Rules Of Derangement

I’ve commented a couple of times already about how the Afghanistan Rules of Engagement are killing US soldiers, but what’s truly insane is that “two more soldiers will be in military court defending their actions in battle due to the current rules of engagement – or [mis]application of them.”

Fort Bragg, NC; September 17 — From his position about 100 yards away, Master Sgt. Troy Anderson had a clear shot at the Afghan man standing outside a residential compound in a village near the Pakistan border last October. When Capt. Dave Staffel, the Special Forces officer in charge, gave the order to shoot, Sergeant Anderson fired a bullet into the man’s head, killing him. In June, Captain Staffel and Sergeant Anderson were charged with premeditated murder. … To the Special Forces soldiers and their 12-man detachment, the shooting, near the village of Ster Kalay, was a textbook example of a classified mission completed in accordance with the American rules of engagement. They said those rules allowed the killing of Mr. Buntangyar, whom the American Special Operations Command here has called an “enemy combatant.” Mr. Buntangyar had organized suicide and roadside bomb attacks, Captain Staffel’s lawyer said. …

There’s a lot more analysis and commentary at that site which I feel no need to repeat here – that’s what the link is for – but I still admit to some confusion. Isn’t this what snipers are FOR‽

A CNN reporter, while interviewing a Marine sniper, asked “What do you feel with you shoot a terrorist?” The Marine shrugged and replied, “Recoil.”