US forces in southern Syria came under attack by Islamic State militants around midnight local time on Saturday, joining with local partner forces to repel the assault in an hours-long fight that required multiple airstrikes and left three US-backed Syrian fighters dead.1. Well done to Mr. Woody, the author of this piece.
US special-operations advisers were on the ground near the al-Tanf border crossing when a force of 20 to 30 fighters with the Islamic State, the terrorist group also known as ISIS or ISIL, attacked in what a US Central Command spokesman called a "complex and coordinated" attempt to take the base from the coalition.
"US and coalition forces were on the ground in the area as they normally are, and participated in repulsing the attack," said Air Force Col. John J. Thomas, a spokesman for Central Command, according to the Associated Press.
"There was close-air support that was provided, there was ground support that was provided, and there was med-evac that was supported by the coalition," Thomas added. No Americans were killed or wounded.
"Clearly it was planned," Thomas told reporters at the Pentagon. "The coalition and our partner forces had the resources to repulse that attack. A lot of them wound up being killed and the garrison remains controlled by the people in control before being attacked."
"Ultimately the attackers were killed, defeated, or chased off," Thomas said.
2. I'm in awe. I might go sideways with the leadership but these guys are doing WORK! Well done to the boys at the base.
3. Don't let the dry description fool you. This article made my skin crawl. When the Marine Corps says "rigorous training program" that means you're about to get punched in the nuts. When the Pentagon says SOCOM bubbas repulsed a complex attack then you know it was a hairy affair. Vehicle Borne IEDs, Suicide Bombers, massed assaults...? I'd bet body parts that I highly value that more than a few times guys were asking God for just one more sunrise.
4. Did I say well done to the SOCOM bubbas?
This thing is fraught with peril. I get the impression our boys are doing a HELLUVA lot more fighting than they are advising. The Iraqis have never impressed me with their fighting prowess.
I hope our current President gets his mind right and ends this war poste haste. This is not our fight. This belongs to the Iraqis. We gave them a nation at relative peace. If they can't properly manage the gift then its not up to us to give them another bite at the apple.
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