General Discussion

pinboy3niner

(53,339 posts)

46. What "dilemma"?

Sun Sep 28, 2014, 08:44 PM

Sep 2014

When you know civilians are present you do not fire. Period. Firing on civilians knowingly is a war crime.

I served as a combatant in a war that was pretty crazy, with crazy RoE rules like "free fire" zones where you were authorized to kill anything that moved.

A couple of times I encountered Vietnamese civilian woodcutters out in the jungle in a free fire zone. I stopped and talked to them and sang them a Vietnamese song that left them in stitches. Then we went on our separate ways. With no body count.

It's possible to go to war and to fight honorably, despite the madness that surrounds you. Despite the horrors you see, you can still hang onto your humanity. It will still kick your ass later, down the road, even though you knew and observed the difference between right and wrong. And firing on civilians is always wrong. There is no dilemma.

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Here is my ISIS strategy in a nutshell. [View all] ladjf Sep 2014 OP

and what if the park them among civilians? cali Sep 2014 #1

When they get on the move to another town, they will be concentrated ladjf Sep 2014 #4

So we sneak some guys in to mark their parking lots with "ISIS ONLY" parking signs Sopkoviak Sep 2014 #7

We've got stationary satellites and UAV's all over the place. ladjf Sep 2014 #8

We could set up a fake "ISIS Valet Parking" sign and just drive off with the trucks when they give KurtNYC Sep 2014 #38

where's my A-10 guy? that's what you need to strafe moving targets on the ground Baclava Sep 2014 #2

I've been suggesting the A10's for weeks. They are perfect for this kind of situation. nt ladjf Sep 2014 #5

I've heard that the air force has several hundred of them in inventory and ladjf Sep 2014 #9

THX - I just read they are sending in A-10's - ANG headed to Iraq Baclava Sep 2014 #13

That's good news. The A10's are old but they could handle this task. ladjf Sep 2014 #15

ONE A-10 would take out a whole column of Toyotas Baclava Sep 2014 #17

Please explain the large event in the second picture? I see ground fires, flares, and a what? freshwest Oct 2014 #51

It's tracer fire from the gatling guns aboard a 130 gunship Baclava Oct 2014 #52

Ah. Checked on this in another thread on aircraft. My BNL was a gunner in the Vietnam War: freshwest Oct 2014 #53

that is one bad ass madokie Sep 2014 #36

Here's my strategy in a nutshell customerserviceguy Sep 2014 #3

You may be right. But, we are in it now. Might as well be efficient about it. nt ladjf Sep 2014 #6

Since we're not going to bomb them into the Stone Age customerserviceguy Sep 2014 #16

North Koreans? ieoeja Sep 2014 #18

Yes, there are all kinds customerserviceguy Sep 2014 #21

We didn't win Vietnam, but I think it's a case where nobody won mythology Sep 2014 #28

You don't think the Viet Cong won? customerserviceguy Sep 2014 #30

The North won a political (not military) victory, but the VC lost pinboy3niner Sep 2014 #32

I suppose that technically, you're right customerserviceguy Sep 2014 #44

It was nearly 60,000, and I knew more than 60 of them pinboy3niner Sep 2014 #45

......damn..... panader0 Sep 2014 #49

The Viet Cong were nearly wiped out during the Tet Offensive. ieoeja Sep 2014 #48

Body counts are not a measure of victory Scootaloo Sep 2014 #33

VN vets have almost a kneejerk reaction to statements that the VC or NVA 'won' the war pinboy3niner Sep 2014 #35

I was thinking they could send over Turbineguy Sep 2014 #10

The Tea Baggers aren't brave enough to take on some genuine ladjf Sep 2014 #14

there's something sickening about your op cali Sep 2014 #11

I offered an honest opinion about a strategy that I thought would help. ladjf Sep 2014 #22

As for precautions when necessary to move... pinboy3niner Sep 2014 #23

So, do you advocate that we just continue blowing up buildings to hurt ISIS? ladjf Sep 2014 #26

You asked a question; I thought I was being helpful by offering an answer pinboy3niner Sep 2014 #29

Cali posted "... odds are they've taken some precautions" ladjf Sep 2014 #37

What "dilemma"? pinboy3niner Sep 2014 #46

Then they find another way or acquire more pickup trucks JonLP24 Sep 2014 #12

The Viet Cong were able to move undetected in the dense jungles. Irag and most of Syria is flat ladjf Sep 2014 #24

I think most of them are up in Northern Iraq JonLP24 Sep 2014 #25

I wasn't referring to your comments as being negative, only a few others. nt ladjf Sep 2014 #27

ISIS, meet Ebola. Ebola, meet ISIS. Problem solved. JaneyVee Sep 2014 #19

I've seen some stupid shit posted on DU, but I think this might be the winner of that competition Scootaloo Sep 2014 #34

Thank you. Mission accomplished. JaneyVee Sep 2014 #42

BWAH! bigwillq Sep 2014 #47

Mine is to grab a steaming, hot cup of get the fuck out before we make TheKentuckian Sep 2014 #20

That as well seems like as good idea as any JonLP24 Sep 2014 #31

See Africa. See dictators propped up. Apparently, it isn't that hard as we ignore such always. TheKentuckian Sep 2014 #43

the vehicle that is preferred in ME ground battles is the Toyota Hilux KurtNYC Sep 2014 #39

It's cavalry warfare except that trucks are used rather than horses. ladjf Sep 2014 #40

I think you have ISIS confused with the border militia. randome Sep 2014 #41

As an update to my original OP, ladjf Sep 2014 #50