evought's Journal: Top Secret Device Identifies Political Affiliation from Air

In a recent helicopter attack on 'Al Qaeda gunmen' at the edge of Al-Khalis in Iraq, the US Military did not interact with the gunmen in any way prior to opening fire. This suggests that the US military is hiding a new technology which allows them to not only identify 'bad guys' at a distance, but also their precise political affiliation. If this technology were declassified, it could revolutionize the election process. However, since the gunmen turned out to be local militia coordinating with Iraqi police, the technology may require further fine-tuning.

This action, like the bombing of the wedding party at Falujah, angers me to almost no end. Regardless of any views of the Iraq War, its purpose, and our continued presence, it is unconscionable to use heavy weaponry in populated areas, let alone indiscriminately. Civilians, 'ragheads', are often treated callously and collateral damage is swept under the rug. I wonder just often 'Al Qaeda gunman' is shorthand for 'Don't Know Don't Care'.

When we occupied Iraq, we signed up for a very difficult and messy task. The region has been a hotbed for centuries. Urban warfare, sectarian conflict, and insurgency were easy to predict. There is no easy way to fight it, yet we continue to take short cuts: innocent civilians and our allies pay daily. One of the saddest aspects of this debacle is that the dead included both Shia and Sunni--- working together.

There is no technology to tell peoples' affiliation and intent from a distance. There is no way to tell the difference between a woman with a fruit basket and a woman with a bomb. You have to get close and personal, and yes, that means either exposing yourself and taking casualties or preemptively killing every man, woman, and child. We either need to face that or get out.