Rules Of Engagement

The importance of understanding the Law of War in the current operational environment cannot be overstressed. All we need to do is look at one of the several cases where questionable actions have been publicly showcased to understand its importance. It is imperative that we as leaders not only know what the Law of War is, but also have the ability to conceptualize these principles and train our Marines to the same standards.

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All Wanted Blood

I watched Theo like a hawk. This had become very real. My heart was pounding in my chest.

"Kelly," whispered Viking. "Are we there yet? What's going on?"

I remained calm, taking on my role as Assistant Team Leader.

"Theo sees something," I said. "And no. Who cares anyway? War is God's way of teaching Americans geography." Viking shook his head, baring his teeth with a grin.

Theo looked back at us. Then, with his left hand, he began communicating with signals. We were static and silent, anxiously awaiting his report. I had a tight squeeze on my pistol grip.

He pointed to his eyes with split fingers- He had visual contact.

He formed a zero- Ten unknowns in the distance.

He showed three spread-out fingers- Six more unknowns.

He twirled his pointer finger over his head. Rally to his location.

We quietly surrounded him, careful not to obscure his position. Theo's eyes darted. He could not stop staring at whatever he saw.

"What'd you got, Staff Sergeant?" I asked.

"Between the broken tree and the village," he said. "Taliban, they're stoning a girl. About seventy-five meters out."

I looked through my rifle combat optic and saw her in a rifle pit just above shoulder height. Splintered rocks, small boulders, and ash covered the surrounding ground. Piles of unearthed dirt formed a wide barrier around the pit, leaving her no escape. I feared it would be her grave.

The Taliban wore black or gray Shemaghs tightly wrapped around their heads and faces, only allowing a glimpse of their eyes. All of them were wearing white perahan tunban, flowing gowns to just below the knee, and pants falling to their ankles. One even wore a woodland camouflage jacket. I couldn't tell if they were armed, but I felt it didn't matter. Theo was going to make this right.

"It's T-Man," I said. My voice cracked. "What do you want to do, Theo?" This was my first up close and personal encounter with the Taliban. The killing was now imminent.

The girl's execution escalated into madness. It had become a sadistic and murderous frenzy. Rock after rock, stone after stone, thrown in hatred. It was the purest and oldest form of savagery.

I suppose it was a defense mechanism that kicked in as I thought of Peter Pan and Neverland.

All wanted blood. A more villainous-looking lot never hung in a row on Execution dock.

"Jesus," I whispered. The wind carried her voice. "I can hear her crying."

Theo spat on the ground.

"She's praying Shahada to Allah," he said.

Though it was a different tongue, mumbled and bloodied, hers was an unrestrained cry for help. It was tearing me up inside. So much so that I put my fingers in my ears. I couldn't bear it.

Theo pulled the handset from Viking's plate carrier and spoke calmly.

"Blackhawk Actual, Blackhawk Actual, this is Lost Boy Six-One- Break. We have sixteen, one-six, possible T-Man stoning a juvenile female- Break. Requesting permission to engage, how copy?"

Blackhawk responded by repeating Theo's transmission verbatim. "Solid copy on all. Interrogative, are the hostiles armed? Over."

I watched him grimace and heard him curse under his breath. "Here we freaking go. Have to protect the ROE," he said. He gritted his teeth before answering. "Blackhawk Actual, unknown at this time-Break. She won't last long. We need to be cleared to engage, over!" Theo grew angrier and lost patience with Battalion Command.

With each passing moment, they whipped more stones at the girl. I watched as they smashed into her head and face. The bad guys would rush the pit, launch their rocks, and hurry to find more. I needed to act.

"Blackhawk Actual to Lost Boy Six-One, negative. Do not engage. We restricted the ROE to armed targets or those with hostile intent, as per Battalion Command. How copy?"

"Blackhawk Actual, interrogative," Theo said. "Am I still to discriminate between combatant and noncombatant as per the rules of engagement? Break- and if so, are you advising me to stand down and disregard a human rights violation as a witness to this Honor Killing? Over." Theo challenged battalion's posture on the ROE.

There was quiet. However, it was short-lived.

"Lost Boy Six-One, proceed to your objective and don't interfere. Say again, Do Not Interfere-Maintain a hard posture. Only prosecute immediate threats- The ROE is solid. Continue tasking. Blackhawk Actual out."

Theo gritted his teeth. I could tell his mind was churning and I felt the rage building within him. I knew he had seen the face of war on three continents. He'd seen the wretchedness that often accompanies it. This girl, however, did something to him. So much so that he was about to ruin his career to save her.

The tension was insurmountable, at least for me. Red dropped his eyes. Chief switched his selector from safety to semi, and Doc sighed and kept shaking his head.

Viking smiled. "Shit's about to get tighter than a ninety-year-old nun," he said. "And let me tell you from experience, that's freaking tight."

