All About Trey

Core Values Training?

From the Washington Post:

"Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the top U.S. commander in Iraq, today ordered that all U.S. and allied troops in Iraq undergo new "core values" training in how to operate professionally and humanely. Not only will leaders discuss how to treat civilians under the rules of engagement, but small units also will be ordered to go through training scenarios to gauge their understanding of those rules."

I don't even know where to begin.

Let's see, we're almost 3 YEARS, over 2000 US fatalities, over 20,000 injured soldiers, and countless tens of thousands of Iraqis killed and injured into this war, we've piled up naked prisoners in Abu Ghraib, we've water tortured prisoners, we've pissed on the Koran, and now, NOW you're going to hold this training?

And I can't wait to hear what the training is like. I was in the Navy in the aftermath of the Tailhook fiasco and I just can't tell you how well recieved the sexual harrassment training went over after that. The people who understood the need for it, didn't need it. And the people who needed the training, just rolled their eyes and ignored it.

This all goes back to the utter lack of post war planning. We never thought that we would be using national guard units, and other support type units, in these types of missions. Where they would have to be warrior, peacekeeper, and nation builder all at the same time. You need to kill the insurgents, you need to separate and protect the different sects, and you need to work with the Iraqis to rebuild their nation and take real ownership of it so we can eventually leave. But it takes a lot of training to understand how those different roles intersect and the importance of each of them. And how your actions in any one of those roles can support, or undermine, your goals in the other roles. It's just a lot of responsibility for some 20 year old who just wants to do his job and just saw his best friend killed. I can't/won't excuse their horrible actions, but I think we need to look at the underlying causes.

I respect the military and the bright, dedicated men and women who are doing their jobs. I really do. But I am just sickened by those in the system who have through their direct actions, or inactions, caused Abu Ghraib, supported tortured, lied about Pat Tillmans' death, and lied about the massacre in Haditha. I'm mentioned before that at some point the American people are going to lose respect for the military if these things keep happening. I really hope I'm wrong. But I'm not so sure.

posted by Trey @ 7:52 PM