Tag: Special Ops

SOCOM You Have A Problem

Looks like the US Navy SEALs are becoming a problem in the discipline department……while I has recovering in the hospital news came out that a couple of Special Ops troopers, SEALs, had  killed a US Army Green Beret in Mali……https://lobotero.com/2018/01/13/death-in-mali-2/

(I was surprised that the reaction I got on the original post was “who gives a shit”….so sad that it meant very little to the people.)

I said that it was shameful to have Americans killing each other (I do not believe that the War on Terror meant killing each other)…..

More news comes out that two SEALs have been charged with war crimes…..first SEAL charged……

Charged earlier this month with multiple war crimes in connection with the 2017 stabbing death of a detainee in Iraq, Special Operations Chief Edward “Eddie” Gallagher vows to fight for his freedom.

The 19-year Navy veteran has hired two high-powered criminal defense attorneys who specialize in military law — Colby Vokey of Dallas and Phillip Stackhouse of San Diego — and he’s exploring a civil rights lawsuit against Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents for alleged misconduct linked to his Sept. 11 arrest and detention in San Diego’s Naval Consolidated Brig Miramar.

An Article 32 hearing with a special military judge sent from Florida will begin to sift through the evidence against Gallagher on Nov. 14 in San Diego, according to Stackhouse.

https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2018/10/19/charged-with-war-crimes-and-stuck-in-the-brig-a-navy-seal-vows-to-fight-on/

Then news came out that a second SEAL was being charged with war crimes for the death of a detainee…..

Authorities in California on Thursday charged a second Navy SEAL in connection with an ongoing war crimes probe tied to the alleged stabbing execution of an Islamic State detainee in Iraq last year.

Although he wasn’t present during the alleged homicide near the Iraqi city of Mosul in 2017, Lt. Jacob “Jake” Portier faces an upcoming Article 32 hearing for what authorities say was his help in covering up a string of war crimes committed by an enlisted SEAL leader, Special Operations Chief Edward “Eddie” Gallagher.

Accused of dereliction of duty, the highly decorated Portier insists he’s innocent and his high-profile San Diego-based civilian defense attorney, Jeremiah J. Sullivan III, believes he’ll be exonerated as merely the officer who received the allegations of Gallagher’s misconduct from a lead petty officer and reported them up the chain of command.

https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2018/10/23/second-seal-arrested-in-war-crimes-probe/

These are just allegations of wrong doing…..but the sad part is the SEALs are not claiming responsibility…..and say that they do not have a discipline problem….I also posted on that claim as well….https://lobotero.com/2018/10/19/its-about-the-discipline/

It is just sad that they, the SEALs, are in denial…..plus we should expect more out of our supposedly “elite” troops….the best of the best….as they like to claim.

These are the problems we know about and as they say it is a good possibility that it goes so much deeper.

It’s About The Discipline

In the past there have been a couple of reports about SEALs acting less than honorable…..one was the dispute on who fired the shot that killed Osama and the other is an alleged killing of a Green Beret in Mali (since found a wall of silence)…..but to help out my two posts on these incidents…..

https://lobotero.com/2014/11/10/squabbling-seals/

https://lobotero.com/2018/05/17/death-among-the-scrub/

I bring this up because of something I have recently read…..there seems to be a disciplinary problem with the SEALs and of course it has been refuted….

A Naval official has stepped forward to refute the accusation……

The Navy Department’s second-highest civilian leader says a recent string of alleged misconduct in the naval special warfare ranks is not indicative of a wider cultural problem in the elite community.

Navy Undersecretary Thomas Modly told reporters Thursday that while service leaders are concerned about recent high-profile allegations of wrongdoing in the Navy SEAL community, there’s nothing that “is indicative of a cultural problem.”

“We’re a huge enterprise and so, as a huge enterprise, we have problems just like every other huge enterprise,” he said at a Defense Writers’ Group event in Washington. “So when these types of problems arise, we have very, very good processes to go through a legal adjudication of them, and I think we do that very well.”

Over the last six months, 10 SEALs were booted from the service after testing positive for drugs, two senior leaders were relieved following allegations of sexual misconduct, and reports broke that an operator is in the brig while under investigation after allegedly executing an Iraqi detainee.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/10/04/no-evidence-widespread-seal-disciplinary-problems-navy-official.html

SEALs like all the Special Ops people…they believe their own hype….To me it sounds like there is a problem….maybe it would help if they would stop glorifying these soldiers and the wars they fight……

Just my thought….anyone have one they would like to share?

Those Old-Time Wars

…but I exp-ectI have been writing and analyzing conflict (war) for many years and in all that time I have valued the input from my readers on their thoughts and beliefs about the subject.  I am fortunate enough to have several readers and visitors that have strong opinions o the matter and they do not always agree with what I have said or written…..but I find it exhilarating to have opposition for it always helps the conversation move forward.

