FORWARD OPERATING BASE RAMROD, Afghanistan — NATO commanders are weighing a new way to reduce civilian casualties in Afghanistan: recognizing troops for “courageous restraint” if they avoid using force that could endanger innocent lives.
The idea of using awards as another way to encourage soldiers to avoid civilian casualties came from a team that advises NATO on counterinsurgency, or COIN, doctrine, said an official with knowledge of the process. He spoke on condition of anonymity because the proposal is still under review.
“We routinely and systematically recognize valor, courage and effectiveness during kinetic combat operations,” said a statement recently posted on the NATO coalition’s website by the group, the Counterinsurgency Advisory and Assistance Team.
“In a COIN campaign, however, it is critical to also recognize that sometimes the most effective bullet is the bullet not fired,” it said.
It highlighted an incident in Helmand province in January in which rumors that coalition forces had burned a Quran incited an angry mob to throw rocks and bricks at U.S. Marines and Afghan soldiers. The Marines had the right to fire in self-defense, but none did, it said.
Six people were reportedly killed during the protest, but the shooting is believed to have come from Afghan security forces.
“There should be an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the troops who exhibit extraordinary courage and self-control by not using their weapons, but instead taking personal risk to de-escalate tense and potentially disastrous situations,” the statement said.
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, that the war effort hinges on the ability to protect the population and win support away from the Taliban.
Those who back the idea hope it will provide soldiers with another incentive to think twice before calling in an airstrike or firing at an approaching vehicle if civilians could be at risk.
Most military awards in the past have been given for things like soldiers taking out a machine gun nest or saving their buddies in a firefight, said Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Hall, the senior NATO enlisted man in Afghanistan.
“We are now considering how we look at awards differently,” he said.
So let me get this straight, we are going to hand out medals to troops that show restraint in battle to save civilian lives. COIN and the adherence to it is seen, I am sure, as total weakness by the Taliban and other jihadi forces.We tried this hearts and mind stuff already. It didn’t work in Viet Nam against an enemy that was willing to fight forever and it will not work in the muslim world because they do not hold the same value of human life that we in the civilized world do. Actions by the jihadi driven muslim terrorists and the way the muslim religion treats people (especially women) are clear evidence of the difference in value of life. Hopefully we wont be issuing this medal posthumously too often.
If anything, the muslim fighters and terrorists will capitalize on this restraint and use civilians more and more as cover. This will make the situation on the ground even more difficult for our troops and probably increase the number of civilian casualties as the enemy capitalizes on this weakness.
Our senior officers and political leaders are mired in the PC swamp and have lost their way. They have forgotten that the Western soldier values human life and will protect innocence on his own. He does not need a medal to do this act. To put this whole thing in a sports metaphor: we just gave the enemy ‘bulletin board material’.
Of course, the junior officers and enlisted get it, they are self restraining because they are Western Value oriented, not medal hounds:
But some U.S. soldiers here at Forward Operating Base Ramrod in Kandahar province are skeptical that the chance of winning an award is going to change the way troops make decisions on the battlefield.
“Not a single one of these guys does it for the medals,” said Capt. Edward Graham, referring to the soldiers in his company.
Graham, whose company is part of the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, said soldiers are constantly forced to weigh the duty they have to protect their colleagues against the goal of avoiding civilian casualties.
“The bottom line is I have to find a way to go to sleep at night,” said Graham. “If I hurt women and children, I’m not going to sleep. If I lose my men, I’m not going to sleep. I have to find a balance.”
The muslims have been at this for 1300+ years, they are predictable and simple to understand, consult Charles Martel for tips on fighting muslims and read the koran to understand the enemy. Our senior leadership has us chasing our tail; if we aren’t going to try to understand the enemy in order to destroy him and learn the history of how to defeat the muslims, then its time to come home, we just lost the initiative.
