Wraps come off special operations Afghan war plan
WASHINGTON (AP) - Adm. Bill McRaven, the head of U.S. special operations, is mapping out a potential Afghanistan war plan that would replace thousands of U.S. troops with small special operations teams paired with Afghans to help an inexperienced Afghan force withstand a Taliban onslaught as U.S. troops withdraw.
While the overall campaign would still be led by conventional military, the handfuls of special operators would become the leading force to help Afghans secure the large tracts of territory won in more than a decade of U.S. combat. They would give the Afghans practical advice on how to repel attacks, intelligence to help spot the enemy and communications to help call for U.S. air support if overwhelmed by a superior force.
If approved by the administration, the pared-down structure could become the enduring force that Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak indicated Tuesday at the Pentagon that his country needs, possibly long after the U.S. drawdown date of 2014.
McRaven’s proposal amounts to a slimmed-down counterinsurgency strategy aimed at protecting the Afghan population as well as hunting the Taliban and al-Qaida. It’s not the counterterrorist plan advanced by Vice President Joe Biden, which would leave Afghan forces to fend for themselves while keeping U.S. special operators in protected bases from which they could hunt terrorists with minimum risk, according to a senior special operations official reached this week.
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Wraps come off special operations Afghan war plan
Why did we go to Afghanistan? Was it for some BS slogan like *Operation Afghan Freedom*? No, we went to Afghanistan to exact revenge on the Taliban and Osama bin Laden for the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
OK, lets take stock here:
1. We kicked the Taliban a new ass, right up until the time that George W. Bush decided it was a good thing to traipse off to Iraq and play kick the dictator with Saddam Hussein, thus that REAL catchy phrase, Operation Iraqi Freedom.
2. We’re several years down the road and finally, Osama bin Laden is dead, or, he is at the very least, assumed to be dead.
Wouldn’t that truly be MISSION ACCOMPLISHED? Wasn’t that the major goals we had in mind going in to Afghanistan?
So, one of you great military strategists tell me again; WHY are we still in Afghanistan?
To combat the Taliban and al-Qaida is NOT the correct answer either. If that were the case, if we really were taking it to the Taliban and al-Qaida, we’d have something going on that looked like a WAR.
What we have in Afghanistan now is a *cluster*, and troops that are being forced to fight with their hands tied behind their backs, forced to fight under the most ridiculous Rules of Engagement our troops have ever faced. So, don’t even TRY to tell me it’s all about the *battle* and the freedom of the Afghans, or about the safety of America.
If it was about the safety of America we’d be kicking Islamic Jihadists asses right here in America, or we’d be securing our borders and protecting this nation as we should.
Thousands of U.S. troops could remain in harm’s way well after the end of combat operations in 2014, tasked with helping Afghans protect territory won by U.S. forces.
My Arabic is a bit rusty, help me out here, does the word Afghanistan somehow translate to Vietnam in some other language? 😕
I’ll let you think about that one for a bit.
The special operations proposal was sketched out at special operations headquarters in Tampa, Fla., in mid-February, with Central Command’s Gen. James Mattis and overall Afghanistan war commander Gen. John Allen taking part, according to several high-level special operations officials and other U.S. officials involved in the war planning. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the proposal has not yet been presented to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta or the White House.
Here we go with that spoke on condition of anonymity thing again.
You know, I remember a time when Top Secret and Op/Sec actually meant something. Now a days all it means is ‘OK guys, I have the story, and I’ll give you the scoop on it too, but whatever you do, don’t use MY name…‘ and I seem to remember a time when people that did such could actually be stood against a wall and shot for treason.
Ah … the good old days.
“This is the least bad option,” said retired Marine Col. T.X. Hammes, senior fellow at the National Defense University and longtime critic of the U.S. counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan. “It’s probably the smartest thing we could do to keep the Afghan government functioning long enough to safely withdraw.”
And that may be the only reason to do anything FOR Afghanistan, do it just long enough to get OUR guys out. Once they are out we then use satellite Intel and aerial reconnaissance to keep up on what’s going on and IF a viable threat to THIS nation rears its ugly head, bomb the holy crap out of it.
You can read the rest of this nonsensical BS from the Dept. of Defense if you like, it’s mostly doublespeak and gobbledygook. The DoD and CIA are really good at that, and all the while Spec/Ops guys will be hanging out in remote areas, surrounded by large numbers of enemy forces while trying to train a bunch of Afghan warriors that will shot them in the back of the head at the earliest opportunity.
Hell of a way to fight a war. I know our troops are really appreciating us for it too.
Aw, you sound bitter Fred…
I’m joshing you (sorry Josh). You’re exactly right. We shouldn’t be in Afghanistan any more. We should be cleaning our own house here, securing our borders, and putting the Islamic community on notice that they have a right to practice their religion, but radical Islamic ideas will not be tolerated the least bit.
I’m sick of us bending over backwards and kissing cry babies asses, and I’m especially sick of our government sending in our troops to fight, then having the audacity to try and tell them how they should do it. Would you tell a roofer how to replace your roof?
Would you tell a plumber how to fix your pipes? would you tell a surgeon how to remove your gall bladder? The answer to these is ‘no’ because they are professionals and we trust them to do their job correctly, or we wouldn’t have hired them. War is ugly, and the most violent act a nation can contract.
However, at times it is necessary, and when it is let the troops do their job the way they have been trained.
As usual your your right on the mark Fred, but what do you expect from a white house full of idiots that want to snatch our guns and don’t know what the butt end of a rifle look like….these basket full circle-jerkers would not have a clue how to prosecute a war; however down the winding road we go headed down the same path as we did in Viet Nam when we had to call in to get permission to squeeze off a fu*king round. We have a wall full of hero’s because of that philosophy too.
