Details of those raids in Africa this weekend are making their way to the public, NBC reports that the SEAL raid in Somalia was foiled by a guy taking a smoke break and the arrival of children on the scene of the resulting firefight forced the SEALs to withdraw;
Then a lone al Shabaab fighter walked out into plain view, smoked a cigarette, and went back inside, one source familiar with the details of the raid said. The fighter played it cool, and gave no indication that he had spotted the SEALs. But he came back out shooting, firing rounds from an AK-47 assault rifle.
Soon the American commandos were under siege from the warlord’s well-armed fighters. Gunfire swept toward their positions and grenades began to rain down, multiple military sources said.
Several of the SEALs could see Ikrima through the windows of the compound, but couldn’t get to him. The SEALs continued to take fire while trying to find a way to get closer to their target.
And then the children came into the pictures on their scopes.
The suspect was barricaded and heavily protected by armed men, and now children were intermingled among the fighters and in danger of dying. Then the whole town of Barawe began to erupt and more armed fighters were seen heading for Ikrima’s compound. Soon there would be fewer than two dozen Americans against hundreds of Somalis.
The snatch in Libya of Al-Libi was just wrong says the man’s son. He’s just an innocent pizza chef, he’s no terrorist, according to the UK’s Telegraph, but I’m not sure that Richard Spencer who wrote the article knows what he’s talking about;
Al-Libi, whose real name is Nazih Abdulhamad al-Ruqaie, was seized in a dawn raid outside his home in Tripoli suburb on Saturday. US officials said the raid was led by special operations Delta Force marines, but the family and Libyan officials say what they call the “kidnappers” included men speaking a local Arabic dialect.
Are they sure it wasn’t Air Force SEALs instead? Or Navy Rangers, mayhaps?
His wife told CNN that her husband was kidnapped by Libyans not Americans;
So confused…sure it wasn’t Army Force Recon soldiers?
Well, if those al-Shabaab chuckleheads can read, then I guess there will be LOTS of kids moving in with the boss.
@1: I heard that they had back up from Coast Guard PJs. Can anyone verify that?
It was the Coasties.
The NBC report described the Somalia raid “went bad” and that the SEALs “escaped.” The Somalis are still saying “WTF! How did that they get to the beach, off the beach, and here w/o anyone knowing but them?” No SEAL was hurt. No innocents were killed. Message delivered. I’ll call that success, thanks.
NOAA Ninja’s. I have met the CO. Really it was!
The NOAA Ninja’s and NHS Secret Stealth Squad (SSS) are often used as a uniformed service last resort.
The Merchant Marine Maruaders are held in reserve.
Hope this clears up the confusion.
Why is this in the news? Why are we (i.e., the US government) revealing these details? These guys (SEALS, Delta) are supposed to operate in the shadows. No one is supposed to know who they are, what they were supposed to do, how they got there, how they got out, etc. Now we are revealing all which will have the effect of exponentially increasing the degree of difficulty next time we have our guys undertake one of these missions.
@ 7. Thank you.
Some of the most heroic SPEC OPS remain classified today because previous administrations truly believed and knew the importance of keeping such capabilities secret. During the 1980 … These teams were doing dirty deeds across the globe and both sides Soviet and US denied each engagement whether it was face to face or by proxy. And that is the way it should be now.
But his highness see things differently and the air is quite thin way up there on his throne!
@7 How ironic that I have to read the papers to find out what the SF guys do. I was a part of a task force a long, long time ago that worked with Delta Force. I was privy to lots of information, but details about DF’s ops wasn’t part of that mix. I heard when they were in theater, then I heard when they left theater (maybe).
I stopped reading in disgust when I got to that point.
@6 Bullnav, you ask why?
Oh! You poor thing! Has no one told you?
It’s very, very important for our Social Moron In Reputed Charge*, bodaprez by name, to take credit for the deeds of other people, especially if it’s good stuff. Then he can point to it and say ‘You didn’t do that.’
Therefore, ALL classified and covert info is now publicly available for the news media and for your amusement.
*SMIRC, another one of the badass Bond villains, soon to appear in another novel — OOOPS! historical text about SEAL Team 241. Be vewy, vewy quiet. SHHHHHH!
I meant #7! for bullnav. Sorry.
@#5… Mission a success? The mission was NOT accomplished thus NOT a success. Different standards maybe?
