Just a few days ago, I set aside my critique of Admiral McRaven and gave him an atta-boy because he responded to a child's letter to him (and included a challenge coin).
I thought it was just cool.
But the next day I read that Navy SEALs were involved in a raid in Somalia. via The Washington Times.
American commandos carried out raids on Saturday in two far-flung African countries in a powerful flex of military muscle aimed at capturing fugitive terrorist suspects. American troops assisted by F.B.I. and C.I.A. agents seized a suspected leader of Al Qaeda on the streets of Tripoli, Libya, while Navy SEALs raided the seaside villa of a militant leader in a predawn firefight on the coast ofSomalia.This whole thing seems orchestrated. McRaven letting news of his response to a child being released to the public...and now news of the raid in Somalia.
The SEALs culturally seem to love publicity.
I hope Retired Lt General Vaughn is wrong but I see the wisdom in his words.....
“Now I’m going to tell you, one of these days, if you keep publishing how you do this, the other guy’s going to be there ready for you, and you’re going to fly in and he’s going to shoot down every damn helicopter and kill every one of your SEALs. Now, watch it happen. Mark my words. Get the hell out of the media,”The SEALs had to call in air support for this mission.
The firefight lasted for over an hour.
I don't know cause I wasn't there but from the outside looking in, this thing was dicey. A firefight that lasts for over an hour? In Somalia? SEALs might soon going to go from being the hunters to being the hunted.
Confirmation of participation in raids of this type is only going to feed the desire of terrorist world wide to take a SEAL scalp (literally).
McRaven needs to follow Vaughn's advice. Stay out of the media, keep the missions secret and don't even acknowledge having done the work. It'll be less news for me to comment on, less news for the news media but it might help keep some of those Sailors alive.
The mission was a failure if I understand correctly, it was a snatch and grab which failed to snatch the target.
ReplyDeleteFound, Fixed and being pinned down until Choppers had to be called in so the SEALS could escape, evade and be extracted with what sounds like Somali militants hot on their heels, the only event that did not make this a total loss was the successful extract of the team.Mcraven seems proud of the fact the SEALS got "beaten back" and almost got their asses handed to them as something to talk and tell the world about.
Today we have good news and bad news, the good news is the SEALS survived another failed mission, the bad news is Mcraven is publishing this failure as a win just because the whole team wasn't killed or captured.
Or as one commenter on another Mil Blog said, SEALS all mouth and show, no substance.
Query: When does the first female Candidate pass Her test?
The Libya grab of al-Libi in Tripoli is curious. This guy was formerly a member of the Libya Islamic Fighting Group, affiliated with al-Qaeda, which the US -- Ambassador Stevens particularly -- used to oust Gaddafi. Al-Libi was reported a year ago to be living openly in Tripoli. The US MO is to assassinate such people, so why put uS raiders at risk with a grab.
ReplyDeleteActually, the details are missing as to exactly what the US did or didn't do. news report: "The capture of Abu Anas also coincided with a fierce gunfight that killed 15 Libyan soldiers at a checkpoint in a neighborhood southeast of Tripoli, near the traditional home of Abu Anas’s clan." It doesn't please Libya which demanded an explanation from Washington for what it called the “kidnapping” of a Libyan suspect.
The Somali raid was botched and the SEAL team was forced to withdraw.
The publicity isn't necessarily the McRaven's fault. He may be against it. It seems to be national policy to "send a message" when it seems like the US is on the foreign policy ropes. They're big on messaging to appear tough.
SecDef Hagel: "These operations in Libya and Somalia send a strong message to the world that the United States will spare no effort to hold terrorists accountable, no matter where they hide or how long they evade justice. We will continue to maintain relentless pressure on terrorist groups that threaten our people or our interests, and we will conduct direct action against them, if necessary, that is consistent with our laws and our values."
They also left a Garmin loaded with their checkpoints..
ReplyDeleteseriously? is this real or are you punking me!
DeleteIn Somalia, it appears that the targets had been warned.
ReplyDeletenytimes:
In Somalia, the Navy SEAL team emerged before sunrise from the Indian Ocean and exchanged gunfire with militants at the home of a senior leader of the Shabab, the Somali militant group. The raid was planned more than a week ago, . .The SEAL team was forced to withdraw before it could confirm that it had killed the Shabab leader, a senior American security official said. Officials declined to identify the target. . . .Witnesses described a firefight lasting over an hour, with helicopters called in for air support. A senior Somali government official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said, “The attack was carried out by the American forces, and the Somali government was pre-informed about the attack.”
Ah, yes. Now I have a question for McRaven.
So, A leak from some member of the religion of peace or liberal politician high in Gov. pre-informed the Somali's of the raid.
ReplyDeleteThe security is blown if they can be told by our own government when our own government will attack.
I would not serve in this America's military for all the tea in China.
McRaven must have had some pillow talk with his man date that night.
Challenge coins can be awarded to this type of bravery works. Navy challenge coins are awarded for the brave works like this in Navy too.
ReplyDelete