Marine Killed In Action Was Killed By An Afghan Soldier.

A marine who's death was previously reported as a combat operations death was in fact killed by an Afghani soldier. I fear that with the many incidents stories like these will become much more prevalant. So sorry for his family.

www.marinecorpstimes.com...

WASHINGTON — An Afghan soldier shot to death a 22-year-old Marine at an outpost in southwestern Afghanistan last month in a previously undisclosed case of apparent Afghan treachery that marked at least the seventh killing of an American military member by his supposed ally in the past six weeks, Marine officials said.

Lance Cpl. Edward J. Dycus of Greenville, Miss., was shot in the back of the head on Feb. 1 while standing guard at an Afghan-U.S. base in the Marja district of Helmand province. The exact circumstances have not been disclosed, but the Dycus family has been notified that he was killed by an Afghan soldier. Marine officials discussed the matter on condition of anonymity because it is still under investigation.

Having served as an advisor in Iraq I completely agree with this statement.

“The Marines and soldiers that are doing the advising work out here understand that if they can’t live side by side and operate day in and day out with the Afghans, then they are not going to be able to achieve what they need to achieve as far as relationship building,” Toolan said.

Dycus’ killing happened nearly three weeks before the burning of Muslim holy books at Bagram air base, an event that American officials said was accidental but that triggered a wave of protests across Afghanistan and is linked to six other killings of American troops by Afghans.

Two U.S. soldiers were gunned down by an Afghan soldier Feb 23 in Nangahar province; an Air Force lieutenant colonel and an Army major were killed inside the Afghan government office in Kabul and two Army paratroopers were killed by Afghan soldiers in Kandahar province on March 1.

Our "war plan" is terminal. Our leaders are too concerned about hurt feelings, public opinion, winning heartsand minds than defeating the enemy.

It's frustrating. It caues resentment and a lack of mission in the people who serve.

Are there horrible things going on in Afghanistan?
Yes.

Do we have a specific goal in mind?
No.

We have countless stories of atrocities like the one the OP stated going on. Hell, last year, three "friendlies" (LN's) tried putting an IED in a series of tri-walls me and my people were going to work with. They screwed up the timer and now they're enjoying virgins.

We're never going to win hearts and minds. Just do the job, complete the mission, and get out. Save the "Hallmark" moments for the Lifetime Channel. Not in the damned battlefield.

reply to post by beezzer


I completely agree

2nd

Originally posted by usmc0311
reply to post by beezzer

 

I completely agree

2nd

Thanks.
I don't mean to go off on a rant, but when did we get so damned squeemish about war? People die. People get hurt. It's ugly. It's not pretty or something a politician can put in a sound bite.

That part of the world is not stable. We can't approach these people with a western mindset and expect them to respond in kind.

reply to post by beezzer


I completely agree

3rd

As Sergeant Barnes in Platoon said "Elias is a water walker, like them politicians in Washington trying to fight this war with one hand tied around their balls"

Enough with the hearts and minds crap, Kill the enemy! Get out!

Originally posted by beezzer

Originally posted by usmc0311
reply to post by beezzer

 

I completely agree

2nd

Thanks.
I don't mean to go off on a rant, but when did we get so damned squeemish about war? People die. People get hurt. It's ugly. It's not pretty or something a politician can put in a sound bite.

That part of the world is not stable. We can't approach these people with a western mindset and expect them to respond in kind.

I agree also , they don't want us there , we put a puppet regime in office just like the Russians did and expect the people to be happy . They live in the dark ages and evidently like it . I fear we are there for the minerals and nothing else so many more will die on each side for the powers that be to mine these minerals , not to mention the CIA is making huge money off the heroine to fund their black ops projects . I can't wait for Jesus to return and bring a final justice and peace.

reply to post by usmc0311



I won't pretend to know anything about war, as I've never been in one, but I do agree with beezzer , we cannot fight the war there on our mindset. Sometimes to fight the enemy on their turf, you need to get dirty. I was STUNNED when I read that marines had to leave their weapons outside during Panetta's visit. O-M-G! I've never heard anything so insane. So what would have happened if the enemy chose that place and time to attack? A ton of dead marines? Like we don't have enough. My BIL was almost killed over there by an IED and while they laying injured in the road, insurgents began shooting at them. This was 3-4 years ago and he's STILL picking shrapnel out of his face, has a grapefruit sized hole in his leg, and almost lost his manhood thanks to that hole. He lost 7 pints of blood but refused to die and was pissed that he couldn't go back to Iraq to protect a young boy who just enlisted. They sent the young boy back out in the field after patching him up and sent my BIL to Germany, then Walter Reed to recoup. The sad thing is some of our men, are no more than boys still growing. And we're killing them before they even have a chance at life. It saddens me.

reply to post by beezzer


The war was over within the first couple of years, the training camps were dismantled and Al Qaeda were no longer in the country.Who are we meant to be fighting now? The Taliban?, it could go on for decades. We certainly aren't winning any hearts and minds out there and creating more and more insurgents with every mistake we make out there. I'm still waiting for a good justification for remaining there. Maybe someone can convince me?

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
reply to post by beezzer

 

The war was over within the first couple of years, the training camps were dismantled and Al Qaeda were no longer in the country.Who are we meant to be fighting now? The Taliban?, it could go on for decades. We certainly aren't winning any hearts and minds out there and creating more and more insurgents with every mistake we make out there. I'm still waiting for a good justification for remaining there. Maybe someone can convince me?