Recently a good friend from https://harbenpost.wordpress.com/,  to IST was commenting on a post I wrote about war…..https://lobotero.com/2018/09/05/its-afghanistan-as-usual/

His comment was about fighting wars the way we use to and winning them like we use to……my point is that the “big war” is no longer the way we fight……but after saying that are their still things called “Battle Lines”?

It is common in today’s wars to claim there are no battle lines, but this is only because we do not create or at the very least do not want to recognize them as such because the enemy creates them. The creation of battle lines is the intentional act of an army and is, in fact, one of its great powers. In recent years modern armies have seized territory pushing the enemy out and behind the borders of that territory. Only to then stop pursuing them and begin administering the territory they seized.

It follows then that while the army is thus occupied and unwilling to cross the existing territorial borders in pursuit of the enemy’s final destruction. It becomes an easy thing for that enemy to build a center of gravity, and from the safety of this position across the border (A battle line they created) continue the war in every facet with almost no serious risk to their operations. We’ve seen this time and time again especially in modern warfare. Just in the last century, we’ve seen it in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Columbia, and other places as well.

https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2018/07/30/do_battle_lines_still_exist_113661.html

In other words it depends on the way war is viewed.

Personally, I view war as a use of special operating teams with massive technological superiority….but that does not mean that the conflict can be won…..take Vietnam as an example then fast forward to Afghanistan and then Iraq……technological superiority did not lead to victory….but then we need to define victory…..for “victory is more difficult art than the war” (cannot remember who said that…..just know it was not me).  Keep in mind….”Victory counts for nothing  if those who gain it know not what to make of it”.  In the last 60 years the US is a prime example of that statement.

I believe that large scale operations are a growing thing of the past…..after the initial strike the conflict settles into a humdrum existence tit for tat confrontations.

Commandos Sans Frontieres

Ever heard of Doctors Without Borders (MSF)?

Good….then you can understand what this post is about…..the US has an organization that knows no borders and we call it…Special Ops.

America’s previously “elite” Special Operations forces — once small, specially trained units in a large military — have now essentially become a military in their own right, all 70,000 of them (larger, in fact, than many national armed forces). And they are more or less everywhere, more or less all the time. They aren’t just “elite” forces anymore; they’re America’s secret military, which, as Turse has shown, is increasingly deployed to something startlingly close to all the countries on the planet (aside from a few obvious ones like Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea). They are raiding and fighting from Syria to Afghanistan, Somalia to Niger. They are training allied special ops types and other forces across the globe. It’s increasingly hard to think of places where they don’t show up, even, for instance, in a rain-soaked cave that recently trapped 12 Thai soccer players and their coach. And here’s the good news: if a bill sponsored by Congressman Richard Hudson, whose North Carolina district includes Fort Bragg (home of U.S. Army Special Operations Command), passes in Congress, the more America’s special operators deploy in combat-like ways to places that the IRS doesn’t consider war zones (but indeed are), the more likely that they and their families will… yep, get a special tax break for their efforts! (War, what is it good for?)

And they aren’t just “operators” anymore. They’re path-breakers in the “science” of war. As they fight terrorists around the globe, for instance, they’re developing “loitering munitions” in their Maritime Precision Engagement program that will act as “suicide drones” (operated from speedboats). Hey, if ISIS, al-Qaeda, and the rest of that crew have their version of suicide drones — humans with explosives strapped to them, not to speak of off-the-shelf drones — why shouldn’t the U.S. military have the technological equivalent? Or what about the “talking paper” for which the special ops group that focuses on “psychological operations” already has a prototype? That paper, somewhat thicker than the usual kind and embedded with micro-circuitry, dropped into the jungles or backlands of the planet, should prove a perfect way to deliver a 30-second recorded message to illiterate enemy troops in some embattled country about how to defect or surrender.

(antiwar.com)

https://mondediplo.com/openpage/commandos-sans-frontieres

The days of massive divisions may soon be a thing of the past….we have the world covered by small units…the large units seem to be poised for some sort of social upheaval on the mainland…instead of on the international stage.

Niger–Update

Back in October 2017 when I was in the hospital a story came to my attention about the deaths of US Special Ops troopers in the West African nation of Niger.

Of course I had to write a post about the deaths for not many Americans even knew we were fighting and dying in Niger.

https://lobotero.com/2017/10/30/niger-wtf/

https://lobotero.com/2017/11/20/deaths-in-niger-update/

There has been further news developing in Niger…..it seems that the locals do not want us to be there fighting…..

In an interview with the Guardian, Nigerien President Mahamidou Issoufou said that he does not want US or other foreign troops fighting on the ground in Niger, and that such troops should limit their actions to training and intelligence-gathering.

