US conducted an investigation and quickly offered an apology for the unintended losses.
In Badula Qulp, a village just north of Marjah, US military officials offered compensation for the death of the local mullah’s son and pledged to rebuild a mosque destroyed by a helicopter-fired missile.
Since then, civilian deaths caused by international forces in Afghanistan have fallen by nearly 30 percent. Protecting the population isn’t political correctness; it’s a vital military objective and a distinct advantage over an enemy that uses civilians as shields. The drop in civilian casualties is a mark of success.
Allied troop casualties and fatalities have meanwhile have nearly doubled.Taking on the Taliban requires taking that risk. American and allied forces may be walking into hell. Are they given a strategy allowing them to fight effectively?
From the front lines, soldiers report that they aren’t shooting anyone who can’t clearly be identified as a combatant. Jets race low across the horizon but are not dropping bombs – a show of ready force rather than of needless destruction.
In Badula Qulp, a village just north of Marjah, US military officials offered compensation for the death of the local mullah’s son and pledged to rebuild a mosque destroyed by a helicopter-fired missile.
These policies are frustrating in the US and partner forces. Was it really Gen. Stanley McCrystal that came up with the, ‘Courageous Restraint’ Medal for Not Killing Civilians?’ Our troops are trained to exercise such restraint and would likely not be proud to wear such an award.
The only question remaining is, will a narcissist fire a warrior for telling the truth?
President Obama would be well advised to consider that he may not have a “Runaway General, ” but a runaway reporter that embellished his remarks. God Bless the members of our military from Orange County, CA for dealing with a horrible situation while having one hand tied behind their backs.
Random thoughts while observing an international charade, I’m J.C.
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