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September 08, 2009
McChrystal Agreement with Karzai
U.S. forces in Afghanistan are now required to hand over insurgents to the Afghan authorities within 96 hours of detainment. This is according to a new rule inherited by Gen. McChrystal and by NATO member states .
McChrystal Agreement w/Karzai Hinders Troops
Special Report With Bret Baier
At the Pentagon, Jennifer Griffin, Fox News
SHANNON BREAM: The U.S. military says an American service member was killed today in a bomb blast in Afghanistan, making August the deadliest month for U.S. forces since the war began.
National security correspondent Jennifer Griffin reports on growing dissatisfaction among the troops with one of the rules they have to live and possibly die by.
JENNIFER GRIFFIN: Not only did U.S. forces in Afghanistan inherit an enemy they cannot see, but now these troops are finding they’re required to hand over insurgents to Afghan authorities within 96 hours or release them, according to a restrictive rule agreed to by NATO member states and inherited by Gen. Stanley McChrystal.
According to one top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, quote, “It is a big limitation. In COIN [counterinsurgency operations] not being able to detain individuals to conduct interrogations and follow on exploitation is very restrictive. Something that we didn’t have to worry about in Iraq.”
MAJ. GEN. ROBERT SCALES (RET.) [Fox News Military Analyst]:This 96-hour NATO rule is driving the troops nuts. They call it the revolving door problem. And it goes like this: They’ll capture a prisoner and they have 96 hours to turn him over to the Afghan authorities.
GRIFFIN: Marines in Southern Helmand Province are balking and in some cases, Fox has learned, are stalling or refusing to send helicopters to pick up a detainee, knowing he will be released.
SCALES:The problem with that, particularly in the south, is that often it’s a 24-hour effort just to get a prisoner by helicopter to the Afghan authorities. In addition to that, the troops don’t have enough time to interrogate these prisoners when they follow the rules. And so what happens all too often is they’ll take a prisoner who knows something and they’ll put him on a helicopter and watch the information fly away. It’s absolutely outrageous.
GRIFFIN: A Marine spokesman in Afghanistan adds, quote, “The routine logistics of transporting people and materiel are extremely challenging. So the time-sensitive requirement for moving detainees adds another challenge to a situation that’s already pretty tough.”
McChrystal’s strategy review will be released by the Pentagon next week, but I’m told it does not demand the 96-hour rule be changed, even though it hampers U.S. troops’ ability to fight and win.
Wild Thing's comment......
This news is crazy and stupid to make our troops do such a thing. I worry about our troops.
Posted by Wild Thing at September 8, 2009 06:45 AM
Comments
This is super NUTS!!! Turn them over within 96 hours (4 1/2 days) of capture? What are we getting in return? Not for our troops to be blown up by the enemy? There are no assurances. Next we won't be able to interrogate them for intelligence to formulate our next step. Obama has "ruined" the military by tying their hands behind their backs.
Posted by: Lynn at September 8, 2009 08:15 AM
NATO has become as useless as the UN, both Euroweenee and muzzy dominated.
Chrissie, Arc Light both capitols.
Posted by: Jack at September 8, 2009 11:14 AM
Another stupid rule. Another war we may not win.
Posted by: TomR at September 8, 2009 11:43 AM
Lynn, Ditto all you said.
Posted by: Wild Thing at September 8, 2009 03:19 PM
Jack, yesss Arc Light.
Posted by: Wild Thing at September 8, 2009 03:24 PM
Tom, yes and too many stupid rules.
Posted by: Wild Thing at September 8, 2009 03:24 PM
I know a lot of, aah Mr. Charles, VC had some kind of "Inner ear" problem and fell out of a lot of Helicopters, from about 1000 feet or so. This could be something that is inherant to that part of the world.
I mean hey shit happens.
These dirty bastards don't give two shits about what the troops have to endure, day in day out. They may as well put targets on their backs so these moslem rat bastards can take their target parctice, when they miss we send them back to get another chance. this is pure F*cking bullshit.
Posted by: Mark at September 8, 2009 03:55 PM
TomR, we've been there and done that and we know the results don't we?
As for This McChrystal douche, he's a Blowbama asslicker out to get as many American boys killed as he can. I predict that Afghanistan will turn out just as badly as Vietnam.
Posted by: Eddie (Locked & Loaded) at September 8, 2009 03:55 PM
Yes Eddie. I am afraid that McChrystal's priority is to get another star or two.
Posted by: TomR at September 8, 2009 05:09 PM
