[reconeil]

Whether Marine, Cav Trooper, Airborne or Infantry,...you've just got to feel sorry for U.S. Combat Ground Troops nowadays.
After all, no brave men and women should be ordered to abide by quite silly, quite suicidal and quite asininely enemy helpful and one-sided Rules of Engagement.

Besides, UNILATERALLY forcing: "America's Finest" to conduct such an overly sensitive and/or politically-correct warefare against fanatically murderous muslim terrorists is downright criminal. What's next? Rubber bullets against RPGs? Would that suit America's Left and their overwhelmingly supportive Press/Media?

Hell, had I and my other 11 people been in anything even resembling this latest hullabaloo over NOTHING and/or killing assassins during our stint,...I seriously doubt that killing such an enemy would've troubled NO ONE. That's what we were taught to do. Our Directives were as easy to follow as: 1, 2, 3.

1 If it looks hinky at a distance, lay down a: "Reconnaisance by Fire" with all four 30 caliber machineguns. If no one returns fire, still carefully approach the objective by sending one of the expendable jeeps and/or one without a radio.

2. If it's up close and personal and even only looks slightly threatening,...kill it.

3. If a structure must be cleared, after concussion grenades are used quite liberally (depending on size structure),...afterwards just go in and sort-out the pieces, raise the flag, pop-open some champagna, or whatever.

Granted, nowadays if me and mine acted so sensibly and/or not fighting politically-correct warfare as ordered in Iraq,...we would all be in Leavenworth or doing Stockade Time at minimum.

Regardless, "We" would most likely all be alive,...and minimizing casualties should always be one of the prime objectives of any Field Commander,...whether he be a lowly Scout Section Leader, Division Commander or Commander-In-Chief.
Screw the sanctimoniously stupid and naive Politicians and Press/Media, and the other much wiser and resolute enemies of The U.S. Military called: "Terrorists".

If I was calling-the-shots in Iraq, I would Neutron Bomb one hostile neighborhood at time,...producing minimal destruction and minimal U.S. Casualties (if any?), while killing the enemy TO-THE-MAX.

General Patton quote: "A good soldier doesn't die for his country". "He makes the other dumb bastard die for his country".

Neil