How can we win this war with the top military brass making calls like this? These same people would kill any American they see.Changes must be made in the war policy.WIN THIS WAR KILL THE ENEMY

Winthewar on September 14, 2006 at 1:06 pm

I was pissed as well, but this AM Fox’s analyist, Lt. Col. Bill Cowan, said that NBC was wrong. The drone was not armed, in order to kill those guys they had to call command and get a plane out there and they ran out of time. He further said that there were no such rules of engagement that would prevent an attack on a funeral. What to believe? Well FOX’s notoriously bad website hasn’t a word.

Duke on September 14, 2006 at 2:44 pm

If Muslims don’t think twice about killing massive amounts of innocent Muslims, why should we care about a few innocent people when Zarqawi or 100 Taliban are the targets? The enemy uses our civility against us.
As for the F**k up with not engaging, it’s at the discretion of the unit and subject to their bullshit rules of engagement. I imagine some pussy officer didn’t want to make the call because he was afraid he might not get his promotion. This was the case in Iraq. These PC rules of engagement are nothing new for the Army and not the complete fault of Bush and Rumsfeld. We had the same problem in Vietnam and the Balkans. Very few people in military leadership actually study military history.
Sorry for the foul language but when I talk about the Army, the old Army language comes back.

Minnie Mouse on September 14, 2006 at 3:16 pm

When I saw this photo from that drone of the Taliban funeral that our military refused to bomb, the rage and anger was overwhelming. Still with the statements from the DoD and the ones I’ve read in the news haven’t helped in quelling that anger. If I had it to do I would have bombed the living shit out of that Taliban funeral. Say that out loud. “TALIBAN FUNERAL” WTF is going on with our commanders is anyones guess. It would be like not bombing a “NAZI FUNERAL.”
The only thing I can remotely consider as an excuse is the consideration of what would be in the world press headlines for days if not weeks. Al Jazeera would be the first to lede with “Americans Bomb Funeral, Killing 190 greiveing loved ones.” Then for the first two or three news cycles all you will have is CNN and the rest of the MSM quoting annonomous sources, Taliban members and terrorist’s issuing statements to the effect that women and children were bombed while attending their family members funeral. Accuracy is not important. I’m sure a photo or two will pop up on CNN or the internet of children deaded all dressed in black who are supposed to be victims of the Great Satan, America.
By the time the military issues it’s official findings the whole world is at least aware that America bombed 190 people. Some say there could have been women and children at a funeral to honor a loved one.
What do you thing the truth will matter by the time all of this happens? It won’t because it will not fit the story line created by our enemy or by their allies in the Media and that includes the western media.

coffee260 on September 14, 2006 at 5:02 pm

Jesus H. Christ, what are we doing over there — writing travel books?
That UAV deserves a better nickname: “Drone” refers to certain lumps in the chain of command.

Jeremiah on September 14, 2006 at 5:38 pm

We are in very deep trouble. The U.S. is not serious about the war on terror.
We have this Taliban mess up and failure of will for one.
There is the persecution of our own dedicated fighting men for the sake of guilty civilians or other crazy rules that put our men in greater danger. Ilario Pantaro, the Pendleton 8, Colonel West and a host of other show our own military’s contempt for our own fighting men. We will never win until we put our own innocent soldiers ahead of any other countries so called innocent civilians.
We let terrorists go left and right. For example, we could have stopped Hamadi from going back to Hizbullah. Al Arian got off much too easy.
We are enacting laws giving powers to our non Geneva compliant enemies that put us at severe risk such as the new rules enacted today against eavesdropping on the enemy and so called torture.
We don’t allow the demonizing of the enemy that they deserve which would give our soldiers the strength and moral courage to more effectively kill them and protect our country and its citizens.
May G-d protect America from harm because our leadership is certainly not doing the job.
The reason that Al Qaeda has not committed another American atrocity could be that they are preparing something so horrendous that they will only carry it out if they are sure that America will not be able to respond once it is done.

Facts of Life on September 14, 2006 at 5:49 pm

Alrighty My head just exploded…..
WE WONT bomb a terrorist funeral…..
Yet they WILL behead journalists & civilians.
Perhaps the ever growing amount cajones challenged folks who are incapable of making these decisions ….should watch the unedited nick berg video for a few hours “clockwork orange” style …just to remind them what “it” is that we are dealing with.

DR.Bohica on September 14, 2006 at 7:17 pm

My guess is the military is riddled with higher-ups promoted during the Clinton years, or possible leftovers from the command of Colon Powell (misspelling on purpose!).
Don’t athk, don’t tell. We can’t pothibly hurt thoth poor grieving muthlemth.

Al Jay Z on September 14, 2006 at 7:23 pm

Dr.Bohica,
The sad part is that the Nick Berg video was watched over and over again in Iraq by many US soldiers and leadership as are many of the unedited/unfiltered gruesome videos that come through. The leadership knows EXACTLY what we are dealing with, yet their careers are priority #1.

Minnie Mouse on September 14, 2006 at 7:28 pm

It’s the same stuff that happened in Vietnam. We didn’t try to win then, and we’re not really trying now.

Craig C on September 15, 2006 at 7:31 am