Yet this SOB that OCCUPYS the white house will do what it takes to embarrass the USA and find a way to help the enemy, I.E. Open mic with Russian President. If he will do that he will do anything, the only legal recourse we have is to boot his communist ass out of office in November and start over.
Good Post old man
Fred, as always, you’re right on the money
That’s the first thing I thought of when I read our men will be paired with Afghans; watch your back.
By diverting forces and going into Iraq, we’ve allowed the Taliban to regroup and rearm. Now, we’re in the same predicament as the Soviets were and look what happened to them and they weren’t under the ROE’s our troops are hamstrung with.
A military operation hasn’t even been presented to the SecDef or President and already it’s in the news and our enemies know of it. Someone needs to be tried for treason and I wouldn’t be against waterboarding the reporter to get the names. Some may not like that but I’ve got a son in the military and a good friend has son’s who are in Special Ops. They’re the ones who will pay the price for this type of treason.
Lemme rework that headline a little:
“Domestic Spies Reveal Military Plans to the World; Ensure More Deaths of the Young and Brave”
“Continued Undercuts to National Security Secure Nothing But Trouble”
“Treasonous Acts All The Rage: ‘Everyone Is Doing It’ Says Unnamed Source”
I spit on the graves of the jerks and idiots who are running this country into the ground and GIVING AWAY OUR SECRETS! Can we impeach him and his lapdog media now? How ’bout NOW?
I LOVE the *headlines* that YOU used… 😛
Lets start with the fact that we have a Communist as POTUS and another Communist as SECDEF. Hence all the leaks. We should have left Afganistan several years ago but alas we have a bunch of fools in charge that think we can nation build a country occupied by 7th century muslims. That fact that both the Afgans and Talaban are muslims is the problem. We are considered the enemy by both sides. Only safe way out of that shit hole is by air. The main force needs to be protected during its withdrawel. Need to keep relations good with the Afgans so they don’t turn on our forces during this time frame. Big mistake to leave special ops there if not given green light to kill people………..on both sides. Can see them having to fight their way out. They are trained for that, however suspect we will lose some more of our finest before all is said and done.
I hate to say it but these leaks happened all during the Bush and Clinton Administrations too. In the 90’s, we would be briefed on a possible upcoming deployment only to go home and be asked about our it by our wives who heard it on CNN that day. Hell, they had more information than we did and I was part of the planning. There are too many REMF’s that like to prove just how important they are by leaking information to the media.
Will offer that Clinton was our first Communist POTUS and he appointed like minded people to Defense and State. That said REMFs will be REMFs…….useless.
And the REMFs are STILL running stuff and getting kids killed..
We went to war to free an oppressed people who only want a chance at freedom. We sent our best and bravest so we could win the hearts and minds of those that think differently than we do.
Well, screw that nonsense. I really don’t care if anyone other than an American is oppressed, least of all some American hating rag-head or his burqa clad she-goat that want nothing to do with us or real freedom, but will take our money anyway. In fact, giving these people freedom is like giving a monkey a machine gun. They don’t want it, they don’t know what to do with it and they would be dangerous with it. Besides, I think most of them actually like the way things are. I mean, after over 1300 years living like they do, they really don’t know of any other way to live other than by their screwed up ideology made to look like a peaceful religion, which it is not.
As far as the hearts and minds thing, the only way I want to win these from these people is by exposing them to air and splattering them on the wall with a bullet. Maybe I seem a little angry, but I can still see vividly in my mind the way these people cheered in the streets and celebrated when over 3,000 innocent Americans were slaughtered on 9/11. And it wasn’t just the men, it was muslim women and children too…all cheering and laughing over what was did in the name of their supposed peaceful islam. Yet they scream and rage when one of their supposed little innocent darlings gets shot by our soldiers. Nevermind the fact that their little angel was strapped with a bomb or was taught to use a weapon against our soldiers. Hell, they scream and rage if we draw a cartoon of their prophet.
Our young men are dying and our treasury is being siphoned dry so we can build them schools and hospitals and give them safe food and clean water, and for what? I have to hear a single thank you or see a kind gesture. In fact, they tell us it’s still not enough and want to dictate to us how we are supposed to continue helping them. Well screw you.
We have our own problems here in America. Our soldiers can be better used somewhere else and the money being wasted I bet would sure come in handy at home. We need to take care of America first before we look after the needs of others. And if we do decide to help someone else, well it better damn well be appreicated and we are getting something for our trouble to boot.
I don’t know. Maybe I’m too simple minded and don’t see the big picture. I wish someone high up can explain to me exactly what benefit America is getting out of all this. Someone that can show me that this really is a good thing. Because from where I’m standing, it looks like America is getting the crap end of the stick and it needs to stop.
And as you know, THAT is the biggest BULLSHOT lie they have tried in a while…
We went to Iraq because Bush said there were WMDs in Iraq, nope, Saddam was a honcho in 9-11, nope, Hearts and Minds, Iraqi Freedom, not even close, we went to Iraq because Bush had a hard-on for Saddam…
Afghanistan was all about revenge, plain and simple…
Then the damned spin doctors got a hold of it…
Outstanding comment! Much appreciated!
Can anyone answer me why we have a Admiral running things as Chief? Don’t they specialize in the boat type warfare thing? We have West Point and then we have the Naval Academy. What is the point of this, if the Navy is making the final decisions.
I wondered the same thing… Last I checked, Afghanistan is NOT a sea power…
Hmmm… As the late great Basti would have said; Follow the money! Well, we now know that the “Stan” is rich in natural resources, and the Chinese are right there. “Helping” development and such.
Bring our people home damn it. Let the Chinese deal with the Afgan hillbillies…