Hearts and Minds - US Style

[leftchick]

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/84B9680B-55DF-4562-AFF3-093E94D3FBCB.htm

<snip>
As American troops exit the former Presidential Palace complex in Tikrit, the last thing they see emblazoned above the arched gateway is the 4th Infantry Division motto: Strike First.

Since the last of the organised Iraqi military resistance was crushed in late April, these expansive palace grounds have been the headquarters for the US 4th Division.

As the birthplace of ousted president Saddam Hussein, Tikrit has proven to be a hotbed of Iraqi resistance throughout the US occupation.

I asked my escort Specialist Jack Craig, a military policeman from Minnesota, how he correlated the "strike first" directive with the US military's current policy of attempting to win the "hearts and minds" of the local population.




"Actually, I see 'hearts and minds' as a tactical doctrine. To me, it means that's where we should aim first," said Craig. " Shoot them in the body or in the head, but just make sure you shoot them first."

[ConcernedCanuk]

1. "complains that he has not yet had the opportunity to kill an Iraqi"

. . Feckadee - are these guys sick or what ?

. . wasn't the idea to "free" the Iraqis, not kill them ?

. . well like it has been said more than once in more than one waya, US military are not trained for peacekeeping, they are trained to KILL - DUUUUUH !

. . From the article:"One problem is that a lot of our soldiers are shit-scared and want to get out of here alive, no matter what that entails.

("I see 'hearts and minds' as a tactical doctrine. To me, it means that's where we should aim first. Shoot them in the body or in the head, but just make sure you shoot them first"

Specialist Jack Craig,
US military police)

/snip/
- and the MILITARY POLICE are the guys that are supposed to keep the MILITARY in line - are we lost or what ? /snip/

"The second and much less widespread issue is that of misplaced patriotism," said Calis, giving as an example one of the soldiers stationed at the Kirkuk airfield will soon be rotated back to America, and who feels that he has yet to fulfil his national duty.

"Every day he complains that he has not yet had the opportunity to kill an Iraqi, and do his bit for the war," explained Calis.

Hmm doing your bit means murder - betcha Junior likes that attitude !

[leftchick]

2. "civilian security advisor" Eddie Calis continues...

"On several recent occasions he has initiated provocation deliberately with local drivers at the gate, and I only hope that will be sent home before he fulfils his quest at the cost of an innocent life."

.... :grr:

[TheLastMohican]

3. Great quote.

"Actually, I see 'hearts and minds' as a tactical doctrine. To me, it means that's where we should aim first," said Craig. " Shoot them in the body or in the head, but just make sure you shoot them first."


They know they've already lost the war and that's how they vent off their frustration. When you indiscriminately target an entire nation, you are bound to loose sooner or later.

P.S. And these genocidal types will come home soon. Cops watch out, here come the real killers!

[ConcernedCanuk]

4. Interesting Poll - "Is the Middle East safer without Saddam Hussein?

. . Is the Middle East safer without Saddam Hussein?

a. Yes 36%

b. No 55%

c. Unsure 9%

More poll results



And consider,

that's Saddam's NEIGHBOURS doing that poll,

not some misinformed sheeples on another continent !!

[teryang]

5. Somebody got their opportunity

<In Mosul, U.S. troops on Wednesday killed a girl and injured three people in a pickup truck that was approaching American soldiers who had been shot at, the U.S. military said. No weapons were found in the truck. Assailants had fired at two shuttle buses traveling from a U.S. military compound, but no American troops were hurt. >

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031127/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq&cid=540&ncid=716

Iraq Insurgents Attack Italian Embassy

[tabasco]

6. MPs are the biggest jackasses in the military

Keep in mind this is a low-ranking soldier that has never been in combat. If he ever does get into a firefight, it will be the last place in the world he wants to be. In the infantry, before I was ever in combat, those who had been told us how awful it was. This soldier's statement is sickening and is not representative of most soldiers. I notice the press likes to pick up on stupid statements like this. I mean, how often does a Spec4 get quoted in the press?

[ConcernedCanuk]

8. "This soldier's statement is sickening and is not representative . . .

. . This soldier's statement is sickening and is not representative of most soldiers.

. . I agree that this statement is not representative of MOST soldiers.

. . BUT

. . I think that this is representative of TOO MANY.

Iraq now needs PEACEKEEPERS, not Warriors.

And the US Military are trained to kill, not keep the peace.


Just My Humble Canuk Opinion

[cliss]

7. This is precisely why

we're going to lose this war. The US war planners, in their arrogance, completely discounted the power of the individual. Multiplied by a poplulation. Rumsfilled, in his reliance on technology, has most probably overlooked the individual american soldier. He probably views them in terms of numbers, or pawns on a chess board.

I read a while back that "Iraqis tend to look after each other". That's certainly not a characteristic of the Americans, I thought. The idea of a working together to sabotage an occupying army is probably a novel and disturbing thought to Rumsfelld.

As he lays awake in his bed at night, trying to ponder what it means.