02-04-2017, 02:39 AM
The seals in Yemen - Trump attending the return of his body to US soil (for PR purposes I'm sure)
"managed to root him." NZ dialect?. Dig him out? Did I miss something?
Anyone remember Trump saying he did not need to be briefed because he was already so smart.? As JM clearly points out in a cut and cutting way, pride definitely goes before a falls. Let's hope Trump learns as he just killed a man.
Good piece JM.
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Some background:
TPM - "Pentagon Points Finger of Blame at Trump" (I hope it was the middle one)
"It now seems clear the special ops raid in Yemen did not go according to plan and it went badly. This Times account relates a "a chain of mishaps and misjudgments that plunged the elite commandos into a ferocious 50-minute firefight that also left three others wounded and a $75 million aircraft deliberately destroyed." Chief Petty Officer William Owens was killed in the operation. There also appear to have been a large number of civilian casualties.
Obviously, not every military operation is successful. But there is an extraordinary passage in this article just out from Reuters. What Reuters identifies as "U.S. military officials" says that " Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations."
As a result, three officials said, the attacking SEAL team found itself dropping onto a reinforced al Qaeda base defended by landmines, snipers, and a larger than expected contingent of heavily armed Islamist extremists.
The Pentagon directed queries about the officials' characterization of the raid to U.S. Central Command. The latter pointed only to its statement on Wednesday.
This is an extraordinary and yet also ambiguous statement. It suggests that Trump somehow jumped the gun, approving the mission without adequate intelligence or support. But of course missions come to the President through a chain of command. If there's not enough operational intelligence, he should be told that by his military advisors. It's not like the President can dial into troops in the region directly and order a strike. Available reports suggest that the decision was made at a dinner the President had with Secretary Mattis, the Joint Chiefs Chairman Dunford, Steve Bannon, Mike Flynn, Jared Kushner and Vice President Pence. Dunford is the President's chief military advisor and Mattis is the immediate link in the chain of command. So the highest level people were there to give the President whatever information he needed. "
As JM points out, obviously the highest level people did not know diddly squat.
Best JM,
dale
"managed to root him." NZ dialect?. Dig him out? Did I miss something?
Anyone remember Trump saying he did not need to be briefed because he was already so smart.? As JM clearly points out in a cut and cutting way, pride definitely goes before a falls. Let's hope Trump learns as he just killed a man.
Good piece JM.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some background:
TPM - "Pentagon Points Finger of Blame at Trump" (I hope it was the middle one)
"It now seems clear the special ops raid in Yemen did not go according to plan and it went badly. This Times account relates a "a chain of mishaps and misjudgments that plunged the elite commandos into a ferocious 50-minute firefight that also left three others wounded and a $75 million aircraft deliberately destroyed." Chief Petty Officer William Owens was killed in the operation. There also appear to have been a large number of civilian casualties.
Obviously, not every military operation is successful. But there is an extraordinary passage in this article just out from Reuters. What Reuters identifies as "U.S. military officials" says that " Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations."
As a result, three officials said, the attacking SEAL team found itself dropping onto a reinforced al Qaeda base defended by landmines, snipers, and a larger than expected contingent of heavily armed Islamist extremists.
The Pentagon directed queries about the officials' characterization of the raid to U.S. Central Command. The latter pointed only to its statement on Wednesday.
This is an extraordinary and yet also ambiguous statement. It suggests that Trump somehow jumped the gun, approving the mission without adequate intelligence or support. But of course missions come to the President through a chain of command. If there's not enough operational intelligence, he should be told that by his military advisors. It's not like the President can dial into troops in the region directly and order a strike. Available reports suggest that the decision was made at a dinner the President had with Secretary Mattis, the Joint Chiefs Chairman Dunford, Steve Bannon, Mike Flynn, Jared Kushner and Vice President Pence. Dunford is the President's chief military advisor and Mattis is the immediate link in the chain of command. So the highest level people were there to give the President whatever information he needed. "
As JM points out, obviously the highest level people did not know diddly squat.
Best JM,
dale
How long after picking up the brush, the first masterpiece?
The goal is not to obfuscate that which is clear, but make clear that which isn't.
The goal is not to obfuscate that which is clear, but make clear that which isn't.