by Andy Weddington
Tuesday, 22 August 2017
Carry the battle to them. Don't let them bring it to you. Put them on the defensive and don't ever apologize for anything. Harry S. Truman
Up a few minutes past 0300 and after a couple cups of coffee, I sent a short text to a retired Marine and longtime friend ...
In a week (or so) we should query squad leaders, platoon sergeants, and platoon commanders (corporals, sergeants, and lieutenants) fighting on the ground in Afghanistan as to their ROE (Rules of Engagement). If they say nothing has changed since President Trump spoke to America and the world (last evening) laying out his blunt 'we're going to kill terrorists' strategy then there's a problem.
For strategy to change tactics must change.
Not 15 minutes ago that same thought is what Dakota Meyer (U. S. Marine Medal of Honor recipient - heroism in Afghanistan) said during an interview on Fox & Friends.
Asked his opinion, he said he lost his entire team due to politics. Essentially, to stupid ROE.
He, a corporal at the time of his battlefield actions, further said talk is easy - let's wait and see what happens.
Correct. Exactly right.
Talk of strategy is not execution of strategy.
If the ROE does not change for the frontline fighters then nothing but politics from President Trump last evening.
Again, with change in strategy follows change in tactics.
As executive summary, last evening our President gentlemanly said his strategy is to kick the terrorists ass.
For that to happen corporals, sergeants, and lieutenants must be authorized to kick ass. And when ass that needs to be kicked is beyond their means then they must be supported with immediate on-call ass-kicking firepower.
As President Truman understood, take the fight to the enemy, put them on defense and never apologize for anything.
Ass-kicking is a universal tongue. And clear. Impossible for anything to be garbled in translation.
If not, President Trump, revert to your initial instinct and bring everyone home. Everyone.
And let's all laze around and wait to have our ass kicked - here; again.
Post Script
In the black, dead center, Marine (Sergeant Meyer). Good job!
Dakota Meyer - Medal of Honor Citation
http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/3480/meyer-dakota.php
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2 comments:
Sounds hauntingly familiar! The outcome in Vietnam was the result of 1) a lack of political will, and 2) the top-down micromanagement by the Pentagon and Pres. Johnson. Illogical, restrictive ROE, imposed from 1000's of miles away, resulted in unnecessary loss of life (ours), and managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Will be interesting to see what happens going forward in Afghanistan...
I believe I would be correct in assuming (yes, I do know what that word means), the policy announced last evening came from someone we, as Marines, all know a lot about - Chaos. Therefore, I do believe the word will be pushed down to where it belongs, to the Cpls, Sgts, and Lt's. I say that with one caveat -- IF there aren't any Cols and LtCols left from the last regime who still have stars in their eyes; I fear there might be several from the hum I am getting.
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