I appreciate the perspective that if you lose the people you lose the war. However if the enemy fires on you indiscriminately and you have to pack out over concern for civilian casualties… I like to think I am somewhat counterinsurgency savvy, but the way I interpret this ROE change it sounds like a recipe for frustration to ground forces. Cant we focus our energy on making the populace resent the fact that the Taliban hide behind the innocent as opposed to offering the Taliban a free opportunity to send some lead our way. How many times do you get shot at from the same compound/village that you drive by every day before you can do something about it? I realize that may seem like an extreme example, but not an unrealistic one.
Gen McChrystal is smarter than me...Okay I got it. But I will really be watching with interest on how this gets implemented/enforced.
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