@#7&9… When the SEALs became the official poster boys… the game changed and OPSEC went away and PR ($) was the game. “Pipe Down” McRaven was and is NO help with this reoccurring problem.
It is just a matter of time until this lack of OPSEC gets someone at Dam Neck or Ft Bragg maimed or killed. Hezbollah actually tried to assassinate the skipper of the USS Vicennes back in 1989 after that Iranian Airbus was shot down, so I’m kind of worried that those two units are getting so much attention for specific operations against Al Qaida and their cohorts. But hey, Obama is the CINC, I’m sure he knows what he’s doing….
“Delta Force marines”…Head-desk,head-desk,head-desk,head fucking desk…
@ 13. Although I appreciate your opinion, the Navy SEAL assault was a sucessful mission. In fact it was reported as such this morning as a “solid hit that led to the killing of 2 senor AQ leaders and actionable intelligence.” Further, this was a “from the sea raid with no casualties”. One third of my career was spent in direct support of NSW of NSW ops and anyone who knows this community would say this was a successful mission!
@11 Ex-PH2, yeah, I know. I am just venting. I am a Submariner. In my 24+ years of service, I have learned that our success (i.e., the US Submarine force) is based upon our stealth and our OPSEC. It is upsetting to me that we are now putting our frontline SOF in danger because the government is choosing to use military operations overseas for political gain at home. Sickening.
@ 14. I remember that well, I was in San Diego onboard USS Hepburn. The Skipper’s wife was driving the mini van when the bomb exploded. Lucky for her the structure of the vehicle prevented serious injury.
Hepburn did a WESTPAC to the Gulf during those hostilities with Iran that led to this terror attack.
@13. Personally, I wasn’t privy to the mission or its parameters but, for the reasons I offered, yes, I called it a success. We can disagree on that conclusion.
*sigh*
It was SEAL Dolphin-Fish Commandos that did the raid of which I am the Colonel Major
Stupid reporters
@8: I had the pleasure of working with Delta and the SAS a couple times in Iraq. Nothing sexy, just being their Stryker taxi or blocking force. The missions were classified and even those of us that were part of them (and not Delta or SAS) didn’t know what we were doing except for our limited part.
I especialy enjoyed working with the SAS. They are some awsome dudes. I remember a brief conversation with one of them. We were parked at their COP and one of the Soldiers popped his head in my Stryker and asked “Where’s Tim, mate”. We were like “who’s Tim” and he said “your Commander”. I told him he was inside with his Commander. He left and came back with a bag full of Fosters oil cans and said “don’t tell Tim”.
@ 21 … Aye … Some of those boys perpurtrated a hangover on me in 1991 at Poole, England. They can drink … Some better than we Irish!
@16. That’s the way I interpreted the story as well. Bad actors down and unmoving, Good guys withdrawn with no casualties. Success!
“Delta Force marines”
Well, as I recall, even though Delta Force is stationed at a United States Army post, i.e., Fort Bragg, North Carolina, isn’t Delta Force (which for many years didn’t officially exist) composed of personnel from all of the military services?
But, what do I know?
I’ve been out of the Army for many, MANY years, and EVERYTHING has changed.
Damn! Sea stories! War stories! I MISS those days so much!
There was this time back in ’73. It was New Year’s Eve weekend and I was bored. I wanted my paycheck, so I started to walk over to Payroll through snow tunnels heaped up on either side of the sidewalk. I ran into this first class named Squirrel who offered me a ride. I wanted to know if he was interested in a game of beer poker. He said ‘Sure’, so we went to Payroll, cashed out our checks and went to the EM Club. I hauled out the cards and we started playing beer poker. (The one with the losing hand pays for the next round of beer. All we had was PBR.) I asked Squirrel what his real name was and he said “That’s a secret.”
@ 24. You are correct sir. Tier 1 units are essentially joint teams when they go out the door as they attract and extract the best of the best for the best.
@ 25. I would love to play beer poker with you EX-PH2. I am old enough now … was 11 in 73!
@26 MCPO NYC USN (Ret.)
I also remember reading somewhere, that when Special Operations Command was being created, it was to be composed of volunteers from elite units of each military branch, to which, the commanding general of the United States Marine Corps strongly objected, stating that, unlike the United States Army, the United States Air Force, and the United States Navy, there was no “elite unit” in the United States Marine Corps, for EVERY United States Marine was considered to be “elite”, with no one unit deemed any more “special” than any other unit.
