Afghan rules of engagement force U.S. soldiers to free insurgents caught red-handed

[Geee]

Washington Examiner:

Several Taliban detainees who had been captured in February after being observed placing bombs in the culverts of roads used by civilians and military convoys near Kandahar were fed, given medical treatment, then released by American troops frustrated by a policy they say is forcing them to kick loose enemies who are trying to kill them.

Despite what American soldiers say was a mountain of evidence, which included a video of the men planting the bomb and chemical traces found on their hands, there was nothing the soldiers who had captured them could do but feed and care for them for 96 hours and then set them free.

In another incident, members of a unit attached to 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment survived an attack by a suicide bomber on their convoy when his device failed to detonate. Soldiers managed to capture the would-be martyr, but he too was released after being held for four days.

"We put our lives on the line to capture the enemy," a soldier with the Stryker regiment told The Washington Examiner. "Since my deployment, every insurgent we've captured has been released."

International Security Assistance Forces officials contacted by The Examiner admitted that releases like these were common. The officials said ISAF forces can hold detainees for up to 96 hours, during which time detainees are "screened and a decision is made whether to release the individual, transfer them to appropriate Afghan authorities, or to the detention facility in Parwan [at Bagram Air Base]."

[Evad]

Get our people out of there...the madness is beyond the pale

[cudjo]

The ROE's that came in place when O became president were one of the main reasons my son left military in Jan of last year. Knew guys that came back from being there with the new ROE's, said he knew we would lose a lot more soldiers, so had his chance to leave and left in spite of nice offer on re-upping.

[AceRimmer]

The ROE's that came in place when O became president were one of the main reasons my son left military in Jan of last year. Knew guys that came back from being there with the new ROE's, said he knew we would lose a lot more soldiers, so had his chance to leave and left in spite of nice offer on re-upping.

 

It's not surprising that Obambi's ROE would follow LBJ's ROE in Vietnam of fighting the enemy with one hand tied behind the back. It's the RAT way to run a war...

 

BTW: I took my discharge from the Nat'l Guard in December, '92 after King Bubba announced he wanted to let gays serve in the military. I ran into one of my old high school buddies who stayed in about 3 years ago and he told me he'd already done three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. No word on whether or not he's still serving since the Anointed One took over.