General Casualty

Is honesty often a casualty in spirituality section here?

People talking spirituality subjects appear very solemn and well meaning in general, throwing expectations of utmost fairness in their expressions and deals. But we find in the RS section that it is hardly the fact among some contributors here..

Recently an elite contributor and known proponent of inter denominaitonal harmony among Hindus was ditched by his own contacts / fans in the name of ‘harmony’ which they openly blasted by objecting to his call for restraint in condemning a whole group, for alleged / perceived prejudicial remarks of one or two aberrant cases..

The poor protagonist of peace and harmony, virtually announced his intent to leave the forum in anguish.. Is this trend conducive to fair and free discussion of human susceptibilities, with a view to trim ourselves from overgrowths of self esteem and preserve the noble human qualties?

Please share your thoughts.
Hello brother Poondi, I didn’t expect you to appear here. I just was appalled with the way your well meant ideas were so savagely dismissed by so called sentinels of Hinduism. I just wanted to find if any ONE of your elite contacts dares to stand by you.

As you do not wish further discussion and as I understand your capacity to go with controversial circles, I shall close the discussion on this. Thank you.

“Democrats reject general Patraeus’s Iraq plan”…Are they kidding?

I no longer support this war and I am sorry I ever supported it. So many have died over this land and I think it is time to stop the fighting.

But, to limit the amount of deaths that will occur, I think that the Generals plan is the best one on the table…and the democrats turn it down. They are acting like petty children. Why don’t they accept this plan? It will get us out of Iraq with the smallest amount of casualties for the Iraqis.

If the democrats don’t like this plan, they have the majority, why don’t they make their own plan? Since they took office, all they have done is complain about the war and yet they have offered no solution to how to end it.

I think both sides are doing a horrible job but at least the republicans are trying to plan a way out.

Do you think that the democrats in power are doing a good enough job?
Carved in Stone: I used to be a republican but I am nothing political now. All politicians lie, cheat, and steal their way into power.

I really do hate war. Look at my profile…I used to support it full heartedly, but I no longer am for it. I just use common sense when it comes to politics now.
patriotwww: I am talking about the plan that ensures the Iraqis safety…if we leave right now, the country will fall into chaos and lots of people will die. I know that Iraq has a grim future, but Americans need to realize that we at least have to give the Iraqis an army/security force so they can protect themselves from terrorists and other countries.
g: Point taken. Both sides (democrats and republicans) are acting very foolish…I just wish both sides would work together instead of being so ignorant.

General David Petraeus, strongly condemned Mr. Jones’ plan, arguing it would be provocative, Do you agree?

I am pleased to see General Petraeus recognize the danger of one type of incitement, he unfortunately fails to see the whole picture and understand that our policies of torture, targeted assassination, invasion of Muslim countries and unintended infliction of civilian casualties in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan are also provocative. Pictures of victims of torture as well as innocent people killed by drones and stray bombs are every bit as bad as burning the Quran.

In some ways, what Jones is doing may be minor compared to the resentment toward us as a consequence of what our government has done to thousands of innocent victims.

Why do Petraeus and millions of other Americans fail to see this?

“The Real Provocateurs”
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100907007261/en

Did General McChrystal decide he had had ENOUGH with Obama’s Silly (and dangerous) War strategy and want out?

The Obama team insisted on new Rules of Engagement designed to reduce collateral damage (civilian casualties). Obama’s ROE required that U.S. troops must be able to see the enemy with weapon in hand before they were allowed to return fire. One videotape circulated on the Internet showed a platoon of Marines pinned down by enemy sniper fire. But since the enemy was firing from some distance behind the open window of a building, the Marines could not actually see the weapon being fired. Although they were taking deadly fire, they were prohibited by the ROE from putting small arms fire or an RPG through the window opening.

Under Obama’s politically correct ROE, our soldiers and Marines were required to fight with one hand tied behind their backs. McChrystal could not have been happy about that.

A strict new interrogation policy, dictated by Attorney General Eric Holder, required that prisoners must be delivered to an Interrogation Center within twenty-four hours of being captured or be released. A great deal of actionable intelligence was lost as a result and battle-hardened enemy fighters were returned to the field to kill Americans. McChrystal must have found that to be incomprehensible.

But the greatest insult to our troops in the field, and to the officers who lead them, may be a new battlefield medal designed by the Obama team. It is called the Courageous Restraint Medal and is awarded to soldiers and Marines who demonstrate uncommon restrain in combat by not firing their weapons even when they feel threatened by the enemy. Would we be surprised to learn that the preponderance of these medals were awarded posthumously? McChrystal must have found that to be an insanity.

Is Secretary General Ban aware that there are both sovereign state humanitarian agencies and independent?

NGOs/INGOs on the ground in the Terrorist Held Zone and that a fresh stock of relief items are reaching trapped civilians directly by Sovereign State/INGO/NGO pipelines as per (UN/GoSL)established and agreed upon mandates? As well, registration processes and assessments are conducted through the same established and pre-approved interface. The mission of the SLAF is a humanitarian mission to gain release of hostages held by a domestic/foreign terrorist organization. This mission has a military component to protect and defend such a mission. To my understanding this multi-component mission continues and is being limited by a timeframe, at the conclusion of which, will begin another component of the mission.

