Is the Haditha incident the exception, or the rule? Required reading:
http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20061101faessay85608/colin-h-kahl/how-we-fight.html?mode=print
I often hear people make the claim that Iraq has been a failure because of the human cost, and I sympathize with this sentiment. How can one not when contemplating the utter horror and waste of war? Yet I wince any time I hear the claim that the US military’s conduct has been reckless or even immoral because of “needless” civilian casualties and deaths.
When measured against what, perfection or history?
Or how about Saddam’s record? Have they ever heard of Dresden or the 1,000 plane B-29 raids that fire bombed Tokyo and killed more than both Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined? In fact, when it comes to planning and executing military operations (something I find many Americans somewhat uninformed on, probably due to an understandable revulsion towards organized violence) the US goes to extreme lengths to avoid civilian deaths which are costly both in public relations and in expensive precision munitions that have missed their intended, still active targets.
Back in August, we refused to target 100+ Taliban after determining they were on the grounds of a cemetery attending the funeral of a fellow Taliban killed in a coalition operation nearby earlier in the day. It is more than conceivable that this group of Taliban, now around to fight another day, will have and take the opportunity to kill coalition soldiers in future. And they were spared for what ethic, to try and avert charges that we’re insensitive to religious ceremony and sacred ground during war? How many times have jihadists turned Mosques into pillboxes? Didn’t Muqtada al-Sadr’s militia fight American troops from a cemetery in Najaf 2 years ago?
Simply, there has never been an operation of this magnitude where there have been so few casualties and deaths on any side. So, the real question that begs to be asked is–and this is not to be confused with some tacit support for a proliferation of sanitary war: what are the special conditions of this war that prevents so many mass civilian casualties associated with a long list of past wars?
8 comments:
Interesting...
Just wanted to stop by and say Happy Thanksgiving!
And, end the war in Iraq before Christmas!
Ah yes, "dirk_star", and now back to the program...
http://www.secretchiefs3.com/
TV has changed the nature of war. Comparing this war to history would be impossible in this instance. The amount of media (actual live in depth media) coverage is 1000 time greater in this war than the only other comparable war (Vietnam). The greater public can deal with numbers on a screen or page but can not stomach live in your face death. I agree with your assessment of the US armed forces on this issue. They clearly have many instances were they have avoided civilian deaths at the expense of military gain. Obviously this is to avoid the any negativity in an otherwise negative circumstance.
Anonymous, thanks for adding your thoughts.
I think I'd agree with you in the sense that it would be impossible to compare this generation’s ready availability of information with any past generation’s ability. But of course to determine the difference between past and present, as good historians we would have to resort to comparisons, so there goes that impossibility claim. ; )
Media has certainly changed PERCEPTIONS and how people think about the world around them. I would argue that this change, in some ways, hasn’t necessarily resulted in a more accurate or critical view of reality. In fact, I think visual media can sometimes distort a better understanding of events.
Imagine if you informed yourself of the goings on in your home-town by only consulting the police blotter? I’ve explained to people that if they were to come to my school for a day and speak solely to the deans who handle discipline problems, they would walk away with a rather negative view of the school and its student body, having completely missed anything constructive.
I think it is the obligation of anyone (especially news agencies) that wish to speak accurately of any phenomena, institution, idea, or event, to present the facts surrounding said events, warts and all, without agenda. Having said that, I have an issue with obsessing exclusively with the warts; it usually indicates some ulterior or pathological motivation behind it.
A question for you: do you believe the media has given the American public an honest and straight explanation of what has developed in Iraq? Or do you think it’s possible that it has presented (I would contend POUNDED) the public with a partial view of the war, one oriented toward shaping opinions with a particular political commitment and outcome?
There is no such thing as a war in which no weapon ever hits the wrong target. No such thing as a war in which people are not killed by mistake. Nevertheless, we just came closer to such ideals than any other country ever did in any war in history which I've ever heard about.
If there's a secondary tragedy to the unmistakable tragedy of the loss of innocent lives in Iraq, it may be the lost opportunity for future Iraqi generations to live in a country that even remotely resembles that of the most hated country in their neighborhood....Israel.
Too early to tell much of the what's to come though.
Dhun, your hubris in thinking you can fashion the world in your own imgage is showing. Democracy is the new imperialism.
From Bill Gertz reporting:
Retired Army Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey has issued some focused criticisms and assessments of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now Gen. McCaffrey, an adjunct professor at West Point, is delivering his opinion on the global war against Islamic extremists as well as the other conflicts.
Here are some excerpts from his presentation to a National Defense University conference.
Global war on terrorism:
Terrorist organizations have been intimidated and badly damaged.
Global animosity toward U.S. foreign policy and the administration is universal, intense and growing.
Homeland security has improved immeasurably since September 11 (not withstanding Hurricane Katrina).
The proliferation of [weapons of mass destruction] nation-states and technology remains the principal threat to the American people and our allies.
Iraq:
The morale, fighting effectiveness and confidence of U.S. combat forces continue to be simply awe-inspiring. Our allies are leaving.
The Iraqi Army is real, growing and much more willing to fight. However, they are very badly equipped. The Iraqi police are a disaster.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's administration is dysfunctional. Governance is broken. The nation is gripped with fear and distrust.
Coalition and Iraqi forces have largely succeeded in neutralizing the foreign jihadist threat at a strategic and operational level.
There is growing animosity by the U.S. armed forces toward the press.
Predictions:
The U.S. economy continues to dominate the global marketplace.
North Korea comes apart.
Terrorists strike America.
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