But I agree with you.

Bush screwed up. Obama screwed up. We should have just gone in, done the job, and left.

Yet we drag this out for a decade plus. . . . for what?

It frustrates me to no end.

Pat Tillman was killed by the national security created Taliban
oops, I mean according to the ARMY coroners
US special forces..
because he was going to expose the falsity of the enemy in afghanistan

the afghnies were willing to hand over OBL they simply asked for PROOF
If asking for proof makes one the enemy

these are examples of why people are not buying this business about theminvaded people being the enemy

in most novels
the emeny is the invader

Umm,

It's been 11 years

What are we still going in Afhganistan.... TOTAL Genocide??

I don't see how anyone could applaud military soldiers and contractor HITMEN on 300K salary for taking out what's left of the Depleted Uranium women & child survivors in Afghanistan.

Esp when POTUS has assured for years that we already dropped the radiological bombs to do their 'thing' are NO LONGER IN AFGHANISTAN

Originally posted by Danbones


in most novels
the emeny is the invader

edit on 16-3-2012 by Danbones because: (no reason given)

In most novels there's a happy ending.

Real life just sucks sometimes.

Why is it that when I see news of American soldiers being killed by the people they invaded, I feel not one bit sorry for them?

So what exactly is the mission in Afghanistan? Destroy the Taliban? Not going to happen, especially since Pakistan allows them freedom of movement / supports them and the Afghanistan government is spineless and will quickly bow to them as soon as allied forces leave.

Just leave NOW, and when they start up their terror training camps, bomb the hell out of them. Better yet, just leave the middle east altogether and let them fight themselves, they seem to like it.....leave them to it.

Originally posted by nusnus
Why is it that when I see news of American soldiers being killed by the people they invaded, I feel not one bit sorry for them?

What a disgusting comment.....

Originally posted by beezzer
Our "war plan" is terminal. Our leaders are too concerned about hurt feelings, public opinion, winning heartsand minds than defeating the enemy.

It's frustrating. It caues resentment and a lack of mission in the people who serve.

As someone else said Special Operations met all the goals in Afghanistan within the first two years. The Afghanistan solution IMO would have been to limit it to Special Operation and Advisory personnel.

However, we both know what happened - typical turf wars. CENCOM felt left out because SOCOM does its own thing and reports the results not asks for approval. The Conventional Commanders all were chomping at the bit to get their hands into the pie. So the Pentagon generated a new mission statement that facilitated that aim.

All went downhill from there...

Happens all the time SEALs wanted in on Army missions because there isn't enough action in the areas around Iraq so they make some missions up to accommodate them. The Marines feel left out of SOCOM all together so they make up a mission and place for them too. Then comes all the NATO hangers on who want their "boys" in the game this time.... It's called mission creep. Sad really.

The whole affair just keeps getting bigger and more convoluted as the generals struggle to see who can control the neatest new toys or the most area.

Conventional forces were never needed in Afghanistan perhaps a Brigade of the 82nd could have been used as a regional heavy reaction force on a rotational basis.

reply to post by beezzer


This is what pisses everyone off, but it's about the money. Mercenary companies like Blackwater are making a killing.. literally and figuratively. The US is dumpin big money in defense.. big money. That's what they are spending it on.

Your telling me the size of our army has shrunk while the increase in the dollar amount to keep it goin has gone through the roof? Fuzzy logic there my man.

Follow the money and you will start to see the who, what, when, where, and how.

Originally posted by beezzer
Our "war plan" is terminal. Our leaders are too concerned about hurt feelings, public opinion, winning heartsand minds than defeating the enemy.

I completely agree. While our military is dinking around in the middle east and playing 'poppy field guardian', they seem unconcerned with defeating the actual of enemies of America, like puppet politicians who are pawns of the big businesses, financial terrorist organization cells (read: banks), and militarized police forces treating citizens as the enemy.

The military is abjectly failing at defeating the enemy, I am in total agreeance. It seems even with all their "smart" technology, all it takes is a business suit and a mansion, or a badge, to become completely invisible!

Originally posted by beezzer

But I agree with you.

Bush screwed up. Obama screwed up. We should have just gone in, done the job, and left.

Yet we drag this out for a decade plus. . . . for what?

It frustrates me to no end.

Couldn't agree with you more. We changed the gameplan from destroying AQ's base in Afghanistan to trying to build a country out of a bunch of tribes and drug lords. We should have packed up and left the Afghans to fight their unending tribal battles amongst themselves. As long as they don't export terrorism, they can act like 15th Century nomads, I really could care less. Sorry Afghan women that you have such great men.

Get our Troops home if we aren't going to let them fight the battle to win. I'm done with trying to rebuild a cesspool for people who seem to enjoy living in one. Talke about a people regressing in terms of civilization. They were given a golden opportunity to become a modern country and they chose to blow it.

If they ever host terrorists again, just lay the hammer down on them again and just leave. No more you broke it...you build it. It was already broken when we got there the first time. Sooner or later they will get the message.

reply to post by MidnightTide


Unfortunately, he/she is right.
I don't see why anyone should anyone feel sorry for soldiers killed in a land they invaded.