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| Iraq-Jordan |
| Belmont Club: The Lidless Eyes |
| 2004-12-22 |
| Most everyone on the blogosphere has probably followed the Glenn Reynolds link to a Mosul chaplain's blog. More than 20 people, including US military and civilian personnel, were killed in a mortar attack on a base mess tent in Mosul. Chaplain Lewis was at the site. His narrative of the followup attack on the wounded and the medical personnel who responded stood out. Regardless of what some may say, these are not stupid people. Any attack with casualties will naturally mean that eventually a very large number of care givers will be concentrated in one location. They took full advantage of that. In the middle of the mayhem the first mortar round hit about 100 to 200 meters away. Everyone started shouting to get the wounded into the hospital which is solid concrete and much safer than being in the open. Soon, the next mortar hit quite a bit closer than the first as they "walked" their rounds toward their intended target...us. Everyone began to rush toward the building. I stood at the door shoving as many people inside as I could. Just before heading in myself, the last one hit directly on top of the hospital. I was standing next to the building so was shielded from any flying shrapnel. In fact, the building, being built as a bunker took the hit with little effect. However, I couldn't have been more than 10 to 15 meters from the point of impact and brother did I feel the shock. That'll wake you up! I rushed inside to find doctors and nurses draped over patients, others on the floor or under something. I ducked low and quickly moved as far inside as I could. After a few tense moments people began to move around again and the business of patching bodies and healing minds continued in earnest. This suggests that the target was under observation so either the first firing team, or a second enemy mortar team tasked with a followup attack could adjust their fire until they hit the hospital. It will be interesting to see whether the enemy fire originated from a populated area, preventing counterbattery. Many American bases are routinely patrolled by RPVs that run a circuit around possible firing positions. Mortar or rocket positions in the open would be easily detected. But there is no data and it would be useless to speculate on what actually happened. However, it is safe to say that the attack demonstrates assymetrical warfare in action. The enemy chose the weakest point he could find to attack; exploited the known limitations of the American response; and understood that he was to all intents and purposes exempted from the condemnation attendant to attacking the wounded and medical personnel. The chaplain and the medical personnel knew this and did not mill around expecting the Geneva Convention to protect them from those who have never heard of it, except as it applies to their own convenience. They knew the true face of the enemy; a face which bore no resemblance to the heroic countenance often presented by the media to the world. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #7 It will be interesting to see whether the enemy fire originated from a populated area, preventing counterbattery. Methinks a change in the ROE would be a good idea. "Sensitivity" has its limits, and as far as I'm concerned, if it wasn't surpassed long ago it was definitely reached with this attack. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-12-22 4:39:26 PM |
| #6 2b-I like your idea. I hope to see as many people as possible confronting the press with this same kind of question: "How would you respond to the people who say that you are not here to support the troops, but rather to use their deaths as a cheap publicity stunt for partisan purposes?" Or What do you say to the families of killed servicemen after you accuse their loved ones, American soldiers, of carelessly or intentionally killing Iraqis when those soldiers have just given up their lives to help Iraqis and people the world over? |
| Posted by: Jules 187 2004-12-22 10:29:04 AM |
| #5 Faster please! So true. Rather than blame my friends, I prefer to blame those who mislead them. They aren't bad people, they just have been |
| Posted by: 2b 2004-12-22 10:15:02 AM |
| #4 The MSM are willing and knowing allies of the terrorists. This article mentions their giving the terrorists cover for attacking wounded and medical personal - the murders know that the MSM would not mention this while going all apeshit over the interrogation rooms in GITMO being too warm (in a tropical area). Even now the MSM barely mention the rapes by UN troops in Congo or what is happening (murder / rapes) in western Sudan. And don't forget the Russian school where the MSM was unwilling (no... absolutely refused) to name them as 'terrorists' or even mention that they were, to a person, muslim. The people you mention 2b are probably more victims of the MSM-Al-Q alliance then anything else. They don't see the mass graves, the gourged out eyes of little girls, the rapes or rape rooms. What they do see is a distored view (over several months) of the Prison abuse, GITMO, etc.... I kind of feel sorry for them -- but not too sorry - they choose to be ignorant. Luckily the MSM is (hopefully) in a death cycle. All I can say is 'faster please'. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2004-12-22 9:50:28 AM |
| #3 We need to get this message out. Yesterday, I drove by the memorial bridge and some moonbats were putting up luminaries for the dead soldiers in the center divider. The press trucks were all over it. It offended me, which is a shame, because in another time or place, it would have been a touching gesture. I wished I had a cam-corder and was able to stop and interview one of the ghoulish figures lighting the candles. After a few standard questions, I would have like to have asked them, "How would you respond to the people who say that you are not here to support the troops, but rather to use their deaths as a cheap publicity stunt for partisan purposes?" |
| Posted by: 2b 2004-12-22 8:52:56 AM |
| #2 Too perfect for the flawed and fallen world, apparently. That and the utter unwillingness to deal with the world as it is. Or for that matter, utter unwiliingness to take responsibility for much of anything. I so agree with you! Many of my friends are liberals and they are wonderful, intelligent, well meaning people. I'd suggest that they just take it on faith. |
| Posted by: 2b 2004-12-22 8:38:11 AM |
| #1 Why do the MSM/LLL/etc. remind me so much of the old tyme Gnostic Christians? The very inability of their (LLL now, Gnostic then) plans and schema to function in the real world is proof (Proof!) that their plans and schema are perfect. Too perfect for the flawed and fallen world, appearently. That and the utter unwillingness to deal with the world as it is. Or for that matter, utter unwiliingness to take responsibility for much of anything. I wonder how the early Church fathers kept from going bonkers dealing with the same sort of Gnostic thinking we see today in the LLL. I could benefit from some of that patientce. As for Europe, with some exceptions (TGA, JFM, et al) they deserve a generation or two under the Islamic yoke. Appearently the Soviet era was not lesson enough. Sorry about the Ranting, but this stuff before I finish my first coffee is a bit much! |
| Posted by: N Guard 2004-12-22 8:30:58 AM |