Nothings more important than letting the locals get their sleep in.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....-WAKES-UP-locals.html

Is this yet another example of how our troops in Afghanistan are being hampered by ridiculous terms of engagement.

/// His notebook cites several examples and claims troops were ordered to stand and watch when they spotted a Taliban fighter as the sound of shooting would 'wake up and upset the locals'.///

/// She said he and his men had watched the enemy, using night-vision goggles, plant improvised explosive devices and were not allowed to attack them. He was allegedly told by one officer: ‘I am an Army Captain and you will do your job.’///

[Bobbisox]

Get them home, in short AOG,

[DrFilth]

a decent gaffer would have got them some silencers for their rifles and extra thick socks to put round the tank tracks

[Ankou]

generally speaking, its the job of an army subordinate to do as they are told.

http://www.army.mod.u..._the_british_army.pdf

[Lonnie]

I have to agree with Ankou, if a subordinate does not follow orders, no matter how silly they may seem, he/she could easily cost their comrades their lives.

Rules of engagement, because we are deemed to be the 'good guys', our troops have to be seen to be doing the right thing, regardless of the connsequences.

[anotheoldgit]

It would be ridiculas to say that troops should do just as they like, and not obey orders.

I did not say this, but what is up for discussion is the fact that our troops are being made to carry out ridiculous orders, and there should be a change in tactics especially when these types of orders which may be protecting civilians, but at the cost of our own troops lives.

[vulcan]

How many thousands of soldiers died in the first world war following legitimate orders?
I served in the RAF and many times I came across young officers with very little experience telling senior NCO's, with many years experience, what to do and although the NCO's knew better they still had to follow orders.
Being an officer does not give you the ability to make the correct decisions all the time and just saying do this because I'm an officer is stupidity. An order given should be based on experience and if the officer doesn't have it then he or she should consult their senior NCO's and listen to the advice given.

[Ankou]

"U.S. military chiefs ordered troops to exercise 'courageous constraint' and even warned them they could be charged with murder if they shot any Taliban without permission from above."

which part of that do you disagree with aog ?