by Clint Daniel

Created on: February 03, 2010

In the war on terrorism, including Afghanistan and Iraq, there has been many civilian casualities, but were those casualities really necessary. One of the main tactics of the insurgents is a guerilla manuever; wearing civilians clothes, to blend into the crowds of people around them. Often, while many on the streets may be a civilians, insurgents could dress causally, hiding weapons or explosives.

If an ambush is planned, the soldiers would have to do what was necessary, for it would seem anyone could be an enemy, unless they in some way signaled they were unarmed.

Guerilla tactics have been a common part of war even since the American Revolution, and the Americans hid in the forests and hills shooting at a range and staying hidden. The tactics of the terrorists are no different, except modernized and merciless.

Their plan is to sacrifice those around as well, to degrade the moral of the civilians and soldiers, in the hopes of eventually succeeding. Each time a civilian is sacrificed, it only reflects badly upon the terrorists themselves, for they care not even for their own. Any sacrifice is worth destroying America's soldiers will to go on.

Another devastating tactic of guerilla warfare is the use of children. Mothers, which support the terrorist's cause, may hand their children a grenade, causing constant distrust of not only men, but women and children as well.

This can mentally damage the soldiers, leaving them to continue their mission, but they will always feel the affects afterwards, throughout their lives. The after-affects leave the soldier in a state where civilians may be masked by the terrorist's fog of sacrfice. Once again, anything to destroy not on the soldier's body, but also, his mind.

While the soldiers feel the effects of the sacrifices, the terrorists use that momentum to try and gain an edge. It only perpetuates the cycle further, leaving more and more soldiers left to deal with their shattered minds. The accidental deaths are not only unavoidable, they are supported by the terrorists hoping to damage us further.

Mainly the guerilla tactics sacrifice others for the cause of the fighters, and this is how the terrorists cope with their own actions; they feel it is right for the other to sacrifice themselves, for he is sacrificing himself in the name of his "religion", it is only right for them to give themselves up as well.

This is why the terrorists have lasted, they are not afraid to die, and they are not afraid for others to die as well.

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