Sunday, November 28, 2004
Support Our Troops
I was going to drop this topic, but then I received an email from a buddy here in my unit. The email, with the subject line, “Support Our Troops,” has a link to an online petition of Congress asking them to stop any punitive action against the Marine who shot the wounded Iraqi insurgent in the mosque in Falluja.
The petition cites Charles Heyman, a British infantry veteran and senior defense analyst, who defended the Marine, saying in an AP story, that they are taught that the enemy "is at his most dangerous when he is severely injured." I wonder then if we should shoot all enemy wounded as a matter of routine.
We all got the mandatory briefing before deploying: adhering to the Geneva Convention is not only the right thing to do because it’s humane, it’s also pragmatic: for if the enemy thinks that they will be treated well, they are much more likely to surrender. And in most cases, that costs fewer lives on our side. In Falluja, the military actively encouraged surrender with psyops teams equipped with loudspeakers.
Yes, there are many insurgents who fight to the death, but there are many who won’t. Over 1,000 insurgents surrendered in Falluja. It’s pretty much a given that none of us over here will let ourselves be taken alive. That’s because we know what they would do to us if we were captured.
And then there’s the argument that we shouldn’t have independent reporters with cameras in war zones: The presence of the camera will allow liberal scum sitting in their climate controlled living rooms to pass judgment on the kid risking his life thousands of miles away from home. The court of public opinion as well as international pressure would call for “a hanging”, like that of Harry “Breaker” Morant in the Boer War. But the action was either acceptable or not acceptable; it was either defensible or indefensible.
Many believe that if they don’t play by the rules, we shouldn’t either. But if the US government tried to make a policy of abiding by the lowest common denominator of humanity, in this case, taking no prisoners and killing enemy wounded, 90% (I hope it’s more) of Americans would be against it.
I don’t think people get it. Yes, I think being here is a good thing and I think that Iraqis are people just like anyone else. And sure, I have an almost obsession about waiving to people and acknowledging them. But there is a side effect to this: when you treat people nicely and with respect, they are more likely to see you as a fellow human being and less likely to want to kill you or help those who want to kill you.
Some one from home sent me a story on our government’s first attempt to get American Soldiers understand this. It was called “A Short Guide to Iraq,” and was written in 1942. An excerpt states that: "American success or failure in Iraq may well depend on whether the Iraqis ... like American soldiers or not. ... One of your jobs is to prevent Hitler's agents from getting in their dirty work. The best way you can do this is by getting along with the Iraqis and making them your friends. ... Every American soldier is an ... ambassador of good will." This idea is absolutely not stressed.
Every time we crash into a car, throw a flash bang grenade, or throw a rock at a windshield, we create hard feelings. How many Iraqis, after having their mirror removed by a humvee, say, “Whoops, my bad”? Sure, sometimes we absolutely need do things like that, but we need to be mindful of the consequences of what we do and try to do it as little as possible. When we injure an Iraqi or damage their property, that Iraqi tells his friends, family, and neighbors about it. And this gives people sitting on the fence one more reason to be less helpful to the US or even pushes them to join the insurgency.
That Marine had a duty to show restraint. This incident has made it harder for American forces and may cost more American lives.
I was going to drop this topic, but then I received an email from a buddy here in my unit. The email, with the subject line, “Support Our Troops,” has a link to an online petition of Congress asking them to stop any punitive action against the Marine who shot the wounded Iraqi insurgent in the mosque in Falluja.
The petition cites Charles Heyman, a British infantry veteran and senior defense analyst, who defended the Marine, saying in an AP story, that they are taught that the enemy "is at his most dangerous when he is severely injured." I wonder then if we should shoot all enemy wounded as a matter of routine.
We all got the mandatory briefing before deploying: adhering to the Geneva Convention is not only the right thing to do because it’s humane, it’s also pragmatic: for if the enemy thinks that they will be treated well, they are much more likely to surrender. And in most cases, that costs fewer lives on our side. In Falluja, the military actively encouraged surrender with psyops teams equipped with loudspeakers.
