RE: Vietnam and modern combat

 i have not pulled a trigger in combat	for 34 years, and  although some
things change (technology, uniforms, ombat zones, and rules of
engagement  just to name a few), for any unit to be combat effective,
the  soldiers need to be well trained, and to trust themselves, their
mates, and their leaders. 

mostly they fight for themselves, their mates, and their unit, rarely if
at all for such lofty ideals as  flag, mom and the  girl next door.

short of a no holds  barred and winners write the  history conflict, or
a payback is a bitch combat  environment  there are always gonna be
those damned  rules of	engagement  that always work to the advantage of
your  enemy. . . .

seems to be a sad but true  commentary that most of the 3rd through 7th
world fighters operate	without any regard to the so-called rules of
warfare or geneva accords.  barbarity is an excepted  way of  life, with
racial and religious differences   spreading the joy.

modern soldiers from civilized	countries, unless they go rogue,  or are
operating with the  full knowledge and permission of their goverment or
chain of command, are gonna always be saddled with rules of engagement
that a times  seem more appropriate for use in	civilian law enforcement
instead of a combat zone. . . .  

 on the table top, this can be depicted by placing fire, foot, vehicle
and aircraft movement,	building  search and entry, individual detention
and search  of suspects, as well as operations	date/time restrictions
on the	soldiers, while placing no "official"  restrictions on the. 

or giving the  soldiers  civics action project	missions in hostile
areas in an effort to win hearts and  minds that are nothing but  live
fire  exercises for the bad guys who do not care who gets killed as long
as they kill the hated foreign soldiers.

or you can really screw the  troops up by letting the civilians and
politicians  in the chain of command ignor wise  advice, or saddle them
with career orientated officers and NCOs who cannot/will not speak up
when they know something is wrong, because it is not militarily "PC".

bad media info or sourcing or conduct  can be a real bitch too. i like
many a soldier despised the media in the RVN WAR, and after one
particularly replsive  encounter with TV journalists actually caught
myself	seriously considering	wasting the bastards if they were around
during the next firefight.

also the  bad guys like to whack the  media  idiots and any innocents
and lay the blame on soldiers. this way  they can to stir up crap big
time.

bad planning can  screw the pooch for modern  soldiers.

this can include not preparing	folks at home for the sight of bodies
coming home or wounded coming home to no  first class  medical care
facilities  or a shortage of same due to "budgeting".

witness events in iraque and afghanistan where-in there are not enough
troops, armor, artillery, aircraft, logistics  support from the  get go.

or in the RVN where WESTY (i heard him say it  on TV with his own mouth)
decided it would not be a "wise move" to give the boss (JOHNSON)
realistic and even bad	info.  "WHO WANTS TO GIVE THE BOSS BAD NEWS?" 

my thoughts, no flame war intended .

DAWGIE