I thank Salmineo for the interesting comments on my post “Is It Fair To Blame The Marines Alone?“. Salmineo said: “(American) troops don’t receive ‘extensive’ training before entering armed conflict. We are talking humanity training. IMO none of the training a Marine receives changes his basic occupation as an assault troop.
“What’s happening is that they are using Assault troops as neighborhood foot patrols. The Army leg units are somewhat better suited for this than Marines.
“Sure you can use Marines but there has to be more than just urban warfare ‘how to assault a town without leveling it first’ type training. Marines are more edgy, higher strung, than an Army Infantry unit. However humanitarian training is good for all troops.
“My suggestion: Extensive International Committee of the Red Cross training DONE BY the ICRC at the unit level. Not just the ‘brush on brush off’ 30 minute indoc, but the real McCoy.”
Thank you Salmineo.
I am reminded of the fact that in ancient India the wars were fought strictly according to the established Rules of Engagement. The Kurukshetra war forms an essential component of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. According to various archaeological, astronomical and literary evidence, the Kurukshetra war took place around 3067 BCE in the modern day state of Haryana in India.
The rules of engagement:
The two supreme commanders met and framed “rules of ethical conduct”, dharmayuddha, for the war. The rules included:
* Fighting must begin no earlier than sunrise and end exactly at sunset.
* Multiple warriors may not attack a single warrior.
* Two warriors may “duel,” or engage in prolonged personal combat, only if they carry the same weapons and they are on the same mount (no mount, a horse, an elephant, or a chariot).
* No warrior may kill or injure a warrior who has surrendered.
* One who surrenders becomes a prisoner of war and a slave.
* No warrior may kill or injure an unarmed warrior.
* No warrior may kill or injure an unconscious warrior.
* No warrior may kill or injure a person or animal not taking part in the war.
* No warrior may kill or injure a warrior whose back is turned away.
* No warrior may attack a woman.
* No warrior may strike an animal not considered a direct threat.
* The rules specific to each weapon must be followed. For example, it is prohibited to strike below the waist in mace warfare.
* Warriors may not engage in any “unfair” warfare whatsoever.
And these rules were strictly adhered to. But what do we do when the opponent is a terrorist? However, I agree with Salmineo that Marines and other soldiers need to be given proper training so that they can handle the civilians in a humane manner.
Swaraaj Chauhan describes his two-decade-long stint as a full-time journalist as eventful, purposeful, and full of joy and excitement. In 1993 he could foresee a different work culture appearing on the horizon, and decided to devote full time to teaching journalism (also, partly, with a desire to give back to the community from where he had enriched himself so much.)
Alongside, he worked for about a year in 1993 for the US State Department’s SPAN magazine, a nearly five-decade-old art and culture monthly magazine promoting US-India relations. It gave him an excellent opportunity to learn about things American, plus the pleasure of playing tennis in the lavish American embassy compound in the heart of New Delhi.
In !995 he joined WWF-India as a full-time media and environment education consultant and worked there for five years travelling a great deal, including to Husum in Germany as a part of the international team to formulate WWF’s Eco-tourism policy.
He taught journalism to honors students in a college affiliated to the University of Delhi, as also at the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication where he lectured on “Development Journalism” to mid-career journalists/Information officers from the SAARC, African, East European and Latin American countries, for eight years.
In 2004 the BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) selected him as a Trainer/Mentor for India under a European Union project. In 2008/09 He completed another European Union-funded project for the BBC WST related to Disaster Management and media coverage in two eastern States in India — West Bengal and Orissa.
Last year, he spent a couple of months in Australia and enjoyed trekking, and also taught for a while at the University of South Australia.
Recently, he was appointed as a Member of the Board of Studies at Chitkara University in Chandigarh, a beautiful city in North India designed by the famous Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier. He also teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students there.
He loves trekking, especially in the hills, and never misses an opportunity to play a game of tennis. The Western and Indian classical music are always within his reach for instant relaxation.
And last, but not least, is his firm belief in the power of the positive thought to heal oneself and others.