War Is HELL!

How many armed conflicts are we engaged in now? Lingering Iraq action, Combat actions in Afghanistan, secret Ops in Somalia and elsewhere, and now maybe Mali?

We have had many "green on blue" attacks on our Soldiers. That is, terrorists dressed and/or working as a "friendly" police or military counter-part, attacking our guys.

We try extremely hard to avoid collateral damage and death to innocents, and sadly, at a greater risk to our own soldiers. Sometimes, such cautiousness means over-cautiousness, and could be placing additional threats to our folks in the field.

In all cases, I think we need to get extremely serious about our military responses and engagements, as well as well defined armed engagement (that's "war" to anyone involved!). Personally, just as one guy not in this fray, and as a very opinionated veteran of a long ago war, I'd offer the follow for consideration:

Military engagements/wars -
1. Other than an required "immediate response" to a direct threat to the US, or a very close ally, then ALL military action on foreign soil (and air space), should ONLY happen with Congressional approval.
2. In such an event, clear objectives are to be defined, and all manner to be given to achieve it.
3. Then, ALL manner of force is to be used for the quickest possible defeat of our enemy,
and NO occupation longer than the action calls for. (Get in. Kill'em. Get out.)
4. Rules Of Engagement (ROE) will be open to all measures needed to rain hell on the enemy, and any places the enemy uses to hide, launch attacks, use as shields, and what ever else the Field Commanders need to bring the conflict to a quick conclusion. (In WWII, we bombed whole cities, with young and old, women, children, just to destroy the enemy war machine, and bring them to their knees.)
5. ALL people should know, without question, that if they ALLOW aggressors to use their home, village, mosque, or other place, we will take no pause in leveling that place. WE need to be more feared (*) than our aggressor, or they will permit our aggressors to use them because of the greater fear of them.
6. I would make clear to the world, this: The USA does not want to occupy any other nation; the
USA does not want war in any other country; but if any country causes the USA to engage in war,
ALL HELL will be brought down on the earth our enemy stands on. NO MERCY on anyone who
combats us, or aides those who do. George Bush had it right! You're either for us, or you're
against us. I'd only add that you don't have to be for us, as long as you're not participating in some
way against us. Leave us, and our close allies, alone, and we'll leave you alone. If other 3rd world
countries want to kill each other, then it's not our concern. If it's genocide, then the world can
petition the UN to do something about it! Sometimes, the weak choose to remain weak, and they are their own victims.

I read somewhere, "If one is put in a position to respond to violence, then let it be so devastating that concern of reprisal would not be needed."

WAR IS HELL .... not a surgical operation with pain killers and sterile surroundings! And HELL
is what any potential enemy needs to be sure of coming with us!

(*) In MY view, we should be "feared" in combat actions. WE need to be the baddest sons-a-bitches on the land, sea, and air.