Issoufou discussed the ongoing war on terror in western Africa’s Sahel, saying it will take years to finish, comparing it to the Syria and Iraq fight. He said foreign allies should do more to help the local militaries in the region fight for themselves.

The US has a substantial number of troops in Niger, a fact revealed after troops were ambushed last year and four were killed. The US also built a large drone base in Niger, despite substantial opposition within Niger to the US presence.

(antiwar.com)

https://theintercept.com/2018/07/03/us-niger-drone-base/

The US once again does what it wants in other countries….maybe a better plan would be to get local confirmation that we are at least wanted before he insert our troops into these countries.

Closing Thought–05Jul18

I wrote earlier today about the promise of a “peace train”…..this post is what I was talking about with the “small” wars……

The US military is expanding its special ops….it is increasing the brigades to carry out advise and assist programs….

Three new Security Force Assistance Brigades designed to conduct advise-and-assist operations with allied and partner nations have been assigned to bases in Texas, Colorado and Washington, the Army announced Friday.

The Army said the 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade will be assigned to Fort Hood in Texas, the 4th SFAB at Fort Carson in Colorado and 5th SFAB at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. These specialized units consist of about 800 soldiers, ranked sergeant and above, with a primary mission to fulfill the Army’s train, advise and assist missions around the globe.

https://www.stripes.com/news/army-announces-new-brigades-at-fort-hood-fort-carson-and-joint-base-lewis-mcchord-1.527874

Is this an indication of a widening of our international involvements?

And then there is the new “Space Force”…how much money does the Pentagon have?  That we can just keep expanding our many ways to war……

Most interesting turn……will Space Force put a drain on this policy?

I hope everyone has a good day…..chuq

Another American Death

I regret that I must write this post……we have enough US dead on the international battlefield…..over the weekend another special ops trooper has been killed and 4 others wounded….this time in Somalia…..

There are more than 7,300 US Special Operations forces soldiers operating around the world, reports the New York Times, and one lost his life in Africa on Friday. The BBC reports the incident in southwest Somalia was believed to be an ambush by al-Shabab militants; four other American service members were injured. The Times calls the death the “first to have been publicized in Africa since an ambush in Niger in October.” The American forces were serving near Jamaame alongside Somali troops and supported by armed surveillance aircraft.

The BBC reports President Trump has broadened the involvement of US military in Somalia, but the Times notes the US is thought to be moving toward a reeling in of counterterrorism forces in Africa as part of a Pentagon reshuffling that would put the emphasis on Russia, China, and other larger world powers. While al-Shabab was pushed out of the capital city of Mogadishu nearly 7 years ago, the BBC reports it occupies areas around the city. “The mission’s objectives were to clear al-Shabab from contested areas,” United States Africa Command said in a statement following the attack.

I regret that I must do these posts…..it is time for the troops to come home….they have proven all they need to….let them return to their families and get some much deserved rest.

Our condolences go out the the family of this special ops trooper…..

Niger (But It’s Classified)

When I was in the hospital for surgery special ops troopers were killed in the West African nation of Niger…of course there was much confusion and false info circling around the deaths of which I wrote several post on…..https://lobotero.com/2018/03/20/explain-niger-please/

The Pentagon promised to have an answer to everyone’s question by January of 2018…..and four months later an explanation has been issued….

The Defense Department found no single cause, but rather “individual, organizational and institutional” errors, including insufficient training and preparation, caused the death of four US soldiers and at least five Nigerien soldiers in a bloody Special Forces mission in Niger, according to an eight-page summary report. The Oct. 4 ambush took the lives of Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson, Staff Sgt. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright, and Sgt. La David Johnson. In all, the investigative team interviewed 143 witnesses, reports the Washington Post. It “examined documentary, photographic, audio, video and testimonial evidence,” per CNN. One survivor even returned to the battlefield with the team. The patrol was submitted and approved as a low-risk recon assignment, but the team was actually on a high-risk mission searching for Islamic State leader Doundoun Cheffou; their true mission was never approved by the proper chain of command, though the team notes this was a result of “sloppiness” rather than an intent to deceive.

The patrol, which did not rehearse the mission before setting out and was missing key equipment and training, encountered light fire at first but then was engaged by a larger group of militants on motorcycles and in trucks mounted with machine guns. The report found that the arrival of French Mirage planes disrupted the fight and may have saved lives, reports the New York Times. The remains of three of the US soldiers who were killed were retrieved quickly, but the body of La David Johnson was not retrieved until the evening of Oct. 6. The delay in recovering Johnson’s body had led to speculation that he had been taken captive. That speculation was bolstered by locals who said that they saw the body and that Johnson’s hands appeared to be tied behind his back. The report, nevertheless, concluded that his hands were not bound and he was killed in action while “actively engaging the enemy.” The full report remains classified

As usual the American people may NEVER know the truth about these deaths for the report will be classified.

