Medal of Courageous Restraint: Will they be eligible?

Ruth King sent along this AP report featured at NRO:

FORWARD OPERATING BASE RAMROD, Afghanistan – NATO commanders are weighing a new way to reduce civilian casualties in Afghanistan: recognizing soldiers for “courageous restraint” if they avoid using force that could endanger innocent lives.

The concept comes as the coalition continues to struggle with the problem of civilian casualties despite repeated warnings from the top NATO commander, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, that the war effort hinges on the ability to protect the population and win support away from the Taliban.

Those who back the idea hope it will provide soldiers with another incentive to think twice before calling in an airstrike or firing at an approaching vehicle if civilians could be at risk.

Most military awards in the past have been given for things like soldiers taking out a machine gun nest or saving their buddies in a firefight, said Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Hall, the senior NATO enlisted man in Afghanistan.

“We are now considering how we look at awards differently,” he said.

NRO's comment: "This doesn't sound good. Any military readers care to weigh in?"

Of course, the military is floating this medal in the first place. But no American should require expert advice to judge this one. The proposed medal of courageous restraint is a deep and multilayered disgrace -- the perfect emblem of the Bush-Petraeus-Kilcullen-Obama-Mullen-McChrystal war to win Muslim hearts and minds.

Update: Meanwhile, where are the Purple Hearts for the jihad-war dead at Ft Hood and the Little Rock recruiting station?