Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
It may have been sheer luck, or divine intervention. Certainly, it couldn't have been intentional, but it seemed that the very best commanders I had the pleasure of serving with during my time on active duty were usually found in forward operating theatres. The closer I got to the pointy end of America's military spear, the more competent the commanders became.
Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, is home to the Wolfpack, the 8th Fighter Wing, whose commanders include the legendary Robin Olds. The wing commander when I was there was tough as nails. When his staff surprised him with a birthday cake, he volunteered to cut the cake by retrieving a ka-bar knife from his combat boot, cutting a couple of slices, and then sticking the knife into the conference table before sitting down to enjoy his cake, leaving everyone else staring at the knife as if they had just witnessed the planting of Excalibur.
When I applied for a few weeks of leave to fly back to the US for the holidays, the colonel looked irritated. "You mean you don't want to be here if Kim Jong-Il comes to visit?" I promised I would be on the first plane back in that eventuality. "Good," said the boss. "I might save a piece of him for you." The colonel was in outstanding condition physically, running laps around the airfield regularly. Mentally, he was sharp as a razor and ready for war at any time.
I've been retired for about 6 years now, so I'm out of circulation, as it were. But I have to ask, how would warriors of the caliber as that colonel fare in today's force? Today's news brings word of increasing frustration with the rules of engagement our warriors must operate under in Afghanistan.
"If they use rockets to hit the (forward operating base), we can't shoot back because they were within 500 meters of the village," said Spc. Charles Brooks, adding that, "If they shoot at us and drop their weapon in the process, we can't shoot back." Brooks also explained that troops at his base have had to take down the camp's watch towers, since they offend local sensibilities. "Now the Taliban can set up mortars and we can't see them," said Brooks.
For his part, Spc. Matthew Fuhrken, doesn't believe his chain of command is paying attention to the reality in the dirt. "I'm sick of people trying to cover up what's really going on over here. They won't let us do our job....[W]ar is war, and this is no war. I don't know what this is." Well, I have a term for it, but our code of conduct forbids its usage.
As word of possible negotiations with the Taliban reaches the troops, morale sinks further still. Pvt. Jeffrey Ward sums up the sentiment thus: "If we walk away, cut a deal with the Taliban, desert the people who needed us most, then this war was pointless."
Vietnam vets, does this sentiment strike a familiar chord? Ricochet readers and contributors, these are your troops talking. They are stationed in hell, on your behalf, and they are being forced to fight with their hands tied. Their laments belong in our thoughts as the election approaches. Much hangs in the balance in November, not least of which the proposition that our troops deserve a chain of command that is worthy of their valor and sacrifice.
- Comment (46)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (3)
Comments :
Jul '10
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
November won't change the chain of command. Petraeus and his foolish counter-insurgency strategy are a disgrace.
Bring them home. Leave the Afghans who are "offended" by watchtowers to their own miserable devices.
Sep '10
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
I worry about that too. The only way to fix it is to fire everyone in the Executive branch, which can't be done for two more years, which might be too late. I've heard a lot of Vietnam vets say, 'We were winning when I left.' And OBTW, I was trained as a naval aviator and we were required by custom to give a full ration of crap to Air Force pukes. But not Robin Olds, or Bud Mahurin-- and some others.
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
Craig, Kenneth, to what extent do you think that congressional oversight in Republican hands can have any influence over the current strategy, or lack thereof?
Jul '10
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
Zero. They have only the power of the purse and they're not gonna cut off funding.
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
When we left Vietnam, the North Vietnamese didn't follow us home. I have the feeling that things will be much worse this time. Our leadership may have lost the stomach for fighting, but the enemy hasn't.
Aug '10
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
These commands come from the Commander in Chief , his qualifications include ....... His aspirations for our military are ........
Sep '10
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
Kenneth
Zero. They have only the power of the purse and they're not gonna cut off funding. · Oct 19 at 7:04pm
I won't say zero, but close. As Kenneth says they'll have the power of the purse, but that's not particularly helpful in this case. They can work the margins, but I think General Petraeus' moral authority and above the political fray stature is our troops best bet.
Jul '10
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
Seal the borders.
Jul '10
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
Craig McLaughlin
Kenneth
Zero. They have only the power of the purse and they're not gonna cut off funding. · Oct 19 at 7:04pm
I won't say zero, but close. As Kenneth says they'll have the power of the purse, but that's not particularly helpful in this case. They can work the margins, but I think General Petraeus' moral authority and above the political fray stature is our troops best bet. · Oct 19 at 7:15pm
You have a much higher opinion of Petraeus than I do. I think he's a politically-correct toady.
Sep '10
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
Yeah I guess I do, because I damn sure wouldn't use the word toady to describe him.
Sep '10
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
In fact, I think, should you encounter him on the street you should tell him that in your opinion he's a politically correct toady. Let's see how that works out for you.
Jul '10
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
Yeah, yeah. Let's see how the family of a soldier killed because of his rules of engagement handles him in such a situation.
If you're not willing to do what's necessary to win, you at least owe it to your troops to give them the ROE's to defend themselves.
Petraeus is one of generation of flag officers who have come up in a politically-correct military. When Hamid Karzai whines about a couple of civilian casualties, Petraeus says "How high?"
Maybe that's not a toady. But it sure as hell isn't George Patton.
Edited on Oct 19, 2010 at 7:40pmSep '10
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
Petraeus has led troops in combat. Have you?
Jul '10
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
So what? I haven't been President of the United States, either, but I know a failure when I see one.
A commander who allows his men to die needlessly in order to provide cover for his feckless Commander-in-Chief deserves contempt.
Jun '10
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
Do I have to rob a bank to know that it is a bad idea at best of times? Should I have been a Communist to know that as a political ideology Communism stinks? Do I have to be a thief to know that Hamid Karzi is a thief? I'll stop now as I think you get the point.
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
Gentlemen, it's the point you are both illuminating which has me in a quandary. Petraeus is a combat commander. His approach apparently prevented a disaster in Iraq. Why the turmoil in Afghanistan? Is he being undermined by the President? I suspect that Obama's castrating withdrawal timetable is playing a huge role in enemy morale. To what extent is the administration tying our military's hands as well?
Sep '10
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
So I take that as a no then. General Petraeus has two options when offered a job. Resign or do the best he can to try to make it work. From my view he's done the latter, your mileage may vary. But he deserves your contempt, really? It must be a burden to be so all knowing all the time. You Godlike thing you.
Sep '10
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
Cas Balicki
Do I have to rob a bank to know that it is a bad idea at best of times? Should I have been a Communist to know that as a political ideology Communism stinks? Do I have to be a thief to know that Hamid Karzi is a thief? I'll stop now as I think you get the point. · Oct 19 at 7:58pm
The reason for the question,was the ad hominem attack. Calling a General officer who has served his country for 30 some years a toady is beyond the pale.
Jul '10
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
Nothing is more tedious than a flame exchange.
I've made my point, so I'm gonna withdraw.
You continue, if it pleases you.
Re: Must Our Troops Fight Terrorists And The Chain Of Command?
Craig, speaking for myself, I give the General some slack precisely because he has led troops in combat and because of his work in Iraq. That said, to whom do we lay responsibility for such things as removing watch towers, thereby increasing the troops vulnerability to attack, simply to allay local sensitivities? His rank and time in service will be of little comfort to the families who bury their sons and daughters because of misbegotten rules of engagement.