Comments on: Hostage Luke Somers killed during rescue attempt

By: Richard Aubrey

Richard Aubrey — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 01:02:18 +0000

Rusty
See Haney’s “Delta Force”. They seem to be the go-to guys for smaller ops.
The more guys you need, the more likely you’ll be going to Rangers–first-rate light Infantry. But usually that would be a fight. A sneak and shoot and scoot raid would be Delta or SEALS, or an ad hoc group including Special Forces if liaising with the locals is necessary.
SEALs and Delta will say their ideal op would hardly be noticed. IOW, they sneak in someplace and snatch, say, a computer, or a single individual. They’re not always about killing somebody which, as you point out, can be done by other means.
A good many countries have this capability. The Brits have their SAS and SBS. The French, iirc, DGSE. The Germans pulled off a pretty good one years ago with a captured airliner.

By: CapnRusty

CapnRusty — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 19:01:50 +0000

R Aubrey:

Given that I’m prone to “quibbling” myself, point well taken. I’m not quite sure which armed branch of our government is responsible for international hostage recovery. The Geneva Convention was a grand illusion; it evaporated when some rude beast began slouching toward Bethlehem to be born. I think the best way to deal with it is a JDAM, or carpet bombing.

By: RickZ

RickZ — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 14:49:44 +0000

Banned Lizard Says:

One hopes that — for the sake of the naifs — those suicidal tendencies are subsiding.

Yep. The “suicidal tendencies are subsiding” thanks to everyone who has been beheaded.

By: Banned Lizard

Banned Lizard — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 04:50:06 +0000

I have long marveled at those who cavalierly travel to areas where there are many locals subscribing to a religion bitterly opposed to and intolerant of the existence of infidels. One hopes that – for the sake of the naifs – those suicidal tendencies are subsiding.

By: Richard Aubrey

Richard Aubrey — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 23:57:20 +0000

Rusty.
Quibble. Our Special Forces are not equivalent to Spetnaz. Our green beanies’ primary role is to organize llocal forces, sometimes behind enemy lines. The first effort in Afghanistan had a few of them organizing and controlling Northern Front guys and others going after the Taliban.
Spetnaz are cutthroat commandos. Our Delta Force, SEALS, and to a lesser extent the jarheads’ Force Recon are commandos. Their role is striking hard with themselves as the shooters.
Since our SF are the best soldiers in anybody’s army, they can be and are used in many roles. But you don’t need what amounts to a masters in cultural anthropology and linguistics as the SF have to mesh with the locals wherever in order to, say, kill bin Laden.

By: Bellarion the Fortunate

Bellarion the Fortunate — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 23:13:07 +0000

Clauswitz in On War uses the word “friction” to describe how things go wrong on the battlefield. In war, he says, everything is simple, but even simple things are extremely difficult. From the available information, it sounds like this operation failed on account of friction, which can never be eliminated.

By now we’ve seen enough beheading videos that we can safely assume that this man was not getting out of there alive barring a military rescue, so this probably represented a reasonable risk in the circumstances. It was a brave attempt, and no blame attaches to anyone.

By: Ymarsakar

Ymarsakar — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 23:05:44 +0000

Unless Hussein’s Regime leaked the details of the op, like they did with Seal Team Six.

By: J.J.

J.J. — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 21:47:56 +0000

At least the attempt was made. And some terrorists died. Better that than to let them do more snuff propaganda videos in complete safety. Let them know there is a price to be paid for attacking us and our citizens.

I’m very sorry for the families of the hostages. It is painful beyond anything to lose a child. My heart goes out to them.

It is amazing that so many libs seem to believe that their good intentions will protect them. If only it was true. 🙁

By: Irene

Irene — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 21:44:35 +0000

“Navy Seals hiked six miles and got within 100 yards of Yemen compound where executed US hostage was being held – before a dog bark alerted al-Qaeda captors”

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2863215/British-born-U-S-photojournalist-held-hostage-al-Qaeda-killed-failed-rescue-attempt-Yemen.html

More details…..

By: vanderleun

vanderleun — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 19:04:37 +0000

This will continue until we find the strength to incinerate whole cities. Sooner or later….. Not that one approves of such measures but they are the only ones that will work and they will be,… sooner or later… the ones employed.