Printable View
Could someone explain why this is a good decision or at least makes sense in being more beneficial than it is problematic?
From todays roundup-
Quote:
The US military has barred Iraqi interpreters working with American troops in Baghdad from wearing ski masks to disguise themselves, prompting some to resign and others to bare their faces even though they fear it could get them killed.
Yeah, I thought it was not worth the effort and frustration it will entail, burning bridges with terps, and just plain ill-advised.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron Humphrey
Hope it doesn't cost us some good terps. Good ones are hard to come by.
It is classically bad IO
A friend of mine offered a blog piece on it today
Quote:
Monday, November 17, 2008
Masks: A PSYACT Themselves
Having discussed interpreters in the previous post, let me turn my attention to the issues of masks themselves. The quote below reminds me of a 1929 line from then Secretary of State Henry Stimson, “Gentlemen don’t read other people’s mail.”
I can't imagine what idiot came up with this rule.
I am willing to bet it has something to do with the same leaders that love PT Belts in the chow hall.
Found this quote in the Chicago Tribune today:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/n...,4707457.storyQuote:
"We are a professional Army, and professional units don't conceal their identity by wearing masks," Lt. Col. Steve Stover, a U.S. military spokesman.
Wow. I'm speechless at our stupidity.
This is just another sad chapter in the on-going failure of the military to protect it's Iraqi resources. We should absolutly be offering amnisty to Iraqi's that have endangered there life to help us, even if it is on a temporary basis. We should also facilitate any other options that will allow them to feel safe as possible.
Reed
Good blog find, I bookmarked it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Odom
Reed
The good LTC might have a point if the terps were members of our "professional Army."Quote:
We are a professional Army, and professional units don't conceal their identity by wearing masks," Lt. Col. Steve Stover, a U.S. military spokesman.
that the remaining terps are the ones that actually work for different insurgent groups as intelligence collectors. Guess what- the counter-intelligence folks will always be those that speak the best english and have a smile on their face....
Wow...I'm speechless so I'm gonna quit typing and go back to my hole.
Amazing, the moment I start to believe we're getting smarter and actually "maturing" as GEN Casey believes, I'm brought back to reality.
Honestly, this is worse than Boston trading Babe Ruth.
v/r
Mike
Typical of us always wanting to fight with one hand tied behind our back. Trying to apply our system of 'justice" on our battlefields is doomed to failure. Another example of too many lawyers being placed into positions of responsibility.
know why my hair is so gray. 50 year of idiocy, that's why -- and it's getting worse instead of better... :mad: :mad: :mad:
I feel sorry for that poor LTC spokesperson -- he had to say that with a straight face...
Nuts. I mean the ones in Baghdad (or Tampa -- that sounds like some of their idiocy...) :rolleyes:
The mindset embodied in that message - the belief that you can just declare something to be "what a professional force does" and then have others embrace it due to your flawless reasoning - never ceased to mystify me. Without any explanation as to why such a claim is valid, or inquiry into whether it is true, or thought as to whether it makes any sense, it is just supposed to be accepted and become standard procedure.Quote:
We are a professional Army, and professional units don't conceal their identity by wearing masks," Lt. Col. Steve Stover, a U.S. military spokesman.
I'm sorry, but I cannot get over this. It is insane.
I was responsible for getting an interpreter killed in Iraq, I have to do something about this.
If anyone knows or can find out what G.O. is responsible for this decision, please let me know. I'm going to make some calls on my end.
I will find out who is responsible for this and I will contact them personally. Maybe it won’t help anything. But I can't sit idly by and watch innocent Iraqis get killed or lose their jobs.
I'm starting with LTC Stover. I realize he is probably not the one who made the call, but he knows who did. I am going to contact him on AKO. I recommend those that can, should as well.
Below is a picture of Adwan Taher and I on patrol. I took him on a mission near his village; a big mistake on my part. His identity was compromised by a local thug and he was shot to death in front of his family a week later.
Air Assault - go get em!:mad::mad::mad:
In a war full of outrageous stupidity from start to the current state of affairs, I do believe this may be the dumbest and most counterproductive decision I've seen yet.
Way to go boys. Be proud of the fact you just condemned hundreds if not thousands of men and women to death.
No, the worst ones were made early on.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ski
If you consider the planning phases, you would be correct.
he considered most of the first 18 months; both theaters...
jkm - good luck to you, you are doing the right thing.
This is so dumb, it's really criminal, and probably whomever made this decision should be charged with negligent homicide.
If nothing happens officially, maybe you can send it to Comedy Central so they can do a piece on it for the Daily Show? Best place to go for the responsible to be subject to the public scorn and ridicule that they richly deserve.
jkm's reaction is stong.
I fully support it.
Unfortunately, we're dumb...We have yet to mature as an instution as far as we would wish to consider.
Fortunately, there will still be O's and E's here that follow orders.
Regardless of the friends that we lose from those that refuse to consider.
All the way...
v/r
Mike
O's and E's do not have to follow illegal orders, and they can disobey orders and regulations that are OBE by facts on the ground.Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeF
I see this particular order as qualifying under both counts.