# Time for US military commanders to take a deep breath? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 23, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-us-military-commanders-to-take-a-deep-breath/163578 "2003-03-23T18:12:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-us-military-commanders-to-take-a-deep-breath/163578/1 "2003-03-23T18:12:01Z")
How might evidence of summary exectuions of POWs\* change the rules of engagement over the next few hours and days? This is how things like the Pacific “no prisoners” Campaign or the European “Total War” bombing raids start. \*This is an [open question](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,81911,00.html), I think. > [@](#): > > “There’s a real sickened feeling here” after seeing the tape, said Fox News’ Mike Tobin at U.S. Central Command in Doha, Qatar. > > While an Iraqi smiled at the camera over the bodies and shifted them to better display the wounds, the tape showed what is purported to be U.S. Marines in U.S. military attire lying on the floor with serious head and torso wounds – many execution style. It is Fox–Faux News, make of it what you will. I think it sounds plausible and might anger guys who should not be angered. Not saying anger is the way to make a decision, thus this topic. ---
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2003, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-us-military-commanders-to-take-a-deep-breath/163578/2 "2003-03-23T19:56:56Z")
NPR, seconds ago, “Iraqis are waving the white flag of surrender and attacking.” That’s a close approximation. That may seriously dent our mass surrender plans. ---
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-us-military-commanders-to-take-a-deep-breath/163578/3 "2003-03-23T20:01:56Z")
[Ruses used, hot off the presses](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030323/ts_nm/iraq_usa_ruses_dc&cid=564&ncid=1473) > [@](#): > > He said that in one incident an apparent surrender was followed by artillery fire. > > “In another incident there were troops dressed in civilian clothes that appeared to welcome the forces and then ambush them,” he said. “So there are a number of incidents occurring to the rear of the main combat forces.” ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-us-military-commanders-to-take-a-deep-breath/163578/4 "2003-03-23T20:12:05Z")
What surprises me is that people are surprised. There’s a sense of injured outrage at this end. “Hey, they’re not playing fair!” This is a war, guys, remember? Not a “war game”. Or even a “conflict”, or a “police action”. It’s a war. And sometimes the Other Team doesn’t play by the Geneva Convention rules… ---
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-us-military-commanders-to-take-a-deep-breath/163578/5 "2003-03-23T20:48:10Z")
I’m not surprised they are doing it. Quite the contrary. I’ve been expecting a strategy designed to anger US commanders and increase civilian casualties. The last part of that will probably happen as we get in a little closer to Baghdad. What I do expect is for the US military to begin preparing the ground a little more. More bombing, more artillery, more initial firepower. Less chance to surrender for the Iraqis. It is a strategy which means the US will certainly win the war, but plays into the Iraqi strategy of causing maximum casualties. Fake surrenders will probably cause more Iraqis to die needlessly by a factor of ten over how many coalition forces will be killed, also needlessly, as a result. :mad: Darn it, they don’t play fair. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![regnad\_kcin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@regnad\_kcin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/regnad_kcin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-us-military-commanders-to-take-a-deep-breath/163578/6 "2003-03-23T20:55:02Z")
Im sure Mr. Tobin isnt disturbed by pictures like this, though: [http://news.lycos.com/news/photo.asp?section=BreakingPhotos&photoId=293509](http://news.lycos.com/news/photo.asp?section=BreakingPhotos&photoId=293509) ---
**Author:** ![Estilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Estilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Estilicon)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-us-military-commanders-to-take-a-deep-breath/163578/7 "2003-03-23T23:22:23Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s a war. > > And sometimes the Other Team doesn’t play by the Geneva Convention rules… If nothing this statement is filled with irony Duck Duck 🙂