@27 John
And that attitude persisted until they realized they were missing out on the cash cow that is SOCOM and they created MARSOC
1st SFOD-D IS Army (mostly SF & Rangers). Pay, administrative support, promotions, and punishment is done by Big Army. Yes there are former Navy, AF, Marine special operators in Delta, but they were required to do service transfer to the Army. Exchange programs between world’s CT forces is common. On Delta there may be a few SAS, GIGN, Team Six etc assigned to train & learn best practices, but thats different. To be a Delta operator – you must be a SOLDIER.
@ 29. Yes we know that. However, Tier 1 units are considered joint and as indicated combined as well in some cases. When they go out the door they are supported by a Combined and or Joint Task Force CJSOFTF. Rarely (if ever) do Tier 1 operarte in a vacuum of their sponsor service.
@26: I was a twinkle in my Dad’s eye in 73.
MCPO: I’m certain that DEVGRU will appreciate hearing that they’re Joint and are no longer part of the US Navy. (smile)
On a more serious note, are there any more reports (or are they bogus?) on two Seal members being killed? I’ve seen photos being circulated but not a lot of concrete news being reported on it.
OK. NSW DEV GRU is Navy and they operate in a combined and joint environment rarely alone.
I am not an operator, I did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express, however I know basic SOCOM organizational structure.
This is not rocket surgery!
@ 33. I spoke with buddy who lives outside the gate Damneck (if you know what I mean). There was no mention of any such news. And speculation without word from PAO from COM NSW Command is just bad as there are families and team members to consider.
And they all sit around doing nothing until the curtain goes up on the next act of political theater, right?
Thanks @35!
@31. You were a twinkie in your Dad’s eye?
I will be happy to play beer poker with anyone, as long as it is not PBR again.
The Fat Man Inn has 45 craft brewed beers, pizza, wings and onion straws. It is a good place to go to for a pleasant evening of good food and beer poker, although I do not know if they actually allow beer poker up there.
Cav … That is what he said, “twinkie.”
PH: If I must drive all that way to get some beer, I would hope that someone else is buying!
@30 MCPO
As Gunny Hartman would say:
Delta Force can give their heart to the Army & JSOC, but their asses belong to the Task Force Corps!
Yeah, MCPO ye need to stop making so much sense…after all elite QB Eli Manning can’t be expected to win games for the NY Midgets all by his lonesome 😉
Thanks for the Giants jab. I am not a big football fan anymore.
Air Cav; Why do you think I keep coming here? All you age challenged folk make me feel like a young pup again. 🙂
That is a l not an i darnit.
Twist: being “age challenged” beats the alternative, youngster. (smile)
1973?
In 1973, I was a Specialist Five in the 307th Signal Battalion at Camp Gray, outside Won Ju, Republic of Korea, where I was assigned to Field Radio Relay and Carrier Equipment Repair (MOS 31 L 20), and later that same year, under Project Transition, would complete an on the job training program as a Military Police patrolman (MOS 95 B 20) in the 142d Military Police Company, at Yong San Army Garrison in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Remember the television series, “M*A*S*H”?
Well, in 1973, at “the 121st Evac in Seoul”, they operated on my left ear, repairing a burst eardrum.
Nifty, huh?
That surgery was my experience with the narcotic, Demerol, and BOY, but that stuff feels really GOOD!
No wonder people become drug addicts!
I wish I had some Demerol right now!
Also, in 1973, while stationed in Korea, I received training in Tae Kwon Do Oh Do Kwan (which I wasn’t any good at, due to poor physical coordination), learned to play guitar, and began composing songs, some of which you can now see on my YOU TUBE channel, or at my own personal web site, “OUR ETERNAL STRUGGLE”.
Can you believe I actually broke two by fours and cement blocks with my bare fist, just like in the movies?
I wish I could still do it, but 1973 was a long time ago.
So I wonder in a few years time who will be claiming these “ops”..lol
WHO is age-challenged?
OWB, if you should come this far, SOMEONE would definitely be buying your beer.
@44. Twist: I had a really clever retort to your age comment. I really did. And as soon as I remember it, I’ll pass it along. Dagnabbit.