General Discussion

arcane1

(38,613 posts) Thu Jun 19, 2014, 07:02 PM Jun 2014

Stupid question: What's the difference between "combat" and "targeted and precise military action?"

Does the latter mean long-distance actions like missiles, drones, etc, that don't involve ground troops?

11 replies

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Stupid question: What's the difference between "combat" and "targeted and precise military action?" (Original Post) arcane1 Jun 2014 OP

i think its when we pretend that if we bomb people from far away, it's not war La Lioness Priyanka Jun 2014 #1

Agreed. I think that's the impression "targeted and precise" is meant to convey n/t arcane1 Jun 2014 #4

Someone shooting back at you Boom Sound 416 Jun 2014 #2

PR FiveGoodMen Jun 2014 #3

Propaganda. Messaging. Framing. Both kill. morningfog Jun 2014 #5

No. Precise military action is more targeted - like the BinLaden mission. blm Jun 2014 #6

depends on what concerns you bigtree Jun 2014 #7

Kinda like the difference between mangled bodies and "collateral damage". Or, tomayto and tomawto. Tierra_y_Libertad Jun 2014 #8

Combat is what they do to us. KamaAina Jun 2014 #9

"Guys in the back of pick up trucks" trof Jun 2014 #10

not much when you're digging your loved ones from out beneath the rubble frylock Jun 2014 #11

La Lioness Priyanka

(53,866 posts)

1. i think its when we pretend that if we bomb people from far away, it's not war

Reply to arcane1 (Original post)

Thu Jun 19, 2014, 07:04 PM

Jun 2014

ground troops = combat. precise military action = drones.

arcane1

(38,613 posts)

4. Agreed. I think that's the impression "targeted and precise" is meant to convey n/t

Reply to La Lioness Priyanka (Reply #1)

Thu Jun 19, 2014, 07:10 PM

Jun 2014

Boom Sound 416

(4,185 posts)

2. Someone shooting back at you

Reply to arcane1 (Original post)

Thu Jun 19, 2014, 07:08 PM

Jun 2014

FiveGoodMen

(20,018 posts)

3. PR

Reply to arcane1 (Original post)

Thu Jun 19, 2014, 07:09 PM

Jun 2014

That's my guess.

morningfog

(18,115 posts)

5. Propaganda. Messaging. Framing. Both kill.

Reply to arcane1 (Original post)

Thu Jun 19, 2014, 07:11 PM

Jun 2014

blm

(113,038 posts)

6. No. Precise military action is more targeted - like the BinLaden mission.

Reply to arcane1 (Original post)

Thu Jun 19, 2014, 07:15 PM

Jun 2014

It means highly trained special ops going after specific targets instead of widespread carpet-bombing and sweeps of entire areas ala Bush.

bigtree

(85,984 posts)

7. depends on what concerns you

Reply to arcane1 (Original post)

Thu Jun 19, 2014, 07:15 PM

Jun 2014

. . .if your main concern is keeping U.S. troops out of the line of fire, then you'll go for airstrikes, or the targeted/ precise option.

If your concern is for Iraqis in general ending up in the way of the airstrikes, then there really isn't any difference, at all, not even if we're talking advisers who help them target other Iraqi positions.