Surrender or be shot in the face, senior US soldier tells IS

Image
AFP Washington
Last Updated : Jan 12 2018 | 5:20 AM IST
US troops and their allies will shoot Islamic State jihadists in the face, beat them to death with shovels or drop bombs on them if they don't surrender, the US military's most senior enlisted member has said.
In an eyebrow-raising set of postings on social media on Tuesday, Command Sergeant Major John Troxell warned that IS members who refuse to quit will be dispatched with "extreme prejudice," including via a small shovel known as an entrenching tool.
"If they surrender, we will safeguard them to their detainee facility cell, provide them chow, a cot and due process," Troxell wrote on Facebook.
"HOWEVER, if they choose not to surrender, then we will kill them with extreme prejudice, whether that be through security force assistance, by dropping bombs on them, shooting them in the face, or beating them to death with our entrenching tools," he added.
The post featured a photo of a US soldier holding a shovel and, in case anyone was in any doubt about to slay a man with a small spade, Troxell posted a diagram on Facebook on Wednesday explaining exactly how to do so.
Troxell's chest-thumping remarks quickly attracted a slew of commentary, mostly supportive.
One detractor said on Twitter the message was "bad optics."
"No, that's exactly the message that soldier(s) need and love to hear," another user responded.
Troxell's blunt language comes amid a toughening of rhetoric against IS under President Donald Trump and Defence Secretary Jim Mattis.
Where then-President Barack Obama said "we will degrade and ultimately destroy" IS, Mattis has espoused a campaign of "annihilation.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jan 12 2018 | 5:20 AM IST

Next Story