The Categorization of Conflict

The UN forces in Bosnia had called it "celebratory fire."The Implementation Force (IFOR) commanders renamed it "indisciplined fire."The men of the 1st Armored Division called it "a bad thing."Uncertain of the welcome of Croat, Serb, or Muslim factions in the tense, initial days of Operation Joint Endeavor, the "Iron Soldiers" of the 1st Armored did not appreciate Kalishnikovs shattering the air in commemoration of Ramadan, the Serbian Orthodox New Year, or the whim of indisciplined celebrators.On 21 January 1996, an AK-47 let loose near a US dismounted patrol in the Zone of Separation.As rounds ripped through the troop formation of D Company, 3d Battalion, 5th Cavalry, the soldiers realized that this fire was not celebratory and instinctively sought cover.Tumbling behind the protection of their overwatching M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, the patrol chambered rounds and brought their weapons off safe.The rules of engagement were to "use only the minimum force necessary to defend yourself."But they also authorized deadly return of fire: "You may open fire against an individual who fires or aims his weapon at you, friendly forces, or persons with designated special status under your protection."The distraction of AK-47 rounds slamming off the side of the Bradley may have added microseconds to the decision process.But in microseconds this post-Cold War engagement was over.The attacker was an elderly, intoxicated civilian.Local residents rushed out of their homes and wrestled him to the ground.They were thoroughly apologetic for their inebriated neighbor.The patrol disarmed him, detained him, and turned him over to local police authorities.D Company, 3-5 Cav, then continued its reconnaissance into the New World Order.That night at our mess table in Tuzla Base, we relentlessly dissected the day's incident.We felt no shame in this, for as members of the Combined Arms Assessment Team, second-guessing was our job.[

Categorization · Criminology · Epistemology · International conflict · Political science · Politics · Global Peace and Security Dynamics · Law · Philosophy · Psychology

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  John R Galvin•The US Army War College Quarterly…•1986

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