" GI Suicides doubled in July-Pentagon Baffled"- No Kidding !!
.....General reports, " It's beyond us, we can't figure it out."
I have a theory and a comment or two: theory, the reason why the Pentagon spokesman is so baggled is because (s)he is not over in Afghanistan dodging the IEDs for the sixth time in two years with the beautiful 25 year old wife and two kids in the front yard swing wondering where in Hell he is?
Next, for the sixth time, he is NOT sweating bullets driving up some God forsaken road praying that some 250 pound bomb (the new and improved kind the AQ is planting) isn't around the corner waiting to go off right in his ear.
The soldiers tell me, when they see some rag-head (their expression, not mine) with a cell phone in their hands, THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SHOOT THEM, FIRST! Even they are sure the creep is dialing up to blow the IED. They are "not allowed." Rules of Engagement, just like the Tommy Lee Jones Movie.
I asked one of our soldiers what happens AFTER the IED blows up our trucks, is it ok to shoot the cell phone caller then? He said, " Oh yeah, and we do, but then, all hell breaks loose anyway. The neighbors raise hell with us, throw rocks, file complaints. And, we are just trying to protect ourselves"
In short, it has turned into a no win situation over there. Our soldiers are catching hell in Afghanistan no matter what they do.
In my B-17 Museum in Tucson, as a Docent, I am seeing more of our soldiers coming in on leave suffering the after effects of combat. All of them express the same - we cannot shoot the enemy unless we are shot at first, even when we know they are about to blow us up.
No win situation. We are now losing one soldier a day during the withdrawal process the Army and Marine officers tell me. I see whole squads of soldiers with deep, dark circles under the eyes.
They all know we support them, we appreciate their efforts, BUT all have told me, it's time to get out. Almost all have said that the initial effort was worth it, but it has now degenerated down into a worthless, no win, bloody waste of time and men.
To the Pentagon: that's why the suicide rate is climbing rapidly. Talk to the troops.
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I have a theory and a comment or two: theory, the reason why the Pentagon spokesman is so baggled is because (s)he is not over in Afghanistan dodging the IEDs for the sixth time in two years with the beautiful 25 year old wife and two kids in the front yard swing wondering where in Hell he is?
Next, for the sixth time, he is NOT sweating bullets driving up some God forsaken road praying that some 250 pound bomb (the new and improved kind the AQ is planting) isn't around the corner waiting to go off right in his ear.
The soldiers tell me, when they see some rag-head (their expression, not mine) with a cell phone in their hands, THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SHOOT THEM, FIRST! Even they are sure the creep is dialing up to blow the IED. They are "not allowed." Rules of Engagement, just like the Tommy Lee Jones Movie.
I asked one of our soldiers what happens AFTER the IED blows up our trucks, is it ok to shoot the cell phone caller then? He said, " Oh yeah, and we do, but then, all hell breaks loose anyway. The neighbors raise hell with us, throw rocks, file complaints. And, we are just trying to protect ourselves"
In short, it has turned into a no win situation over there. Our soldiers are catching hell in Afghanistan no matter what they do.
In my B-17 Museum in Tucson, as a Docent, I am seeing more of our soldiers coming in on leave suffering the after effects of combat. All of them express the same - we cannot shoot the enemy unless we are shot at first, even when we know they are about to blow us up.
No win situation. We are now losing one soldier a day during the withdrawal process the Army and Marine officers tell me. I see whole squads of soldiers with deep, dark circles under the eyes.
They all know we support them, we appreciate their efforts, BUT all have told me, it's time to get out. Almost all have said that the initial effort was worth it, but it has now degenerated down into a worthless, no win, bloody waste of time and men.
To the Pentagon: that's why the suicide rate is climbing rapidly. Talk to the troops.
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