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It was like the aerial parkour in GTA5.
The reconnaissance squad would rest at each waypoint along the route; that meant the mission had completed that step, and the command center would then cross that waypoint off the list.
From the first all the way to the fourth waypoint, covering them all signified the end of the "aerial parkour."
Observation Point One was the reconnaissance squad's final stealth surveillance position. The designation "One" implied it was the best—offering the most advantages in every respect for this reconnaissance.
There were also Observation Point Two and even Three, serving as backups for Point One.
Once the reconnaissance squad passed the observation points and confirmed that the assassination target Shah was indeed inside the village, a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) would be dispatched to carry out the strike.
The strike operation was codenamed "Rick James."
This QRF, composed of U.S. Marine Corps and Rangers, would immediately board helicopters and head straight for Kataku Village.
With fierce firepower and elite troops, combined with bomber airstrikes at the opening, the operation would be a joint air-ground assault, wiping out Shah and his Mountain Tiger armed group altogether.
Confirm first with reconnaissance, then launch the annihilation strike—that was the core of the operation briefing.
After X finished outlining the mission route, the briefing meeting ended.
Next, Long Zhan, Murphy, the two commanders of the QRF squadron, and the chief commander, a major, along with other key personnel, moved to a secret conference room.
The upgraded pre-operation meeting would be held there, detailing the operation to the core staff.
Compared to the operation briefing, which only roughly went over the procedure, the pre-operation meeting was a real meeting—covering detailed deployment and the plan of action.
In the center of the room was a 2-meter by 2-meter map, where the chief commander personally explained the detailed mission plan.
"Operation will commence tonight at 1800 hours. Two Chinooks and two Apaches will arrive at the designated landing zone and deploy the five-man reconnaissance squad here."
The major held two Chinook models in his left hand and two Apache models in his right, illustrating the helicopter formation. The four helicopters would hover briefly about 2 kilometers outside the western perimeter of Asadabad Village, then continue moving forward.
"Then the helicopter formation will continue, flying for 30 minutes to reach Jebad Base.
There, a Quick Reaction Force composed of a dozen Marines and a dozen Rangers will remain on high alert throughout the night.
Once the confirmation code 'Schlitz Malt' is received, the second phase of the operation will begin immediately.
The QRF will remain on standby at Jebad Base, with the Apaches and the base's Black Hawks staying with them. The two Chinooks will return to Bagram for standby.
Once the reconnaissance squad confirms Shah's location, the second phase officially starts, code-named 'Rick James.'
Bagram will be ready at all times to provide support. The QRF will use Black Hawks and Apaches as the main assault force, cooperating with bombers to eliminate Shah and Tariq. That will conclude the mission."
After explaining the detailed process of the mission, the major emphasized:
"Gentlemen, please strictly adhere to the Rules of Engagement. The U.S. military always complies with the laws of armed conflict.
Anyone not carrying weapons is presumed a civilian and must not be targeted proactively.
Deadly force may only be used if attacked first or if the target is confirmed armed, to stop or counter the threat.
I don't want anyone returning home after the mission to face military court."
The Rules of Engagement were an old, often-repeated subject; everyone present had heard them dozens if not hundreds of times, to the point their ears could grow callouses.
Yet before every operation, they were repeated once more.
The reason for this heavy emphasis was not because American soldiers genuinely cared so much about the laws of war or had suddenly developed saintly hearts.
The truth was, they had no choice.
The U.S. entered Afghanistan as a savior, now helping Afghans rebuild their government and needing the support of local powerful tribal factions to quickly stabilize the current situation.
Within this unique political atmosphere, the U.S. government had to closely cooperate with the Afghan government, jointly forming various departments and units.
The U.S. military was no exception, spawning many unusual groups.
Among the most unusual were a group known as "BSOs."
BSOs—Battlefield Shapers—severely restricted American military actions in Afghanistan, causing headaches for commanders and soldiers alike, yet they had to be formally dealt with because of these Afghan individuals.
Their task was to oversee the battlefield.
They supervised the U.S. military's actions in Afghanistan.
For any military operation launched by the U.S., BSOs—assembled by influential Afghan elders—would inspect the site afterward.
They confirmed that no Afghan civilians were killed and that the U.S. forces had not used inhumane methods.
They checked that only Taliban militants had been targeted.
If civilians were injured or killed during the operation, these Afghan elders, generally over fifty years old, would immediately report to the Afghan government.
The Afghan government, seeking to win hearts and stabilize the unrest to quickly establish a native regime, needed the support of these tribal elders.
They would protest to the U.S. government.
American politicians only wanted a stable Afghanistan; only once stable could they extract wealth from the country.
Whether American soldiers lived comfortably or the operations became more dangerous—they simply didn't care, or rather, they didn't care at all.
The Afghan government's protests would filter down through layers and eventually fall on the lower-level troops.
If soldiers were proven to have killed civilians, to stop further complaints from the Afghan government, lower-ranking soldiers would hardly escape punishment.
Even the commanders responsible for the mission could be implicated.
Every year, some American soldiers were sent home from overseas deployments and quietly reported in the media. The real numbers, however, were at least ten times higher than reported.
Over time,
The officers and soldiers executing missions at the grassroots level had no choice but to shackled themselves with restrictions, carrying out the orders handed down by the U.S. government.
The three Shepherds in Operation Redwing dared not kill because of the presence of BSOs.
Online keyboard warriors said it so lightly, claiming "Just kill them and it's done," calling the soldiers idiots for not knowing better, saying that leaving a few troublemakers alive was just asking for trouble and deserved whatever happened.
But was that really the case?
Were the elite SEAL Team operators really dumber than some keyboard warrior?
Of course not!
The real reason was practical and brutal.
Killing three civilians was already a massacre. Even if the U.S. government's power ensured they wouldn't face a military tribunal, dismissal from the military was inevitable.
Dismissal meant losing scholarships, reemployment subsidies, pensions, and everything else.
The guarantees for the rest of their lives would all slip away.
Most importantly, civilian human rights activism in the U.S. was rampant, with protests popping up everywhere daily. Massacring civilians was the ultimate taboo.
Soldiers guilty of massacring civilians, even if they avoided prison, would effectively have their lives ruined after returning to society.
They would be trapped in a bottomless pit, utterly ruined and nearly impossible to climb out of.
No organization or company would hire them; even if one dared to, they would face massive backlash from human rights groups.
The company could not withstand such pressure and would inevitably have to fire them.
Unemployed in America's capitalist society meant you simply could not survive.
The final result would be inability to pay off credit cards, forced personal bankruptcy, and all the assets accumulated over the first half of their lives would be liquidated.
Forget houses, cars—even their underwear would be confiscated and auctioned off by the courts.
With no personal credit, not even a dishwashing job would be available. They'd be forced onto the streets, living among underpasses, rats, and cockroaches.
The vast majority of veterans, driven to desperation, would end up using the killing skills learned in the military to walk the path of crime.
Such punishment was overwhelming—no sane person could bear it.
What is true social death?
This is it.
Under almost no circumstances would anyone dare to touch this taboo.
The four-man squad in Operation Redwing fell victim to this very reality.
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