Widow Testifies at a Military Court

[kandrathe]

Sometimes, battle can be cold. Ice cold.

More likely though, this is an asymmetric tactic.

If you shoot the kids who may or may not be carrying grenades, then you can be propagandized as criminal and cold blooded.

If you ignore the risks, you subject yourself and comrades to mortal danger, and they propagandize your weakness, and their small victories. Our own press then asks, "Why are we losing?"

If you pull back, and stop engaging the kiddies chasing the trucks for candies, and etc. Then again, you lose the opportunity to influence the hearts and minds of the next generation. Again, a propaganda win for them, and you are the hard hearted aloof invaders.

For example, the Vietcong intentionally intermingled themselves into seemingly harmless farming villages, where any retaliation by the Americans would seem heavy handed, barbaric, and an unprovoked attack on the unarmed populace. A huge propaganda victory.

From the CIA insurgency manuals, I've learned this: Whenever an innocent (and the more innocent the better) is killed, the tactic is to first make as big a propaganda splash immediately, hoping to mobilize more civilians to take to the streets (for more martyrs). Then, within a couple days, the funeral, which needs to be a long and loud procession through the streets, again, to attract the biggest crowds possible, and hopefully they will agitate a violent clash. Because what is better propaganda than a heavy handed opponent attacking a funeral procession? Then, finally, some kind of permanent list or role of martyrs in a very public place to constantly remind the populace of the growing cost of occupation.

We can talk about organized "lawful combatants" and soldiers, versus unorganized mujaheddin insurgents, but from the populaces point of view (Afghan, or Canadian) he was a boy who was used as a violent tool of a political movement.

Of course, this is entirely arm chair quarterbacking, but, from the asymmetric point of view... The way to have won that battle where only the boy survived would have been for the special forces unit to pull back, and if possible contain and wait for backup to surround the compound. Then, siege them until they surrender, or if necessary kill to prevent casualties. But, that is not really the military way. Generally, if your being shot at, you return maximum firepower until they stop shooting. Total victory in that scenario would have been to force them to capitulate, and capture them all for interrogation.

It's much like trying to convince the police not to engage in high speed chases were the public is in danger, or the officers themselves. Better to capture the evidence needed, then follow safely until they stop. We sometimes need to step back and ask ourselves what victory looks like.