Yes, there are many insurgents who fight to the death, but there are many who won’t. Over 1,000 insurgents surrendered in Falluja. It’s pretty much a given that none of us over here will let ourselves be taken alive. That’s because we know what they would do to us if we were captured.
And then there’s the argument that we shouldn’t have independent reporters with cameras in war zones: The presence of the camera will allow liberal scum sitting in their climate controlled living rooms to pass judgment on the kid risking his life thousands of miles away from home. The court of public opinion as well as international pressure would call for “a hanging”, like that of Harry “Breaker” Morant in the Boer War. But the action was either acceptable or not acceptable; it was either defensible or indefensible.
Many believe that if they don’t play by the rules, we shouldn’t either. But if the US government tried to make a policy of abiding by the lowest common denominator of humanity, in this case, taking no prisoners and killing enemy wounded, 90% (I hope it’s more) of Americans would be against it.
I don’t think people get it. Yes, I think being here is a good thing and I think that Iraqis are people just like anyone else. And sure, I have an almost obsession about waiving to people and acknowledging them. But there is a side effect to this: when you treat people nicely and with respect, they are more likely to see you as a fellow human being and less likely to want to kill you or help those who want to kill you.
Some one from home sent me a story on our government’s first attempt to get American Soldiers understand this. It was called “A Short Guide to Iraq,” and was written in 1942. An excerpt states that: "American success or failure in Iraq may well depend on whether the Iraqis ... like American soldiers or not. ... One of your jobs is to prevent Hitler's agents from getting in their dirty work. The best way you can do this is by getting along with the Iraqis and making them your friends. ... Every American soldier is an ... ambassador of good will." This idea is absolutely not stressed.
Every time we crash into a car, throw a flash bang grenade, or throw a rock at a windshield, we create hard feelings. How many Iraqis, after having their mirror removed by a humvee, say, “Whoops, my bad”? Sure, sometimes we absolutely need do things like that, but we need to be mindful of the consequences of what we do and try to do it as little as possible. When we injure an Iraqi or damage their property, that Iraqi tells his friends, family, and neighbors about it. And this gives people sitting on the fence one more reason to be less helpful to the US or even pushes them to join the insurgency.
That Marine had a duty to show restraint. This incident has made it harder for American forces and may cost more American lives.
Friday, November 26, 2004
Fahrenhype 9/11
GQ, our company’s Iraqi interpreter, gave everyone in our barracks a copy of this movie which sets the record straight.
In the film, there is an interview of Soldier who lost parts of each arm in an accident in which another Soldier was killed. What’s not mentioned in this critique, but may have been in the original movie, is that the death and dismemberment were caused by improperly inflating a split rim tire. Now, I’m not a mechanic, but “60 Minutes” did a story on this hazard twenty years ago. I think it may have focused on a father and son team; again, one killed, one dismembered. Sure, there may not have been an inflation cage in the field, but remote inflation would have been easy. There no excuse for that Soldier to have lost his arms and his buddy to have lost his life. Part of being an indentured servant of the government is not being able to sue, but his family sure can.
GQ, our company’s Iraqi interpreter, gave everyone in our barracks a copy of this movie which sets the record straight.
In the film, there is an interview of Soldier who lost parts of each arm in an accident in which another Soldier was killed. What’s not mentioned in this critique, but may have been in the original movie, is that the death and dismemberment were caused by improperly inflating a split rim tire. Now, I’m not a mechanic, but “60 Minutes” did a story on this hazard twenty years ago. I think it may have focused on a father and son team; again, one killed, one dismembered. Sure, there may not have been an inflation cage in the field, but remote inflation would have been easy. There no excuse for that Soldier to have lost his arms and his buddy to have lost his life. Part of being an indentured servant of the government is not being able to sue, but his family sure can.
Thanksgiving
I forgot it was Thanksgiving. I was wondering why my roommate, Kip, wanted to go to the DFAC for the first time in three months. The staff put on a great, traditional, 20th century, meal. They also dressed as pilgrims and Indians, and even had a teepee. Officers and NCOs served the food, which was pretty good.
