The rules of engagement have changed

By Heather Hare

March 11, 2002

Most of us young people know little about war. We studied it in school, memorized the dates of D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge and the bombing of Hiroshima. Some of us may have remembered it after the test. But even with all that background, we don't truly understand much of what's happening in Afghanistan today. Even those of us who have fought before may not understand. This is different from any other war our country has waged.

While in school, I studied the basics of World War I and World War II. But as interesting as it was, it was history to me. It isn't something I can understand in any real depth.

My grandfathers, who both fought in World War II, died before I was born. I know almost nothing of their experiences. What little personal experience I've encountered came from Tom Brokaw's books on the "greatest generation" -- not exactly the best place to look for help in understanding what's going on in Afghanistan today.

My parents and uncles don't talk about the Vietnam War. The only thing I know about it is my family's vague political position on it. I was in high school during the Operation Desert Storm, but I have only a very superficial understanding of that war.

Even with that little knowledge, I know this war is much different.

A week ago, when seven of our servicemen died in a firefight after their helicopter crash-landed in the rugged terrain of eastern Afghanistan, we were horrified. It was the deadliest day of the war so far (at least on the American side). We were shocked by accounts of Navy Seal Neil Roberts' brutal murder at the hands of al-Qaida fighters.

But why are we shocked and horrified? This is a war, after all. And our military forces are surely committing acts just as brutal, even if we don't hear specifics about them. Describing the retaliation for the seven deaths, the operation commander said U.S. forces "body-slammed" the al-Qaida fighters and "killed hundreds of those guys."

If President Bush is right, this will be a long war that won't be isolated in Afghanistan. We will fight terrorists worldwide. Roberts' brutal death won't be the last one on the U.S. side. Many more people in our military will die before this is over. And if Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl's murder is any indication, more civilian Americans will die, too. Maybe even on our own land. That possibility is something we can't dismiss today, six months after the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C.

A friend in New York City told me he is waiting for the other shoe to drop, waiting for the next attack. Even with all the protection and security checks the city is undergoing, he thinks some other horrible attack could occur in the city again.

It won't be from the sky this time. He said he worries that terrorists will strap bombs to their bellies and walk into busy McDonald's filled with business people ordering Big Macs to go and children whining for the latest plastic-wrapped toy surprise in their Happy Meal.

How do we fight an enemy like that, one that doesn't somewhat-predictably fire on uniformed soldiers from holdouts in Afghanistan? Will New York become another Jerusalem? Will Washington become another Belfast? Not likely, but for several years and throughout this war, we need to listen to our government's warnings of possible terrorist attacks.

As civilians, we don't really know how this war will be fought on either side because so much is either unknown or shrouded in secrecy. We have a lot to learn about this kind of fighting. We learned a lot very quickly and very painfully Sept. 11, but that is only the beginning of what we need to know.