Human Shields in Tikrit - How to Engage An Unthinkable Enemy with Johnny MF Glenn | Mike Drop 209

About this video

Johnny Glenn, a guest on the Mike Drop Podcast, recounts his combat experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, describing encounters with enemy fighters using human shields in Tikrit in 2004-2005. He shares a detailed story about shooting an enemy combatant and later finding a family photo on the body, which affected him years later, particularly after having his own daughter. Glenn discusses how his perspective on combat evolved over his career, moving from youthful bravado to deeper reflection on the human cost of war, and expresses frustration with the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan after multiple deployments.

Key takeaways

• Glenn describes how enemy combatants in Tikrit used women and children as human shields during firefights, and explains how his unit reported the tactic and adapted their rules of engagement with oversight from JAG and aerial surveillance
• Glenn recounts finding a family photo on a combatant he killed in 2004, which didn’t immediately affect him but later impacted him deeply after becoming a father, leading him to counsel younger soldiers about the gravity of taking human life
• Glenn expresses frustration with the Afghanistan withdrawal, arguing that strategically holding ground gained through combat was abandoned, and criticizes the destruction and abandonment of military equipment during the pullout

Episode details: published October 15, 2024 · 5.1K views · 13:22 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

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