I far as being thankful - I'm thankful to God for:
Mary and the boys
My extended family, especially Granny and Grandpa who moved to up to Pennsylvania to build a new room for the boys
Our neighbors
Our Church
My employer, which just a month after giving me $5000 to adopt a baby, gave me an entire year of salary and full benefits
My coworkers
My adoptive family from University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics
The guys here
Americans, in general, who have been going out of their way to let us know that were are appreciated
I forgot it was Thanksgiving. I was wondering why my roommate, Kip, wanted to go to the DFAC for the first time in three months. The staff put on a great, traditional, 20th century, meal. They also dressed as pilgrims and Indians, and even had a teepee. Officers and NCOs served the food, which was pretty good.
I far as being thankful - I'm thankful to God for:
Mary and the boys
My extended family, especially Granny and Grandpa who moved to up to Pennsylvania to build a new room for the boys
Our neighbors
Our Church
My employer, which just a month after giving me $5000 to adopt a baby, gave me an entire year of salary and full benefits
My coworkers
My adoptive family from University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics
The guys here
Americans, in general, who have been going out of their way to let us know that were are appreciated
Monday, November 22, 2004
Comment from Reader
I’ll take beer and big [bosoms] over burkahs and other institutionalized inhumanities to women, not to mention religious fanaticism that will probably lead to the destruction of much of the world once its proponents obtain WMDs.
I’ll take beer and big [bosoms] over burkahs and other institutionalized inhumanities to women, not to mention religious fanaticism that will probably lead to the destruction of much of the world once its proponents obtain WMDs.
Friday, November 19, 2004
Inside Iraq
This book doesn't live up to it's subtitle, "The History, the People, and the Modern Conflicts of the World's Least Understood Land," but it is informative and gives you a flavor for the country. I would have liked to seen contributions by Iraqis. Western academics and journalists aren't needed to explain foreign things to Americans. Many peoples understand and know how to relate to our culture, it wouldn't have been much of a trick for an Iraqi to do so.
During the war, a Vietnamese said something like, "You Americans take no time to understand Vietnamese culture, which is over a thousand years old. Americans have no culture, unless you consider beer and big bosoms culture." Nothing has changed; we are as paper thin as ever.
This book doesn't live up to it's subtitle, "The History, the People, and the Modern Conflicts of the World's Least Understood Land," but it is informative and gives you a flavor for the country. I would have liked to seen contributions by Iraqis. Western academics and journalists aren't needed to explain foreign things to Americans. Many peoples understand and know how to relate to our culture, it wouldn't have been much of a trick for an Iraqi to do so.
During the war, a Vietnamese said something like, "You Americans take no time to understand Vietnamese culture, which is over a thousand years old. Americans have no culture, unless you consider beer and big bosoms culture." Nothing has changed; we are as paper thin as ever.
Thursday, November 18, 2004
What is the general opinion of the troops with whom you serve on the video of the Marine shooting the Iraqi guy?
Here are some bullets I wrote down:
"You know if they let him go, he'd come back to kill more Americans."
"What's with this capturing bulls****? Kill them and end it right there."
On hearing about the investigation:
"Why can’t people just move on?"
"They’d kill us if they had the chance."
"He should have said, 'He has a weapon,' and then shot him."
"That’s why they shouldn’t have embedded reporters."
Soldier 1: "Now if they handcuffed them, lined them up, and then shot them in the back of the head; that would be wrong."
Soldier 2: "Why? Why would that be wrong?"
Colin: "Are you surprised at what Soldiers believe is acceptable conduct?"
Bird of a Feather: "I wasn’t until now."
Here are some bullets I wrote down:
"You know if they let him go, he'd come back to kill more Americans."
"What's with this capturing bulls****? Kill them and end it right there."
On hearing about the investigation:
"Why can’t people just move on?"
"They’d kill us if they had the chance."
"He should have said, 'He has a weapon,' and then shot him."
"That’s why they shouldn’t have embedded reporters."
Soldier 1: "Now if they handcuffed them, lined them up, and then shot them in the back of the head; that would be wrong."
Soldier 2: "Why? Why would that be wrong?"
