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Watch but don't shoot!

A policy of the US Military, now fighting in Afghanistan, is not to open fire or return fire unless fired upon AND see them with weapons in hand.  If you don't believe me, look it up yourself.

I saw several interviews with our troops who say they can't return fire unless they see weapons in the hands of the enemy and are shot at.  Can you just imagine how frustrating this must be to a soldier?  How deadly have the consequences of this policy been?  How does this sort of policy get enacted in the first place?  How stupid is this anyway?  Why even have our troops there?  They actually said they saw snipers shoot at them and then later walk out of a building as if nothing was wrong.

I liken this policy to the opening scene of the TV series Gunsmoke.  The villain is out in the street and holding a pistol hidden behind his back; Marshall Dillon's gun is strapped and locked in its holster with the written instructions (open only in case of emergency).

I don't want to make light of this in anyway whatsoever, but God bless our troops and what they are up against....the terrorists standing in front of them and the Policy of Engagement standing behind them.  I don't know which may be worse for a soldier!

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