Navy SEAL raid in Somalia shows campaign ahead
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Navy SEAL operation that freed two Western hostages in Somalia is representative of the Obama administration’s pledge to build a smaller, more agile military force that can carry out surgical counterterrorist strikes to cripple an enemy.
That’s a strategy much preferred to the land invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan that have cost so much American blood and treasure over the past decade. The contrast to a full-bore invasion is stark: A small, daring team storms a pirate encampment on a near-moonless night, kills nine kidnappers and whisks the hostages to safety.
Special operations forces, trained for such clandestine missions, have become a more prominent tool in the military’s kit since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that led to the ongoing war in Afghanistan. The administration is expected to announce Thursday that it will invest even more heavily in that capability in coming years.
The SEAL Team 6 raid in Somalia, which followed last May’s operation that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, has political dimensions in an election year.
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Navy SEAL raid in Somalia shows campaign ahead
A “smaller, more agile military force that can carry out surgical counterterrorist strikes to cripple an enemy” sounds like a wonderful concept to me, and I am all for a new plan, one that could negate the use of a massive land army such as we saw in Iraq, especially given the outcome of those actions in Iraq thus far.
But what happens when we actually need that massive land army, and need it in a hurry?
We don’t have a draft, we have an all volunteer force, and in the event of the need to field a large fighting force in a hurry, what is the solution to that? Call up the National Guard and set them in place?
I am not privy to the numbers at this present time but I do know that during the time of the BIG operations in Iraq, the Army National Guard was doing a large percentage of the work. I suppose that is a viable consideration.
And not to denigrate to work of our U.S. Navy SEALs and Army Spec-Ops in any way, but suppose they were to run into a fighting force, not of superior quality, but of superior numbers, and were to find themselves in a situation much like the one the combined task force suffered in 1993 in the Battle of Mogadishu?
Can you imagine how the media would react today? Given this next paragraph, I know I can, and this paragraph is real, from the original story.
The SEAL Team 6 raid in Somalia, which followed last May’s operation that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, has political dimensions in an election year.
It’s all about the political winds and the direction they are blowing. And it’s about the guts that an American President has when it comes to aggressive combat operations.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t believe Obama has any more military leadership skills than did Bill Clinton. What I do believe is this; so far, Obama has been damned lucky in his military endeavors, that is, IF we are being told the truth by the Dept. Of Defense.
Regarding the mission to Somalia in 1993.
The mission in Somalia was seen by many as a failure. The Clinton administration in particular endured considerable criticism for the outcome of the operation. The main elements of the criticism surround the administration’s decision to leave the region before completing the humanitarian and security objectives of the operation, as well as the perceived failure to recognize the threat Al-Qaida elements posed in the region as well as threat against United States security interests at home. Critics claim that Osama bin Laden and other members of Al-Qaida provided support and training to Mohammed Farrah Aidid forces. Osama bin Laden even denigrated the administration’s decision to prematurely depart the region stating that it displayed “the weakness, feebleness and cowardliness of the US soldier”.
The loss of American military personnel during the Black Hawk Down operation evoked public outcry. Television images of American soldiers being dragged through the streets by Somalis were too graphic for the American public to endure. The Clinton Administration responded by scaling down US humanitarian efforts in the region.
On September 26, 2006, in an interview on Fox News with Chris Wallace, former President Bill Clinton gave his version of events surrounding the mission in Somalia. Clinton defended his exit strategy for US forces and denied that the departure was premature. He said conservative Republicans had pushed him to leave the region before the objectives of the operation could be achieved: “…[Conservative Republicans] were all trying to get me to withdraw from Somalia in 1993 the next day after we were involved in ‘Black Hawk down,’ and I refused to do it and stayed six months and had an orderly transfer to the United Nations.” SOURCE
These last few months have seen Barack Hussein Obama use military special forces almost as if he were trying to win favor with the American public and voters … wait.
Politics of defense cuts: emphasize the positive
As I said, it’s ALWAYS about the politics. Always.
Were this not an election year, they would be left to die in that shithole.
All well and good. And I don’t deny that SEALs are amongst the bravest. But what is the point where you draw the line as “do good” individuals walk into your Mark I, Model I Shithole Country knowing full well the place is rife with violence, death, rape, corruption? Placing their own lives in jeopardy is, in my opinion, different from that of placing highly trained and highly skilled military operatives in jeopardy because — in a nutshell — some people are naive.
