The Valor Of Restrain

By Semperpapa

It was thought out first by a British general, but now it is being considered by US officers in Afghanistan. And the Twilight Zone theme song rings anew in my head.

It appears that the Military is moving toward the creation of a decoration for restrain, basically a medal that a soldier would receive for NOT doing what he was trained and deployed to do: use force.

A US Air Force Lt. Col. is actually considering the proposal as possible, creating a storm or reactions on the part of anyone who is paying attention.

The fact is that the so-called pacifists will rejoice at the proposal, as from the comfort of their own obscurity, they can really idealize a policy that is decisively costing American lives.
These miscreants are completely oblivious of the reality of what our Military is going through in Afghanistan and Iraq. That is because their midget brains cannot begin to grasp the extents our forces have been going to insure the utmost level of safety for civilians.
Most of these pacifists are of the opinion that just wanting to wear a uniform, and therefore volunteering in the Military, means that these individuals are itching to inflict pain and death upon as many innocents as possible.
They are the same people who jump up and down when a police officer shoots and kills a suspect armed with a knife.
I remember few years back when an instance like this was reported. Some scumbag launched at the officers with a butcher knife. The cops dropped the scum.
One of the witnesses interviewed by the reporter was critical of the police reaction, stating that the officers are trained in martial arts so they should have been capable to disarm the man. Where is Bruce Lee when you need him!

Those who claim that “war is not the answer” also have absolutely no contribution to the solution. They can all put their stickers on their Volvos and Subarus, they can wear their peace sign jewelry and they can chant all day long, but when their utopian world is disturbed by some criminal intrusion, what is the first thing they do? That’s right, call the cops. And make sure they have their guns when they come to save your behind.
Same thing with the Military. When our Nation is in need, when our freedoms are being threatened, those against violence can still go to get their favorite coffee drink and their tofu lunch and sleep on their comfortable bed at night because out there are men and women who are dedicated to insure that those “necessities of life” are safeguarded.

Veterans' associations are completely opposed to the idea, and representing millions of Veterans, they definitely get my vote of confidence.

So the idea of a decoration for restrain is, in my opinion, counter indicative of the purpose of the Military. It would increase the confusion already created by ultra restrictive ROE and it would be a further signal to the enemy that the use of civilians would create the perfect conditions for inflicting casualties on our forces.

USAF Lt. Col. Sholtis, supporter of the British proposal, is adamant to state that the policy would not interfere with the troops’ right to self-defense if they deemed it necessary, which is already appalling to me that an officer should feel the need to even make such a statement.

What’s next? A recognition for the Infantry man for getting in touch with his feminine side?

Just my thoughts.