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After General Eisenhower demanded this of the Germans I can think of no case where this was really applied again. I think this should be demanded in today's peace conferences and we should not just walk away especially in Afghanistan.
Posted 10 y ago
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I think there is a number of issues with demanding "unconditional surrender":
1. We are not at war with Afghanistan, we are at war with certain extremist who do not agree with our lifestyles and are particularly difficult to identify.
2. We are trying to win the hearts and minds of the Afghani locals
3. Looking back at past conflicts, most notably Germany after WWI, demanding surrender/breaking the spirits of an enemy can cause an enemy to come back even more dangerous as before
The battles we fight now are very different from those in the early-mid 1900's and I feel like victory looks very different.
1. We are not at war with Afghanistan, we are at war with certain extremist who do not agree with our lifestyles and are particularly difficult to identify.
2. We are trying to win the hearts and minds of the Afghani locals
3. Looking back at past conflicts, most notably Germany after WWI, demanding surrender/breaking the spirits of an enemy can cause an enemy to come back even more dangerous as before
The battles we fight now are very different from those in the early-mid 1900's and I feel like victory looks very different.
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Sgt Randy Hill
Yes because Hitler had an easy time convincing the germans that the treaty of Versailles was too harsh. I just feel like we are going to leave an area where the enemy is going to lay low until we leave. And we will be repeating our efforts.I have heard reports of this happening in Iraq.
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We no longer have the foothold to make such a demand. We no longer have warfare confined to a single location and apparently the way these terror cells work, you kill one and 2 more pop up to replace them. Terrorist warfare seems to be against ideas and not a piece of land so where do you draw the line to demand that unconditional surrender?
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LCpl Steve Wininger
I agree Major, it is difficult to defeat the zealots that make up terror cells. Perhaps if Americans were more zealous about defeating terrorists, they would be less likely to run off to paradise to meet their promised virgins. I can understand a person dying for the cause, although many that do sacrifice themselves in combat do so for their brothers and sisters they are fighting with there. I do not think there are many that go into fight with the goal of dying, such as terrorists do.
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MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca
They do have a purpose, its just that none of us can figure it out other than they like to scream I hate western values so Allah says you must go and then "KABOOM" one of them goes taking with them a bus, plane, train, bar, nightclub, etc. full of people who couldn't care less about their "cause". I'm not a "dying for my country" type but would gladly for the SM next to me.
I want to now what happens to the boob who blows themself up w/o taking anyone with them? Do they get laughed at in the after life? Do they only get 35 virgins because of "premature ejaculation" or bad planning?
I want to now what happens to the boob who blows themself up w/o taking anyone with them? Do they get laughed at in the after life? Do they only get 35 virgins because of "premature ejaculation" or bad planning?
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LCpl Steve Wininger
Funny Major, It would be nice to find out from the class of bomb makers who accidentally blew themselves up how those virgins are working out for them.
I totally agree with dying for a fellow SM.
I totally agree with dying for a fellow SM.
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LCpl Rick Ponton
WE NEED GOVERNEMNT REFORM TAX REFORM IMMIGRATION REFORM REGULATION REFORM DEFENSE REFORM EDUCATION REFORM ETC
AND THE TRUTH THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH SO HELP ME GOD
AND THE TRUTH THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH SO HELP ME GOD
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SGT Hill,
While I do not disagree...when fighting a modern nation state...the problem with the fight in Afghanistan is that elected rulers of the country, have 'surrendered unconditionally' and, at least claim, are fighting with us. Who would you like to surrender?
While I do not disagree...when fighting a modern nation state...the problem with the fight in Afghanistan is that elected rulers of the country, have 'surrendered unconditionally' and, at least claim, are fighting with us. Who would you like to surrender?
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Sgt Randy Hill
Msgt Sand I want our al quada and taliban enemies beaten to the point where they will accept surrender. It is unfortunate that the Japanese had this viewpoint until we used nuclear weapons. That is the trouble we have few good choices.
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