BZ
BZ, we both ate dirt in places best described as a shithole. What really pisses me off too no end is this jerk using our sons, and daughters, as a damned tool to get elected! I hold the same attitude toward the Paultards using twisted poll results showing that our combat veterans are fully behind his lame agenda.
I am looking at once again holding my nose and pulling the lever for the Newt…
Me too, for the same reasons Patrick. Just wish we could ship the Obama’s to some socialist shithole after we RETIRE him from the office that has been disgraced for 4 yrs. Well stated.
Obama is trying to win votes using the bravery of our military. Why risk a portion of a SEAL team for two individuals of no significance that shouldn’t have been in Somalia in the first place?
Exactly. SEALs should be used to take out important targets, or to rescue VIPs, these folks were NOT VIPs and I am understanding that they were in Somalia by choice.
If the SEALs are going to save people that have made a bad choice, why then were they not there during my last divorce? 😕
I will beg to differ. No insult intended though.
These half assed dictators of their small ponds need to know that at any time the American Military will stand up and defend Americans anywhere, any place, and at any time. And screw the damned U.N.
Even stupid dumb Americans…
OK… can’t we let these worthless countries clean up the gene pool at least??? OK, nevermind…. just me being evil again.
Obama’s cell phone fell down the toilet. Call SEAL Team 6.
BZ
Obama will leave our spec forces to fend for themselves, just like Clinton did in Central and South America, when it is politically favorable for him to do it.
I do not know anything about Obama that I would trust in.
He has sealed himself.
Therefore … I would not even trust him to oversee a lemonade stand.
That is just one reason why I truly fear every time a non-combat Veteran runs, or is elected to any meaningful position…
I would rather have an honest felon running things than a half assed gutless wannabee!
Obama is destroying our military by reducing its budget, reducing its forces. But he wants the military to:
1. Do his dirty work.
2. Vote for him.
I pray that he is defeated soundly otherwise we will have no military, no guns, and no liberty.
From your lips to God’s ears
Katie - We will have our guns and our liberty one way or another. Bet on it.
This is all purely about politics, and it’s as plain as his damned Vulcan ears. I know well that times are tight, but, we need to be beefing up our military not scaling back.
Hell, we need another two divisions of Marines as well as Navy support units that would make use of them. We need Army Rangers built up to the point where every division commander has at minimum a full battalion on hand. Whats that saying among the Zoomies? It might not be your fathers Air Force but it probably is his plane..?
As far as build up our Spec Ops? There is a reason that there are not a whole lot of PJ’s, SEALS, MARINE Special Operations Capable Units, Army Rangers, or Army Special Forces. The programs are as tough as can be and the washout rate is very high, period.
In speaking with my son I have learned that there is a movement afoot in the military to train those that did show promise up to par but at a slower rate. I’m not so sure that this would really bring the troops up to specs, so to speak. That stress is integral to training an operator into a first class Warrior.
We need basic bad asses for small unit work, desperately in fact. But you will NEVER (caps intended) win a full blown war without basic military units. That’s just the way it is folks.
That is also probably the biggest reason that we, the people of the United States of America need to send the current POTUS to the unemployment line.
Using our military to further the political and economic security of the nation is all well and good in my book. Using our sons, and now daughters (spits) lives to get reelected is just plain immoral.
Very rarely in the past have we heard what our Special Forces were doing or what they were involved in. Now, we hear it all the time. It seems like SEAL Team Six, DEVGRU, is in the news all the time. Nobody knew where these men operated out of but now we do. I have a good friend, formal Naval Officer who worked with SEAL’s closely and he says the “old guys” aren’t happy about it at all. I guess transparency meant outing our Special Forces
Outing our Special Forces is the ONLY TRANSPARENCY with this administration!
By outing our Special Forces it will be easier to kill them and their families. Another reason to oust Obama.
There was a time BobF, when you couldn’t even have a public picture taken. Hell, the class photos of Ranger School Grads are even doctored up. This is basic OPSEC damn it!
It will be only a matter of time until Obama parades them out for a medal. Then they and their families will be marked for life.
I’m for “outing Obama” from office by fitting him with an orange jumpsuit and leg irons as is fitting for a lawbreaker and traitor to our Republic. Won’t happen, but it should.