A Kinder Sweeter US Military

The current trend with our military is to treat the terrorists like sympathetic creatures and our soldiers like criminals. It's a trend that has begun to make me physically ill. After hearing the story of the Navy SEALS being court marshaled for giving a high value terrorist target a fat lip during capture, I can't help but wonder how our soldiers will soon be required to handle these capture situations. Here's how I see the future of our military.

In the stygian darkness of the Afghanistan mountains four soldiers approach the hide out of a top terrorist target. The man they seek is responsible for the murder of 18 soldiers resulting from a bombing of their barracks, and 14 other attacks around the world. In total, he has killed 486 people of varying nationalities. The soldiers have their night goggles on and their weapons drawn and trained ahead. Unfortunately those weapons are only for show.

Military commanders, at the urging of Congressional leaders, have determined that in order to avoid civilian causalities which impair our image in the world, the soldiers will have no bullets. "The sight of a weapon trained on them will be enough to bring a target to heel," one Congressman was heard to say. "There's no need to fire the weapon and if that's the case, there's no need for bullets in the gun. We can save $20 million a year by cutting bullets from the budget."

The soldiers hang back as they scout out the building to identify any guards they will have to attempt to slip by. There are ten guards all heavily armed with automatic weapons, but our men and women in uniform are creative and resourceful. In the cover of darkness they make their way into the building, avoiding the guards, and physically subduing those they cannot avoid in the most humane way possible.

At last they are entering the room where the target lay sleeping. One soldier steps forward and shakes him by the shoulder to wake him. The target surges up from the bed with fists flying and reaches for a weapon he keeps close to the bed, but the soldier, luckily, beats him to it.

Once the weapon is secure, a soldier steps forward and says, "Excuse me sir, but it is necessary that you accompany us back to our base. There you will have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be held against you. You have the right to an attorney and if you cannot afford one, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?"

"Burn in hell you infidel. Allah will wipe your country from the earth for the atrocities it has waged on my people. We will not rest until all are dead or converted to the beautiful religion of Islam and serve under Sharia law," is the less than contrite response from the terrorist.

"Sir," says the soldier, "We need you to come with us. Please get dressed so that we can begin the journey back to the base. Then if you would be so kind as to place your hands on the back of your head we will secure you for transport."

"Never," the terrorist snarls. "I will go nowhere with you, but you will shortly be in Hell where the sins of your country will cause you to burn for all eternity. It is Allah's will."

At a stalemate and nonplussed as to what to do (the military manual has no instructions on what can be done if the target refuses to accompany them) the soldiers then have their attention captured by several guards bursting through the door. The soldiers drop their weapons and go into hand to hand combat in order to subdue and eliminate the threat posed by the guards. During the scuffle the target is injured and one soldier secures him for transport. At this time they begin their journey back to the base.

Less than one week later, the four soldiers are brought up on charges for assaulting the guards and violating the civil rights of the terrorist target. The four men are court marshaled and given a dishonorable discharge. The terrorist is released as the result of the violation of his rights and immediately begins planning another bombing of the barracks. When the attack comes, the media and the political leadership blame the techniques used by the soldiers for enraging the terrorist and causing the attack on their own barracks.

Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? But isn't this exactly where we're going?