It broke the tension we felt as Red, Chief, and I snickered and tried to turn away from Theo. I couldn't hold it back, so I covered my face with my hand, laughing into my glove.

Theo spat between his teeth and wiped clean his chin.

"I'm gonna smoke these guys," he said. His voice was tight, and his eyes flashed. He adjusted the rifle stock against his shoulder.

"This is beyond screwed up. I don't even know where to begin. Restricted rules of engagement?" He paused as he looked to the heavens for an answer. "This is just wrong. It's a freaking goat rope. I'm not about to sit by and watch this girl die because some broke-dick towel-head diplomat has a hard-on about not interfering with the politics of his country. At the same time, some shit-brick Senator ties our freaking hands because she wants to further her political career."

"They're messing with a sickness, Theo," I said. I let him know I was with him. "They're screwing with the wrong Marines."

"Oorah," he said. "Let's light 'em the fuck up."

He paused and looked for confirmation from the others. "Everyone okay with this?" All but Viking agreed by nodding.

"In the opinion of this Marine," said Viking," they should take one up the ass for making us deploy before Christmas."

Oh, my God. I couldn't help but smile. I watched Chief and Red drop their heads to hide their faces. Doc was stoic and motionless, and Theo rolled his neck, spat, and pointed to the pit.

"Red, suppress with the SAW," he said. "Force them inside to Kelly and me. Everyone else, call your contacts, and keep your heads on a swivel." He babbled, his tone concentrated. "Chief-Yeah, Chief. You and Viking take the rear. Doc, you got our six. Watch for reinforced T- Man or Al-Qaida elements. I'm sure they'd like nothing more than to make our day miserable."

I pulled the charging handle, racking a round into the receiver. The sounds of brass checking and magazines locking in place gave me a chill, goosebumps even. The team handled their rifles with precision. Chief checked his optic—Viking his dust cover, and Red cleared, loaded, and readied his SAW. I was prepared for the fight and willing to do what it took. This is what I trained for.

Theo looked over his shoulder, checking our readiness. Then, turning towards our targets, he gave the order to advance. "Let's make some money, Marines!"

He waved me forward to take the point. Theo was about five meters behind me and just inside my left shoulder. Red moved to the left, seven yards from Theo. Chief, Viking, and Doc took up positions from behind.

I looked through my optic again, trying to get a good-sight picture of my target. Unfortunately, the foliage still impeded my vision. I scanned and struggled for a better visual when my eyes met hers.

They pummeled and bloodied her. I could see the fear on her face. We had orders to abandon her and walk away. Yet, everything about her begged for a savior, someone to rescue her. The only question was how much more she could take? The sickness in my stomach turned to rage. All wanted blood. I readied myself to kill.

"We're oscar mike," said Theo.

"Let's go," I said. "We're on the move."

I was ready for this fight, and with a nod, I led the way. We glided out of the wood line. What we saw was gruesome. Near a small village was a group of women being dragged and kicked as they cried out. People were running from their huts to watch. I couldn't tell if they watched for sport or out of mourning. Another group of women dressed in black was on their knees just past the pit. They were watching silently.

"Oh, my God. They're next," I said.

Give the order, Theo, give it now.

The radio was going wild. Banger was trying to contact us. He knew there was no way we'd ignore this. "Lost Boy Six Actual to Lost Boy Six-One, RTB. Say again, Return to base!"

"Step on it," I said. Viking nodded, smiled, and blocked Banger's transmission by depressing the Push To Talk on the handset.

I moved, waited, and had a perfect sight picture. It was tense, the anxiety of waiting to engage, to get bloody. That's all I could think about. Then, when Chief yelled he had cleared the woods, it was on. We opened fire.

Splintered rocks flew, Red's SAW forcing T-Man towards the pit. A plume of pink mist mixed with the stirred moondust as we found our targets. Women began running in all directions, Taliban bodies dropping to the ground.

"Discriminate your targets!" Theo said.

I glided forward, firing, kneeling, and shot one T-man in the throat. I watched the blood spurt from his neck, his body jolting and falling to his back before disappearing beneath the ash and sand cloud.

There was screaming, death cries, and the awful sound of steel breaking bone and flesh. The speed and surprise of our assault overwhelmed them, leaving no avenue of escape. Unable to flee, we gunned them down two, three at a time. One T-man actually picked up a stone to throw at us. I found him in my sights, ready to put one center mass. But before I could pull the trigger, a trio of bursts ravaged his chest cavity. Chief, Viking, and Doc fired, dropping him into the pit.

For us, it was precision, calculated, and prosecuted with extreme prejudice. For them, it was bedlam, death, and a costly price for their savagery.

As abruptly as it began, it ended. I think I pulled the trigger four more times before Theo called for the cease-fire, not needing to repeat his order.

I heard the wind whistling across the ground, the dust swirling in the air.