Re: US releasing Taliban fighters
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Greg Langelius *</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think it's time to stop treating captive insurgents as if they were POW's. They don't treat ours that way, and besides, a POW is a unformed combatant representing a national fighting force, not some local gangs of armed theocratic anarchists.
I recognize that adopting inhumane policies lowers us to their level; and the implictions trouble me deeply. But I am more deeply troubled by the depth of the holes we dig ourselves into by not doing so.
Warfare is either limited or it is not. What is limited at one end of the chain of command may not be quite so at the other. As long as both ends can relate on a personal basis to the realities their rulings present at the sharp end, I think we will be OK; and I firmly believe in the rule of law and a military that is subject to civilian leadership.
The problem here, as I see it, is that the civilian leadership has neither experience nor the mindset to comprehend the consequences of their lofty and altruistic approach to waging warfare,
War is hell. It's supposed to be. It's the direct consequence of the failure of civilized and humane discourse.
It needs to be as horrid, inhumane, uncivilized, and brutal as imaginable; so people will be more preferably driven to choose to resolve their conflicts by less drastic measures.
All that rendering warfare humane and civilized does is to make it less abhorrent. There is the added consequence that prisoners get kept for reasons that become illogical, and get treated by means they can be even more illogical.
I don't have an answer, but I think there are measures that can help.
I think a large part of the prisoner issue stems from there being so many of them. I think a lot of them would rather fight to the death than be taken prisoner. Maybe helping them achieve that end with more certainty is not such a bad isea. More of that might even lead to a more certain resolution the paradise and virgins quandry.
With respect to the more humane among us, I would only take prisoners for their tactical and strategic intelligence value. Once that intelligence value has been harvested, I would release all of them, without any prejudice or discrimination (and I would only hold them briefly for this purpose), into their bretheren's arms with a significant cash bonus and very loud and widespread thanks for their valuable assistance. Let their 'friends' handle the rest. Might a very cost effective solution, and should both reduce the handwringing and also better reveal the true quality their solidarity with their brothers in arms.
Aside from these few smaller measures, I cannot formulate a cohesive and effective policy that serves both the ends of an effective combat strategy, and also serves the ethical demands of the more civilized and humane amongst us.
I doubt that even Solomon could achieve that hat trick.
Greg </div></div>
Greg our civilian leadership doesn't have experience our prior generations or leaders had. JFK, Truman, Eisenhower, Johnson, Nixon, Carter, George H W Bush, all experienced and knew what war was like. In fact all Presidents from Truman to HW Bush where all Veterans. Clinton was the first Non Vet President post WWII.
It seems now, that young liberal American voters look down at Military Service when running for office. Young people are the future, and I am scared for future for my children.