Shields

[firstsgtmike]

Iraq’s ruthless use of human shields in wartime

By William Saletan
SLATE.COM

March 24 — In the wee hours of Monday morning, Iraqi fighters shot down a U.S. helicopter near Baghdad and forced 30 more to retreat. A U.S. commander called the attack “asymmetrical warfare. … You have 10 guys lying on top of a building firing [rocket-propelled grenades] and small arms.” If the U.S. were to bomb the building, the commander explained, civilians would die. So, the Iraqis blasted away, knowing that for moral reasons, the Americans couldn’t.
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Compared to this:

1965 1/8 in the Dominican Republic. We were there to protect the International (Embassy) Area.

On a hill, overlooking a valley, we were a blocking force to contain the rebels. The DomRep army was advancing. Choppers and prop planes were blaring out a message. "Any house that harbored a sniper would be considered an enemy stronghold and would be dealt with accordingly."

When sniper fire was received, the advance halted. A "mule" mounted 106 would fire one round, obliterating the "stronghold" and the advance would continue. After three or four times, all we could see, as the army advanced, was rifle carrying individuals jumping out of rear windows and running for their lives.
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The Dominicans made it work. Why can't we?

[wrbones]

I figger some one of those folks amongst the brass will get tired of it sooner or later.

If we got to fight for Bagdad they have to or we'll take too many losses no matter how you look at it.