Colin: "Are you surprised at what Soldiers believe is acceptable conduct?"
Bird of a Feather: "I wasn’t until now."
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Comment Solicited from Reader
You use too many semicolons. I do too, but that's not the point.
You use too many semicolons. I do too, but that's not the point.
Monday, November 15, 2004
Question from Reader
What is your experience [using the 5.56mm rifle]? I have read complaints that the 5.56mm bullet is considered too light to have one-shot knockdown power (like that which 7.62mm / M60 rounds are said to provide)?
Though it may have done the job in the Viet Nam era, the current 5.56mm does not provide adequate knock down power because it no longer tumbles. From what I've heard and read, in 1983 while the Cold War was still on, the US wanted the 5.56mm to be able to penetrate Ivan's helmet at several hundred meter's distance. This was done by increasing the charge, the bullet mass, and adjusting the rifling.
The 5.56 now makes straight through, “ice pick”, wounds with out tumbling or much fragmentation, unless it hits bone. I, personally, haven't seen what they have done to humans as the only one we engaged was burned to death, but when we had to shoot dogs the dogs didn't go down. Shots would go right through their chest and they'd run off. When the dogs laid down a few minutes later, then they'd be shot in the head with a 9mm pistol. Of course, dogs don't know they've been shot, so, like someone on drugs, they don't panic or go into psychogenic shock when they are hit.
I also read recently that at 200 meters and less the M4 has better knock down power than the M16. I figure this is because the shorter barrel puts less spin on the bullet and it’s more likely to flatten and tumble.
I sat at lunch with a lieutenant colonel (LTC) in the Polish military. I said, cautiously, like a question, “Sir, Poland is now a member of NATO.” He responded with a little agitation, “We have been a member of NATO for FIVE years.” I guess this wasn’t the first time he had to explain this. I shrugged my shoulders, grinned, and said, “Well you know, we Americans aren’t very well educated.” He said that they had to adopt the 5.56mm NATO round, but didn’t seeming too happy about it, confirming that the round isn’t as effective is the 7.62mm.
What is your experience [using the 5.56mm rifle]? I have read complaints that the 5.56mm bullet is considered too light to have one-shot knockdown power (like that which 7.62mm / M60 rounds are said to provide)?
Though it may have done the job in the Viet Nam era, the current 5.56mm does not provide adequate knock down power because it no longer tumbles. From what I've heard and read, in 1983 while the Cold War was still on, the US wanted the 5.56mm to be able to penetrate Ivan's helmet at several hundred meter's distance. This was done by increasing the charge, the bullet mass, and adjusting the rifling.
The 5.56 now makes straight through, “ice pick”, wounds with out tumbling or much fragmentation, unless it hits bone. I, personally, haven't seen what they have done to humans as the only one we engaged was burned to death, but when we had to shoot dogs the dogs didn't go down. Shots would go right through their chest and they'd run off. When the dogs laid down a few minutes later, then they'd be shot in the head with a 9mm pistol. Of course, dogs don't know they've been shot, so, like someone on drugs, they don't panic or go into psychogenic shock when they are hit.
I also read recently that at 200 meters and less the M4 has better knock down power than the M16. I figure this is because the shorter barrel puts less spin on the bullet and it’s more likely to flatten and tumble.
I sat at lunch with a lieutenant colonel (LTC) in the Polish military. I said, cautiously, like a question, “Sir, Poland is now a member of NATO.” He responded with a little agitation, “We have been a member of NATO for FIVE years.” I guess this wasn’t the first time he had to explain this. I shrugged my shoulders, grinned, and said, “Well you know, we Americans aren’t very well educated.” He said that they had to adopt the 5.56mm NATO round, but didn’t seeming too happy about it, confirming that the round isn’t as effective is the 7.62mm.
But turnabout is fair play: the US had to get rid of all of their .45's in exchange for the European 9mm, so now we both have crappy rounds for our long guns and sidearms.
We have heard that the insurgents do not fear the 5.56 round, but do respect the 7.62 and the .50.