http://www.colombopage.com/archive_09/April20181402CH.html

The only direct quote that is in this article is as follows:”Humanitarian agencies must be allowed to assess needs and bring in adequate relief supplies. They must also be allowed to have full access to screening centers and any other reception points for those escaping the conflict zone. It is also important to ensure the sustainable resettlement of these internally displaced persons (IDPs) as soon as possible,” he added.
With the everpresent reality that the LTTE continues to employ techniques such as suicide bombers amongst the IDPs and daily revelations of additional weapons stocks and hidden caches of the LTTE as well as the refusal of the LTTE to heed domestic and international calls to disarm, renounce terrorism and allow free movements of civilians the situation in the Terrorist Held Zone as well as the screening/reception process continues to have a strong, non-negotiable military aspect. The LTTE also seems to be operating under a convenient delusion that they have not repeatedly been asked to disarm, release civilians and allow aide to those that most need it. The ICRC, as of yesterday, has made renewed committments to continue with their mission with government escorts. Via their last report there are 100+ aid workers inside the THZ. Controlled access vs. uncontrolled, unlimited access continues to be a high security concern for as of just yesterday there was civilian citizen reporting of NGO/INGO support for terrorist organizations vs. democratically elected government OR civilian populations as well as the continued practice of the LTTE to use methodology such as roadside bombs/package bombs/suicide bombs/hostage taking to further attack civilian populations,government/non-government aid centers and workers, civil and military establishments and threaten the national security and the very lives of our citizens . The very best way to protect the security, rights and interests of ALL of our citizens is key. A prevailing factor being that each and every sovereign citizen has the right to live in the area of their choosing as long as it is not contradictory to national security interests, whether short or long term. That peoples will not be segregated or pitted one against the other by ethnic, religious, social dictats ESPECIALLY that it be known that we will not succumb to a group of Ethnic Purist Racist Terrorists whether from our shores or any other. In all fairness to Secretary General Ban, as his full statement was not displayed within the article I will add the following. He has repeatedly called for the LTTE to give up arms and release hostages. These messages and calls have been unheeded, with such a history there is little doubt that when it comes to matters such as releasing additional staffs of INGO/NGO persuations just as in many document past instances the performance of the LTTE will not change. The GoSL and SLAF are actively trying to limit civilian casualties and would bear an additional unneccesary burden to increase such components and have them potentially fall prey to LTTE terrorist tactics. The reality is that we have resettled civilians much more expeditiously than many other programs by many other organizations and we have had so many INGO/NGO mechanisms who have come and camped out, staked a illegitimate claim and walked away without fullfilling even a small portion of their duties. Our government, institutions and peoples are not to be blamed for unethical, illegal and ineffective behaviours of such; nor are we going to continuously entertain such on our shores. The UN can be immensly helpful and effective by providing lists of organizations with no complaints against them and that have effectively, effeciently and timely commenced and completed the obligations to which they agreed as well as provided quality, sustainable services at costs within reason to affected populations. These organizations must have verifiable references and documented proof with the highest level of government in affected areas. For the entire Vanni will be liberated, demined and cleared of weaponry prior to resettlement efforts per the directives of the GoSL.

Under the new General, we have officially lost in Afghanistan?

Might as well bring home the troops if this is the leadership they have under Obongo. The top U.S. general in Afghanistan will soon formally order U.S. and NATO forces to break away from fights with militants hiding in Afghan houses so the battles do not kill civilians, a U.S. official said Monday.

The order would be one of the strongest measures taken by a U.S. commander to protect Afghan civilians in battle. American commanders say such deaths hurt their mission because they turn average Afghans against the government and U.S. and NATO forces.

Civilian casualties are a major source of friction between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the U.S. The U.N. says U.S., NATO and Afghan forces killed 829 civilians in the Afghan war last year.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who took command of international forces in Afghanistan this month, has said his measure of effectiveness will be the “number of Afghans shielded from violence,” and not the number of militants killed.

McChrystal will issue orders within days saying troops may attack insurgents hiding in Afghan houses if the U.S. or NATO forces are in imminent danger and must return fire, said U.S. military spokesman Rear Adm. Greg Smith.

“But if there is a compound they’re taking fire from and they can remove themselves from the area safely, without any undue danger to the forces, then that’s the option they should take,” Smith said. “Because in these compounds we know there are often civilians kept captive by the Taliban.”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090622/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan

Glad I am retired, under these rules I would refuse to leave the base.

Hey Obama what do you say,
your stupid new rules killed my boy today.

Should General Casey resign in disgrace?

I am tired of commending senior officers that fail in their command!
His extreme support of the political correctness has directly allowed this terrorist attack on our solders.
Had he not supported “multiculturalism” this murderous scumbag would have been booted out long ago. But he supported a system that would destroy any officer that question a muslim or any minority! This is why this scumbag was allowed to remain in the service and kill good CHRISTIAN serviceman!
No one in the media mention that FACT did they? He killed Christain, oh I’m sorry did I offend you? F*** off I hate all of the political correct people and will fight you at every turn!!!!! You are the enemy within and more dangerous then those at the gates. We will destroy you and your multiculturalism/tolerance/Political correctness! We will not accept you any more!

The potential for mistreatment of Muslim soldiers is such a concern that Casey said he has asked Army leaders “to be on the lookout” for it.
Gen. Casey is quoted as followed!
“As great a tragedy as this was, it would be a shame if our diversity became a casualty as well,” he said.
You have failed to protect your troops and should be relieved of command!

Why do people think US Grant was a better general than Robert E. Lee?

Except for his tactical victories a Vicksburg, Grant won the war with pure brute force. He simply outnumbered the enemy. In his Richmond campaign, he suffered twice as many casualties as Lee. Lee had many victories against far superior opponents. He had tactical victories at Seven Days, Second Manassas, Antietam (where his army would have been completely destroyed under a lesser general), Fredricksburg, Chancelorsville (same as Antietam), the Wilderness, and, had his orders been followed correctly, he would have won at Gettysburg which would have won the war for the South.