NARN This Saturday

[Since we have the Fourth of July holiday coming up, I thought I'd provide a preview of this Saturday's Northern Alliance Radio Network show a bit earlier than usual.]

Seven-seven-aught seven promises to be an auspicious day in many respects. Numerology types consider it a lucky day and many weddings and other celebrations have been planned because of that. And of course, we have Al Gore's Climatechangepalooza, with concerts taking place on all seven continents (yes, even that obscure one called "Europe") to raise awareness of the impending doom that will result if the earth's average temperature gets 1.8 degrees warmer in the next fifty years. Advisories have already been issued predicting dangerous levels of smug over the cities hosting these concerts.

If you can break away from "partying for the planet" for a moment (I racked up a lot of planet partying offsets back in college and therefore can sit this one out) be sure to tune in to the Northern Alliance Radio Network from 11am-5pm. During the first hour of the action-packed "Power Libertas" show, we'll be talking about the over-heated rhetoric, hysteria, and hypocrisy of the climate change crowd. We may even have our own helpful tips on what you can do to save the planet.

At noon we'll be joined by Marcus Luttrell, author of "Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account Of Operation Redwing And The Lost Heroes Of Seal Team 10"



Luttrell's story--growing up a on a ranch in Texas, he and his twin brother BOTH becoming Navy SEALS, the moral quandary that he faced in Afghanistan, and his escape and survival--is an incredible one and it would make for a great movie. With studios green lighting crap like Talladega Nights and Hostel II, you would hope that someone would recognize the appeal of bringing the real life tale of a true American hero to the big screen. No, I'm not holding my breath.

One topic that Luttrell is quite passionate about is the Rules of Engagement (ROE) that the military operates under. He doesn't believe that the current ROE reflect the reality of fighting the type of enemy we're facing in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In today's Wall Street Journal, Lt. Col. David Bolgiano opines on that same topic in a piece called Deadly Double Standards (sub req):

Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in the middle of a deadly firefight, however, often have only a split second to make similar decisions against a determined, civilian-dressed enemy. And the immediate consequence of making the wrong decision can mean getting yourself or someone in your unit killed. It therefore is unconscionable to apply higher standards and expectations to a younger, less-experienced Marine than to a commander in an operations center far from the battlefield. This isn't to say commanders should face tighter legal standards, but rather a call for the same deference for a rifleman who learns only in hindsight that he may have killed civilians.

In civilian law-enforcement settings, the U.S. Supreme Court has consistently held that cops who exercise the use of deadly force in the line of duty can't be sued, still less prosecuted, for their actions so long as they acted reasonably under the circumstances. Bad results do not mean bad decisions. Police officers, unlike soldiers, are not forced to raise an affirmative defense of self-defense; rather, the government has the initial burden of proving that the police officer's actions were unreasonable. We should provide at least the same level of deference to our warriors making decisions in a combat zone that we do to cops patrolling the streets of America.

We should also protect our warriors from the caterwauling of those such as the Washington Post reporters who "broke" the Haditha story and from those in the military who are more concerned about maintaining an "appearance of propriety" than in killing our determined enemies. Neither the law nor decency allows for the willful killing of innocent civilians. There need to be, however, allowances for unintended and unfortunate consequences.

When it comes to applying the correct legal standard, those judging the actions of warriors in combat should recognize the tactical realities of an engagement. It may be legally and morally appropriate under certain circumstances to kill "unarmed" individuals, such as those actively acting as lookouts for the emplacement of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) or participating in the network of conspirators building such devices. In a recent Time magazine article a jihadist named Abdallah is quoted saying: "They are not going to defeat me with technology. If they want to get rid of IEDs, they have to kill me and everyone like me." Our young Marines are able and willing to make that happen, if only our leaders will display the moral courage to allow them to do so without fear of prosecution.

A sentiment that Marcus Luttrell would no doubt echo. We'll learn much more about his views on ROE and his amazing story this Saturday on the NARN.

The fun starts at 11am and doesn't end until 5pm after Michael and King have the Final Word. Tune in locally on AM1280 WWTC or listen live on the internet stream from anywhere and everywhere. Don't you dare miss it.