Sunday, November 14, 2004
It's not a Chevy Suburban sales lot, it's the car park outside the American Embassy complex. The US occasionally throws a bone to Ford for a few Expeditions.
A housing complex in the international zone. Note the satellite dishes. There are also broadcast stations, including one which airs the Arabic version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire". On the FOBs, we have satellite TVs in the MWR rooms. We receive AFN programming which airs PSAs, mostly military ones, instead of commercials. AFN also has a new movie channel complete with "Ebert & Roper" and "Inside the Actor's Studio".
Stopping by the local pizza joint after a mission.
Have you befriended any locals, or do you have to keep a distance from them?
I don't have to keep my distance, but it just works out that I do. Some of the Soldiers smoke and joke (Army talk for chit chat) with them but, as you know, I'm not one for chit chat. Even though I'm a self proclaimed Hajji lover, I'm more curious about their culture and what makes them tick, like some sort of geek anthropologist, though I haven't tried putting a measuring tape around anyone's head.
I'm conscious of this attitude, so I don't stand there and go through a list of questions. In some ways I think they appreciate interest in their country, but with my personality, I think it would put them off, like I was looking at them as specimens rather than people.
One thing that's embarrassing is misjudging a particular Iraqi's ability to speak English. I try to feel them out, so I don't insult them, but really, I don't think they care; they aren't sensitive people, for the most part. One guy who runs a shop on the FOB would give very terse responses to questions during transactions, and I assumed he didn't know English very well. So I'd speak slowly with accompanying gestures. But when I had cause to have a conversation with him, I found him fluent in English. I complimented him on his American accent I asked him where he learned such good English. He said at university. I asked him what he studied. He said he was an English teacher.
I've concluded that he doesn't talk much because he just doesn't care. We are not a curiosity for him and he has no need to practice his English or impress us. I think, too, he'd rather be teaching English than selling candy.
I don't have to keep my distance, but it just works out that I do. Some of the Soldiers smoke and joke (Army talk for chit chat) with them but, as you know, I'm not one for chit chat. Even though I'm a self proclaimed Hajji lover, I'm more curious about their culture and what makes them tick, like some sort of geek anthropologist, though I haven't tried putting a measuring tape around anyone's head.
I'm conscious of this attitude, so I don't stand there and go through a list of questions. In some ways I think they appreciate interest in their country, but with my personality, I think it would put them off, like I was looking at them as specimens rather than people.
One thing that's embarrassing is misjudging a particular Iraqi's ability to speak English. I try to feel them out, so I don't insult them, but really, I don't think they care; they aren't sensitive people, for the most part. One guy who runs a shop on the FOB would give very terse responses to questions during transactions, and I assumed he didn't know English very well. So I'd speak slowly with accompanying gestures. But when I had cause to have a conversation with him, I found him fluent in English. I complimented him on his American accent I asked him where he learned such good English. He said at university. I asked him what he studied. He said he was an English teacher.
I've concluded that he doesn't talk much because he just doesn't care. We are not a curiosity for him and he has no need to practice his English or impress us. I think, too, he'd rather be teaching English than selling candy.
Do you still have a lot of down-time, or are you kept pretty busy?
or similar:
What time do you have to get up tomorrow, noon?
A few weeks after I got back from leave, we went through a reorganization and we now get about one "down day" a week. A down day isn't a day off, it just means that we don't have to go out on a mission. We clean weapons, work on the truck, take a turn on a detail, etc.
But the days we do go on missions are not very tough; there's still plenty of time to get stuff done. It's not too bad, except when, following our nature, we focus on the platoons who work less and ignore those who work more. It did get to me when my roommate, who's in a different platoon, said, "Aw man, tomorrow's my day on."
or similar:
What time do you have to get up tomorrow, noon?
A few weeks after I got back from leave, we went through a reorganization and we now get about one "down day" a week. A down day isn't a day off, it just means that we don't have to go out on a mission. We clean weapons, work on the truck, take a turn on a detail, etc.
But the days we do go on missions are not very tough; there's still plenty of time to get stuff done. It's not too bad, except when, following our nature, we focus on the platoons who work less and ignore those who work more. It did get to me when my roommate, who's in a different platoon, said, "Aw man, tomorrow's my day on."
