Suicide bombers prepare their bombs somewhere. People know where. Have we developed sufficient local intelligence capability? When a suicide bomber blows his vehicle, does any counter bomber team dig deep for the source of the bomber or his truck or car? Do we pay for good intelligence?

When warning shots are fired to stop incoming vehicles, has anyone ever questioned the fact that motor noise within the vehicle and other sounds often make it impossible for the driver to hear a shot. Why not fire flares or some visible markers that would make the vehicle operator realize he must stop? Even concussion rifle grenades might be less lethal than killing everyone with an RPG shaped charge or heavy caliber machine gun?

Why, when we know the enemy uses roadside IED's (Improvised Explosive Devices) on commonly traveled roads, do we not travel off road whenever possible? Why in towns or cities would we stop a convoy in the city and talk to the locals, thus exposing ourselves to attack? Where are our spy-in-the-sky spotters to monitor and inform our military of IEDs being dug in along the roadsides? Where are our patrols or combat teams to take care of these enemy IED teams, especially at night? Why do we hide in buildings or return to base at night when the enemy is active in the area?

The Canadian army recently had three soldiers killed at 12:30 AM who were "holed up in a schoolhouse on the outskirts of a town in a Taliban infested area." A fourth soldier in the room opened the door to look outside. An RPG flew past him, through the door, burning his arm as it went by, hitting the opposite wall, exploding and killing his buddies.

Who taught these guys? They broke every rule in the book by being in the house in the first place, in enemy territory. They did not dig in near the school and stay outside. They did not set up a defensive position and they had no sentries out. Did they have a light in the room when they opened the door; it wouldn't surprise one would it?

In Iraq, there have been any number of suicide bombs set off, killing dozens of policemen either lining up for their paychecks or applicants for the military or police lining up to join up. The same goes for lineups of any kind. Why, please, is no lesson learned from this?

To the average citizen it seems as if these unnecessary deaths could be avoided by simply changing the procedures. Pay inside the buildings. Spread payments over the day by alphabet. Bring in recruits at different times and days to spread the numbers into smaller groups. Recruit inside the building or compound. Why do we keep allowing these mistakes to occur?

Groups are targets, tanks are targets, and armored vehicles are targets. Knowing this, why do we not have helicopter outriders' overhead at all times when there are movements in column?

Finally, it is appropriate to ask why; when giving candy to children or supplies to civilians do we relax our guard and conduct such an operation without adequate security for our soldiers and the children? Our armies are in countries where we cannot tell friend from foe. Does that not demand security of behaviour wherever we go and at all times? Again, we recently paid a terrible price for this basic error. Time and time again we let our guard down and disaster strikes. Why?

Seems hopeless doesn’t it?

I am beginning to think what we need in Baghdad/Iraq is not so much traditional boots on the ground military as SWAT Teams.