Insane Rules of Engagement
Bug is in the Kitchen
Good Morning, Breakfastpoppers. It's a new year, and with it comes the hope of making significant progress in the quest to secure our borders, and end a seventeen year war that is destined to become another One Hundred Year War. Bug is at the stove preparing Green Chili and Cheese Omelets. I am preparing delicious Bloody Mary's to spice up the meal. Bug and I are very disturbed about a former U.S. Army Green Beret who has been accused of murdering a Taliban bomb maker. Call me crazy, but aren't our soldiers sent to dangerous countries to rid the world of terrorists? Apparently, It's how you do the job that counts, not the actual accomplishment of the task at hand. Please join Bug and me for breakfast this morning. While we enjoy Bug's great cooking, we'll talk abut this very bizarre situation. We hope to see you soon.
Fighting a War With Toy Guns
The gun pictured above is a toy gun. It can't hurt anyone, but it looks real. It reminds me of trying to fight a war with the Rules of Engagement hovering above. The Rules of Engagement are the internal directives that clearly define the conditions, circumstances and manner in which the use of force might be construed as provocative. They set rules for the use of force. They are used to determine what measures are acceptable. These rules have always set my teeth on edge. We send our young men and women into battle and tie their hands when it comes to their actions on the battlefield. If war was a game, and actual lives were not being lost, I suppose these rules could be viewed as harmless. When applied to real situations, they turn war into a game. Perhaps that's why wars last so long, and we no longer seem capable of ending or winning them. . Former Silver Star recipient and Green Beret, Maj. Matthew L. Golsteyn is the victim of the Rules of Engagement. His story is strange, and he deserves to be treated fairly by the military.
A Dead Bomber Maker
Maj.Golsteyn is accused of murdering a Taliban bombmaker.. If convicted he is facing jail time and possibly the death penalty. The incident happened in Afghanistan in 2010. The Pentagon investigated the case, but decided not to bring charges against the soldier. The army did revoke his Silver Star, which is shameful. A new nightmare emerged after Maj. Golsteyn gave a Fox News interview in 2016. The military inexplicably decided to re-open the case. Who knows what pressures forced them to investigate further, but the army shouldn't have caved? The bomb maker was being held as a detainee during the battle of Marja in February of 2010. The terrorist was not on the list of targets that U.S.forces had been cleared to kill. This is where the games begin. A known terrorist bombmaker was going to be released because he didn't make a list of targets. He was going to be free to build more bombs and kill more Americans and Afghans because of archaic rules that tie the hands of those in combat, Two young Marines whose unit was deployed under Goldsteyn's command were killed by an explosive booby trap. The Major's unit searched the area for bomb making supplies. They found the terrorist who confessed to killing the Marines. Maj. Golsteyn admitted to killing this murderer. Now the military is trying to determine if this was a revenge killing or an action all in line with his duties a soldier.
The problem we now face in this country is our unwillingness to admit that war is ugly. The Rules of Engagement attempt to turn a harsh reality into a civilized dance among enemies. The attempt is deceitful and dangerous. All it does is prolong war. How many young men and women have to die or lose their limbs before we realize that wars should be brutal and quick.
An American Hero
Golsteyn should not be under investigation. He should be the recipient of a Medal of Honor. We sent him to Afghanistan to fight the enemy. He did that quite well, and his efforts should be celebrated. There is one less terrorist bombmaker around to kill and maim, and we should all thank him for his service. President Trump has vowed to look into this matter. I hope he can put an end to this soldier's ordeal. It is the right thing to do.
Bug's Song
The bugs crawl in
The bugs crawl out
They don't play games
I have no doubt.
