The noises originating from the backwoods of Maine are beginning to resonate across America as more and more of our sons and daughters are being sacrificed by politicians in Washington. The U.S. Rules of Engagement (ROE) are killing our sons and daughters as the politicians running this war protect Afghans at the expense of our American warriors. Retired 1st Sgt. John Bernard, Susan Price and Charlene Westbrook are doing everything they can to reverse the fatal consequences of Vietnam’s ill- learned lessons. Shockwaves are being felt in Washington as their calls to revise the rules of engagement gain solid support.
Bernard, garnered national attention to his campaign against the U.S. Rules of Engagement in 2009 when he sent a letter to Congress expressing concern about Army General Stanley McCrystal’s “more-restrictive” rules of engagement. McCrystal changed the ROE when civilian casualty reports headlined international news reports. McCrystal’s new guidelines, reflecting administration wishes to protect themselves from the flack of international attack, limited the U.S. military’s ability to use heavy fire power (close-air support and long range artillery) when Afghan civilian lives might be at stake.
Retired 1st Sgt. Bernard called the new rules “shameful” and “suicidal.” Bernard’s letter was mentioned by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) during the Senate confirmation hearings in September 2009 when Admiral Mike Mullen was approved for his second term as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Bernard believes that U.S. forces are now handcuffed and left vulnerable by commanders who are afraid to send help when our men and women find themselves trapped and overwhelmed by superior enemy numbers. Bernard said,
“The rules of engagement are so convoluted, so open-ended, that it puts the people on the ground at risk no matter what they do. It’s insane. You don’t let your guys languish there when these things happen. You err on the side of your guys, not the civilians.”
Image Source: www.leadingmarine.com
The Medal of Honor just awarded to Marine Sgt. Dakota Meyer by President Obama has added fire to the debate about our rules of engagement. Major questions have to be asked about the Ganjgal incident which required Sgt. Meyer to return five times under heavy fire to pull his ambushed and overwhelmed compatriots from the deadly battle scene. Three of his fellow Marines and a corpsman died that day. A fourth, Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth Westbrook, shot through the mouth and neck, died a few days later of his wounds at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.. The helicopter that picked him up had to stop and take cover during the first rescue attempt because enemy fire had made it too dangerous to land.
The questions posed by Sgt Meyer’s heroic actions at Ganjgal are now ringing across the land as America asks:
• Why did Sgt. Dakota Meyer have to disobey orders and return five times under heavy fire to assist his fellow Marines?
• Why did officers up the chain of command (captains and/or majors) fail to respond to repeated calls for air support? Gunnery Sgt. Kenefick, killed at Ganjgal, made 9 or 10 calls for air support as they were pinned down under heavy enemy fire.
• Why were requests for trucks to remove the injured denied?
The Marine Embedded Training Team had been left for 45 minutes while their oft repeated cries for air support were denied. They were told that they were “too close to the village.” They were told by their superiors to “try your best”as they were pinned down by more than 100 insurgents.
The Ganjgal investigation found that “negligent” leadership of three officers at the nearby Forward Operating Base Joyce contributed “directly to the loss of life which ensued.”The officers were found responsible for refusing the calls for help directed to them. The investigation also found that they failed to notify higher commands that they had troops under fire. Two of the unnamed officers were given letters of reprimand and the third escaped unscathed.
Read the rest here.
Replies
Do not forget who is Commander in Chief.Obama ws never serving, no military education and he has a passion hate of military. All the rest of military brass ARE HIS PUPPETS.
Twana--ManyT'anks --You have the brains and abilities to take comments I have made_perhaps it's my vanity,but I intend the compliment,Maam-- you post article that reflect things I have thought and perhaps have said and I thank You. The question is sound Why did a Marine have to disobey orders multiple times to earn the Order of the Purple Heart? and does this not suggest the ROE ar ekilling and demoralizing our men and women in military uniform?
What I have always said while I was in Nam. If you want me to let my troops get killed because of some dumb ass white house ROE. Then its time for congress to change places with my troops and they with them. Then and only then will you see just how DAMN stupid a comngressman can be
David - You have some excellent ideas except the one about contacting our elected representative and demand all our people be brought home. I have repeatedly written to several of my representatives, as well as other from other states, on these issues. They ALL just send back their "CANNED" statements, thanking me for taking the time to write, then its back to business as usual. The only way the "We - The - People" are going to get anyone's attention is to vote ALL incumbents out of office in NOVEMBER. BAR - NONE, as they all, both Democrats and Republicans alike, are nothing but career professional politicians. So my suggestion to ALL voters, when you cast your vote in November, DO NOT vote for anyone that is an incumbent, BAR - NONE, then we might get our arms around the problem. Its like I have always heard, "A NEW BROOM sweeps the cleanest."
I fully agree with and intend to follow th advice of Martin Church ....I have been saying this and doing it for many years. and you've probably seen it here ...vote the old crooks out, and vote the new crooks in"
The all volunter Military is gonna be non existent soon... they'll have to start the draft to get fighting force.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PEOPLE IN THE USA ARE WAITING FOR REGARDING OBAMA'S OBVIOUS BETRAYAL OF THE USA CONSTITUTION, HIS UNDERMINING OF OUR CHRISTIAN AND MORAL VALUES, HIS DISREGARD FOR THE MANY FAMILIES IN THE USA LIVING ON A BUDGET YET PAYING EXORBITANT GASOLINE PRICES AT THE PUMPS EATING TWO MEALS A DAY, WHILE HE AND HIS BODY GUARDS RIDE ON EXPENSIVE AND HEAVY BULLET PROOF LIMOUSINES, CHICAGO GANGSTER STYLE, BEFRIENDS THE COMMUNIST AND MUSLIMS ALIKE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE LIVES OF OUR TROOPS WHILE FLASHING HIS SHARK TEETH LIKE MACK THE KNIFE FLASHED HIS KNIFE. FIDEL CASTRO DID AS WELL IN CUBA AND WAITED FOR THE RIGHT TIME TO SAY IT ON HIS SPEECH THAT HE WAS A "MARXIST LENINIST" AND 53 YEARS LATER, CUBA IS NOW IN RUINS. VICTORIA JACKSON ENDS HER SONG (YOUTUBE) ABOUT THE "COMMUNIST LIVING IN THE WHITE HOUSE" BY SAYING AND "WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO, ABOUT IT ...!!! I'D SAY NOTHING SHORT OF A HANGMAN'S NOOSE AROUND OBAMA'S NECK FOR "TREASON" AND THE SOONER THE BETTER BEFORE IS TOO LATE, AND SHUTS DOWN OUR FREEDOM AND STARVE US TO DEATH...!!!