The Pentagon’s newly released 8-page report on the Niger incident had a very clear narrative. From the moment local commanders endorsed the mission to the recovery of the four bodies of slain US soldiers, the report goes out of its way to lionize everyone’s actions, and downplay errors.

This makes sense, because underlying these conclusions is the fact that the Pentagon has no intention of holding anyone to account for the mistakes made. Yet the summary report’s decision to tread very lightly on a lot of potentially embarrassing specifics means that it ultimately raises a lot more questions than it answered.

http://theantimedia.com/pentagon-report-niger-raises-questions/

I will be dead and gone if the truth is ever known.

Explain Niger, Please

When I was in the hospital in October of 2017 and had my toes removed for good measures I wrote about the deaths of Americans in the West African nation of Niger…..and wrote several other posts about the event and the American deaths…..https://lobotero.com/2018/03/08/niger-wtf-cond/

In October, the ambush that led to the death of four US special forces revealed that US forces were operating in Niger in large numbers. The Pentagon hasn’t gotten any better with transparency, however, as in December, the US got into another battle in Niger, and it was never disclosed publicly.

The December 6 Niger battle, according to reports, saw US Green Berets and Nigerien military engaged in a protracted gunbattle that left 11 suspected ISIS fighters killed. There were no US casualties, so the Pentagon never reported it.

https://news.antiwar.com/2018/03/14/us-never-disclosed-december-firefight-in-niger/

Well it seems that all is not as together as the Pentagon would have us to believe…….

 The Pentagon, already struggling to manage growing concern about the US military operations ongoing in Africa, is now facing a second problem. Last week, it was revealed that the Pentagon had kept a number of recent clashes in Niger a secret.

Pentagon officials are now trying to defend not just the war effort, but the idea of keeping most of the details of the war effort in Niger from the public. Unsurprisingly, they’re trying to present this chiefly as keeping the details secret from the enemy.

“They learn a great deal from information he put out. They don’t deserve a report card,” insisted Pentagon spokesperson Dana White. Other officials insisted all the fighting and all the secrecy about the fighting were totally appropriate.

http://theantimedia.org/pentagon-defend-secret-war-niger/

Niger is a mess and let’s not forget the problems we are having in Mali, another West African country….https://lobotero.com/2018/01/13/death-in-mali-2/

Apparently AFRICOM is a screwed up mess that few want to correct…..West Africa is a hot bed that needs proper command…..but something it does not appear to be getting….American deaths are mounting even Americans killing Americans….

Niger–WTF?–(Cond)

I have written several posts about the deaths of 4 special ops troops in the West African country of Niger……read more posts……

https://lobotero.com/2018/02/22/niger-update-2/

Recently I found another report on these deaths….I have held onto this post because of the violent nature and that it was posted by the bastards that killed these men…..

*****WARNING:  The video may be disturbing to some*****

The release of shocking video showing the death of three American soldiers in the deserts of west Africa is raising more questions about just what US forces are doing in the region.

ISIS released the nine-minute, 17-second video online on Sunday taken mainly from the helmetcams of the slain soldiers.

I have been waiting for the final report of the action and the deaths (I promised to keep my readers informed)…..
I have been critical of the operation that cost the lives of the  troopers involved and now there is a bit more information…..
The ongoing military probes into October 4’s disastrous US military operation in Niger, in which four US special forces were killed, has concluded something particularly important: that the operation was never properly authorized by top commanders.

The special forces team in question were nominally sent out to meet local Nigerien leaders, for which they were properly equipped and prepared. The team in question never attempted to meet with them, however, and instead went off on a totally separate mission.

The team instead joined a mission hunting for a militant wanted in the kidnapping of an aid worker, doing so without having informed the commanders that’s what they were going to do, meaning it was never authorized.

The operation went poorly, as the chase around the Niger-Mali border led the team right into an ambush of militants, who attacked and killed four US troops, wounding two other US troops and eight Nigeriens.

Officials say there is no single point of failure in the operation, though clearly the fact that commanders weren’t told what the team’s actual mission was didn’t help, and raises further questions about whether the US troops were adequately prepared for such an operation.

(antiwar.com)

This is a breakdown in the command structure and it cost lives and this is not an isolated incident.  Someone needs to pay for the lives they took because of their lack of leadership.

There is way too many “oh shit” moments in our war on terror.

But the Pentagon will make it right…….

The Pentagon said on Wednesday that American troops in Niger had been authorized to receive imminent-danger pay the day before the commander who oversees military missions in Africa told House lawmakers that the White House had still not approved that request.

A Pentagon spokeswoman said that the decision to include Niger in the list of combat zones where troops receive extra pay was made on Monday — and had not been communicated to Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser before his testimony the day after.

The request was made Monday and the general was to testify on Thursday…..something smells about this situation.  Timing is everything at the Pentagon (sarcasm)…..