Been wrestling with this for a coupla days.<\/p>\n
At the outset: A disclaimer… I was never a SPECWAR sailor. Hell,\u00a0 I had never even heard of SEALS before I was discharged. Knew about the UDTs, even did some diving with them on Guam. Further, I am NOT qualified to discuss current tactics in ANY current theater.<\/p>\n
With that out of the way… When the third chopper \u2014 carrying 38 passengers and crew, and one dog, in a reinforcement known as an \u201cimmediate reaction force\u201d \u2014 approached, a small group of Taliban<\/a> on a rooftop stood ready. They fired rounds of rocket-propelled grenades. One clipped a rotary blade, sending the CH-47 into a violent spin and then a fiery crash.<\/p>\n All onboard died, including 17 elite Navy SEALs.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n We all know the story… or do we?<\/p>\n Jonn’s earlier post<\/a> alluded to what the article describes. Wherein command makes a decision that get’s someone killed, etc.<\/p>\n The kicker for me:<\/p>\n At some point, the Rangers and special-operations commanders talked about sending in reinforcements to catch them all. A mission was set, at first with 17 troops, then a total of 38, including SEALs, other Navy personnel, Afghan commandos and the air crew.<\/p>\n \u201cWe really just kind of talked the idea of inserting the element to maneuver on them, the enemy that got away,\u201d the Army<\/a> Ranger task force commander later told Gen. Colt<\/a>.<\/p>\n As the reinforcement Chinook approached, it \u2014 unlike the first two choppers \u2014 had no AH-64 Apaches for surveillance or fire suppression.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n YMMV, but please DO take the time to read the whole thing.\u00a0 The NCA and the Brass Hats have been doing this sort of thing forever.\u00a0 It would be different if there were an immediate threat, but this just reeks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\nFull story of SEAL mission in question<\/a><\/p>\n