Crap....and they let them get away.

[Magravan]

Breaking the rules of engagement for the sake of taking out a nice target is not going to inspire trust in our troops, even if every one of those attendees was a die-hard killer who eats babies. And that is even assuming that they knew who each person was...

Do you really want to become the same as the enemy that you are helping the people of Afghanistan escape from? Do you think that they will support our forces with intelligence and aid if we show the same disregard for their persons, their beliefs and our own rules? We ask them to help us to rid themselves of the Taliban out of a moral high ground. A moral high ground that we have some claim to strictly because we are not willing to debase ourselves for the sake of an easy victory.

We consider the civilian cost before choosing a target. We consider the values of the country and its people. The moment that we don't, what right do we have to be there?

 

[Rice0031]

Do you really want to become the same as the enemy that you are helping the people of Afghanistan escape from? We ask them to help us to rid themselves of the Taliban out of a moral high ground. A moral high ground that we have some claim to strictly because we are not willing to debase ourselves for the sake of an easy victory.

We consider the values of the country and its people. The moment that we don't, what right do we have to be there?

+1

 

[Remius]

It really sucks, because we do seperate ourselves and our actions from theirs.  A burden that comes with being who we are and what we represent.  I applaud the decision not to fire on them because we actually hold firm on our values.  But it sucks to know that some of those nimrods will be responsible for sending some good men and women home in a casket. :rage:

I will admit though, there is a part of me that wouldn't have minded seeing that button pressed.... >

 

[The Bread Guy]

Own 2 cents - in addition to the "we can't stoop to their level" argument, how about optics?

If the bomb had been dropped, how many of them would have become "innocent civilians slain by NATO bombs" in the media?  How long would it have taken to have the bad guys get that out there?  All it would take is one bad guy to say it was civvies, and once that story line takes hold, I think it would be almost impossible to shake it off.

One step forward, three back...

 

[Franko]

Own 2 cents - in addition to the "we can't stoop to their level" argument, how about optics?

If the bomb had been dropped, how many of them would have become "innocent civilians slain by NATO bombs" in the media?  How long would it have taken to have the bad guys get that out there?  All it would take is one bad guy to say it was civvies, and once that story line takes hold, I think it would be almost impossible to shake it off.

One step forward, three back...

+1 Mil....

Geesh.....post a topic to get the grey matter going and it does!

Whoda thunk it?

Let's try this one on for size....purely hypothetical of course.     

All are identified as TB but not armed.

Thoughts?

Regards

 

[Rice0031]

They forgot this rule: rifle always within arms reach.
That's their problem, not mine.

But then you get back to the part where, oh yea, we have values that we are trying to uphold.
Interesting spin.

 

[17thRecceSgt]

+1 Mil....

Geesh.....post a topic to get the grey matter going and it does!

Whoda thunk it?

Let's try this one on for size....purely hypothetical of course.     

All are identified as TB but not armed.

Thoughts?

Regards

...and later claimed to be "surrending in mass" when they were brutally attacked by...

how many spins are there are this one?

 

[a_majoor]

The ideal solution would be to land an airmobile force at a choke point or points and gain control of all these people as they leave the funeral. You can process/interrogate these people to your heart's content, or if they come out shooting dump fast air and artillery on them.

Who knows, if you are there with the velvet glove (they already know you have the iron fist), you might be able to turn some or all of them, like that Taliban commander who defected to the Canadians a while ago after receiving medical attention.

We need to get away from single minded worship of "Kinetic Effects", and look for alternative ways to achieve our ends.

 

[TCBF]

It's a Course Photo - the photog is standing on the truck.  Let 'em have it.

 

[Franko]

It's a Course Photo - the photog is standing on the truck.  Let 'em have it.

:rofl:

Damn it....got tea all over my key board.

Regards

 

[Jarnhamar]

The Taliban seem great at trying to kill us then showing up at our bases with gunshot wounds seeking medical attention.

 

[karl28]

  Here's the picture of the target:



So what would you have done?

We really don't know whats in the photo  for all we know it could be a town meeting .  I think getting more information would be the best bet

 

[amberaston]

I found this to be very interesting. At first I thought bomb em, then I thought now wait until after the funeral then it is fair game etc.... then I came to the conclusion that I am glad these decisions are not left up to me.  Thank God it wasn't the usaf who made the final decision. :tsktsk:

 

[Infanteer]

Thank God it wasn't the usaf who made the final decision. :tsktsk:

You can check that at the door, thank you....

 

[Magravan]

Even if they were well known agents, striking at a funeral is going to upset the beliefs of the people we are there for. I imagine that if they were all Taliban operatives, there would be some blood on their hands before they died, but I can just imagine how much more would be on the hands of those who switched sides...

Liberators and Invaders are not far enough apart in the minds of some of the people there, and the less that we show respect and consideration for their belief system, the more that we risk appearing as the latter.

I say use the drone as survellience, get some intel, and go from there. If it were my call, I wouldn't authorize an attack under those circumstances.

 

[mudeater]

Since that's an American photo, it was probably a bunch of Canadians formed up for breakfast!

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Since that's an American photo, it was probably a bunch of Canadians formed up for breakfast!

That's crass, undignified and uncalled for, juvenile and petty........should I go on? You just became a blip on our radar, along with amberaston. To anyone else that's thinks it's funny, you can keep the cheap shots at our allies out of the forums. There's no place for them here. There's lots of anti American forums. I'm sure you'll be more than welcome there, cause you won't be missed here.

 

[Pte.Shrubb]

I would have waited for the go ahead from higher

 

[Magravan]

Presumably, the original poster's intent was to put you in the hot seat, required to make the decision. Opting out by letting someone else make the decision seems to defeat the purpose of the thread, doesn't it? I mean, obviously if you're not in the particular position to make the call, you would follow that line of thinking. But, I highly doubt that there are enough qualified individuals frequenting this forum to make it a thread worth posting (particularly given that it is the US forces) if that were the case.

 

[mudeater]

I apologize for my earlier post. It was meant in jest. I mean no disrespect to our U.S. Brothers in Arms.