[THS] Amitai Etzioni: Unshackle the Troops

[The Harder Stuff in news and commentary]

http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/magazine/76426/afghanistan-war-troops-taliban?utm_source=TNR+Daily&utm_campaign=f960f8fb40-TNR_Daily_073010&utm_medium=email

The Military Cares Too Much About Civilian Casualties 
Unshackle the Troops

[and why not just use the nukes if civilian deaths mean so little?]

      Amitai Etzioni

Many good people who have never fought in a war find something appealing in
America’s willingness to take more casualties in order to spare innocent civilian lives.
For those, like me, who have been in combat, the choices at hand look somewhat
different. Consider the following likely scenario.

A platoon of Marines is patrolling an area in Afghanistan. To avoid IEDs, the Marines
stay off the roads and advance through a field. At the edge of the field is a row of
huts. Suddenly, two Marines are hit. The Marines take cover, although there is little
to protect them in the open field. Another one is hit. The snipers’ fire is clearly
coming from the huts. The Marines are fully prepared for such a situation, having
positioned artillery and tanks nearby before they took to the field. Their platoon
leader calls for the huts to be shelled. But a higher ranking commander disagrees; he
fears, with good reason, that there are civilians in the huts. The platoon leader is
bitterly disappointed, but orders are orders— and, hence, he instructs the Marines to
get up and storm the huts. On the way, the Marines take more casualties. When they
finally reach the huts, the platoon leader reminds them that, under the rules of
engagement, they must first call on the residents to leave before they can attack.
These warnings give some snipers ample time to move on, while others fire a few
more rounds.