Happy Ramadan!
This is the refrain whenever a mortar, rocket, or IED is big enough/close enough to shake the doors and windows. Thankfully, Ramadan is now over and the feast is at hand. For the last month, we weren’t supposed to eat, drink, smoke, or swear in front of the Iraqis. One Soldier said, “I don’t care. It ain’t my ****ing holiday!” I can’t really argue with that.
Mortar attacks are like strikes of lightning to most of us. We hear them, they land, and cause damage somewhere, but you don’t know exactly where unless you are close. The mortars don’t really bother us here, since our barracks are made of brick and concrete. We’d have to receive a direct hit to get hurt. Our barrack in Falluja was a two story building made mostly of steel beams and sheet metal. This wasn’t too bad except we were on the part of the base that was blacked out at night because it was in the view of the insurgents.
When the mortars would come in, our platoon sergeant would wake us up to put our body armor and helmets on, which was sleeping like a turtle. Our platoon was on the bottom floor, and were pretty well protected since there were Hesco brand bastions surrounding most of the building. They are about five feet high so if you are laying or sitting down, or you are short and standing up, chances are good you won’t be hit by shrapnel. The guys on the second floor – well if one landed on the roof, it would be really bad.
Hesco is giving away a Harley Davidson and I-Pods as prizes in a photo contest.
This is the refrain whenever a mortar, rocket, or IED is big enough/close enough to shake the doors and windows. Thankfully, Ramadan is now over and the feast is at hand. For the last month, we weren’t supposed to eat, drink, smoke, or swear in front of the Iraqis. One Soldier said, “I don’t care. It ain’t my ****ing holiday!” I can’t really argue with that.
Mortar attacks are like strikes of lightning to most of us. We hear them, they land, and cause damage somewhere, but you don’t know exactly where unless you are close. The mortars don’t really bother us here, since our barracks are made of brick and concrete. We’d have to receive a direct hit to get hurt. Our barrack in Falluja was a two story building made mostly of steel beams and sheet metal. This wasn’t too bad except we were on the part of the base that was blacked out at night because it was in the view of the insurgents.
When the mortars would come in, our platoon sergeant would wake us up to put our body armor and helmets on, which was sleeping like a turtle. Our platoon was on the bottom floor, and were pretty well protected since there were Hesco brand bastions surrounding most of the building. They are about five feet high so if you are laying or sitting down, or you are short and standing up, chances are good you won’t be hit by shrapnel. The guys on the second floor – well if one landed on the roof, it would be really bad.
Hesco is giving away a Harley Davidson and I-Pods as prizes in a photo contest.
This photo of a prisoner inside a Hesco bastion, could take first prize.
Richard Butler of WPN for Newsweek May 17th 2004
Thursday, November 04, 2004
Monday, November 01, 2004
Report: 100,000 Iraq civilians killed in war
Another headline from Stars & Stripes – only this one isn’t true. This study, published in the Lancet, was rigged big time: “However, more than a third of the post-invasion deaths were reported in one cluster of households in the city Fallujah, where fighting has been so intense recently. Because the fighting was so severe there, the numbers from that location may have exaggerated the overall picture.” Gosh, do you think so?
Oh, is there an election on Tuesday? Well, Les Roberts of Johns Hopkins U states, “My motive [in releasing the study] was that if it came out during the campaign, both candidates would be forced to pledge to protect civilian lives in Iraq.”
Another headline from Stars & Stripes – only this one isn’t true. This study, published in the Lancet, was rigged big time: “However, more than a third of the post-invasion deaths were reported in one cluster of households in the city Fallujah, where fighting has been so intense recently. Because the fighting was so severe there, the numbers from that location may have exaggerated the overall picture.” Gosh, do you think so?
Oh, is there an election on Tuesday? Well, Les Roberts of Johns Hopkins U states, “My motive [in releasing the study] was that if it came out during the campaign, both candidates would be forced to pledge to protect civilian lives in Iraq.”
