War challenges should end with enemy

November 13, 2005

Valley Voices\Larry Wood

First, I would like to extend my appreciation and thanks to all serving in the United States military. I would also like to thank the families of service members for the sacrifice that they make. The waiting, not knowing, and the interruptions imposed by duty to one's country cannot be understated.

For those who have lost loved ones to keep the rest of us free, there is nothing that one can say or do to relieve the loss. I can only express &#8220thank you, and may God bless.”

There is a disturbing trend in our leaders' policies impeding our troops' ability to defend themselves and to safely conduct their mission. The Rules of Engagement (ROE) are becoming more restrictive.

Worse, our troops are being scrutinized by Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG) attorneys and are subject to criminal investigation review for every shot fired. It is not bad enough that they have to worry about improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and car bombs, snipers, homicide bombers (PC label: suicide bomber) and ambushes. Not to mention the alleged offense against Islam for whatever.

These days, the greatest concern of the soldier on patrol or engaged in an operational sweep is fear of their own JAG corps. It is reported that units have taken to consulting with JAG officers prior to engaging the enemy.

As reported in the London Times, British troops are subjected to the same jeopardy regarding legal and criminal charges for acting like soldiers as our troops are. British military police warn troops going out on patrol or for an area sweep of the consequences of shooting an Iraqi, armed or not.

British troops are more afraid of their own military's legal and criminal oversight in enforcing ROE than they are of the Iraqi bad guys. The safety of the troops is perceived as a lesser priority for their leadership. As a result, re-enlistment for British troops is way down.

JAG attorneys used to be serving officers with line experience. Line experience meaning that the officer had to serve in a leadership position with a combat unit in order to appreciate the stress and conditions imposed upon the soldier.

One cannot understand what one has not experienced. Things have changed.

The services now allow one to become a JAG officer straight out of law school. This represents a flaw in the system, as there is a disconnect between the experience of the troops and the JAG officers acting against them. The JAG attorneys are attorneys first, not soldiers.

The experiences of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) during the intifadas should have been noted by our military leadership. Instead, these lessons seem to be ignored or forgotten. The lesson was that one cannot take a combat unit and use it as civil police. The missions and the mind-set are different.

Police are taught to restrain the use of force. The soldier is trained to use force to maximum effectiveness to dominate the battlefield. That means breaking the enemy's will to resist. That means killing them. The psychological effect of using IDF combat units in a police role severely affected the morale of these units and reduced their combat effectiveness.

Our troops are acting as civil police. If possible, they must capture the bad guys, and then turn them over to Iraqi authorities. In too many cases, the man shooting at them who surrenders or is forcefully taken down at great risk will be the same man they handed over to the Iraqis a short time before.

My youngest son served in Iraq. Undoubtedly, his unit will go back to the big sandbox or to Afghanistan. I do not want his hands tied by legal niceties and politically correct thinking that is based upon perceptions and wishful thinking, not reality.

If our troops are in danger, they need to act, and not have to worry about what an attorney might think after the fact. The stress of combat and being away from loved ones is enough to endure without having to worry about your side coming down on your head for doing a soldier's job.

Larry Wood is a resident of Palmer. His Valley Voices column appears every four weeks.