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2003-07-21 Iraq

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Posted by Dar 2003-07-21 2:25:58 PM|| || Front Page|| [5 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Add'l SF news from StrategyPage:
July 21, 2003: The U.S. Army Special Forces is trying to expand their A-Teams from 12 to 14 men. The two new positions would specialize in sniping and controlling air strikes. Both jobs require the use of long range sensors (day/night sights). But thereâs a problem, in that the U.S. Air Force only wants its own personnel to call in air strikes. The air force also does not want to expand itâs air controller force to provide as many controllers as the Special Forces (and the rest of the Army) wants. The Special Operations Command will probably have to go right to the top (Secretary of Defense or President) to get the air force to loosen up on their air controller monopoly.

Posted by Dar 2003-7-21 3:38:35 PM|| 2003-7-21 3:38:35 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 Unless the Air Force attached their own SF to the teams for joint "training" they'll have to be forced. The head wing nuts really do believe that air power is the all powerful war winning weapon, even though it's been proven time and time again that it's not. (Quite the force multiplier, however, I must say.) (Us infantry guys love you Warthog and B-52 pilots!)

There's no "I" in "TEAM", but the delusional higher ups in the Air Force can only see the "m" and the "e".

Posted by Paul 2003-7-21 3:50:35 PM|| 2003-7-21 3:50:35 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 Drudge played many times last night the ABC report from last week in which the one Army guy said he would ask for Rumsfeld's resignation if Rummy were in the same room with the soldier. Others didn't care for Iraqis anymore, felt like they had been kicked in the gut since their departure has been set back a few times. Then I noticed the report was coming from guys in Fallujah. I guess if you're a GI in that place, then feeling depressed and unappreciated might be natural.
Eleanor Clift signed off on the McLaughlin show by stating how there would be a rising hue and cry from Americans on the mistake that Bush made to go into Iraq. The result? We will start withdrawing Americans in the face of the "quagmire". Her source? All the e-mails that the troops are sending home stating how much Iraq sucks and how it's a quagmire.
I remember Eleanor stating before the Nov mid-terms that once voters saw their 401K's reduced in value, they'd all vote to kick out the Repubs. from House and surely it all meant a larger majority for Dems in the senate. We know the result, so I'm not particularly worried re Iraq/troop morale if E Clift is harping on it.

But what about our guys? Are they really that bitter about staying in Iraq? I note the writer of the letter is Special Forces, not regular Army.
Does that make a difference? I was talking to my uncle over the weekend, and this guy was a Ranger, saw Morocco, somehow made it out of Anzio/Italian, southern France campaigns without being wounded. About 14 months of real heavy stuff. He understands the GI's feelings, but he says he had it alot worse than the guys do in Iraq. As a guy who's never served, I'm hesitant to start pointing fingers at guys whose lives are on the line, but who signed up nevertheless. How about it you vetrans? Are the stories of low morale something to be concerned about?

Posted by Michael 2003-7-21 4:26:03 PM|| 2003-7-21 4:26:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 On behalf of my planet, thanks, soldiers all.

Posted by Ri'Neref 2003-7-21 6:13:55 PM|| 2003-7-21 6:13:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 Michael: Unless you've been there, you have no idea what a culture of complaint exists in the Army. (I can't vouch for the other services.) I recently completed a reserve tour in support of Operation Noble Eagle. I had absolutely forgotten what it was like. There is nothing that compares with it in the private sector. And don't think its just the privates. If you want to find out what mid-career officers and NCOs bitch about, go read Hackworth's site. And do you think that Barry McCafferty just came up with his complaints on his own? Ha! His general officer buddies call him and say, "I can't go public on this, but if you don't take this to the press, the mission is in danger!" And Barry goes on Meet the Press

I could go into a unit that had just had an all-expenses paid trip to a cat house, followed by four weeks of leave, and I can guarantee you that I could find ten privates and a couple of E-5/E-6's who would bad mouth their commander, the US Army, the food, and the Pope. Griping is just not an indicator of unit morale.

The primary statistics to look at are AWOL, desertion, and reenlistment rates. I call these the active stats since they reflect being pissed off enough to take action. The passive stats are STDs, petty disciplne violations, and drug use. These are cop outs rather than f*** you's and are less tightly correlated with poor morale.

When should you be worried as a citizen and a tax payer? If the NYT prints an article saying that AWOL rates have doubled since the start of the war, don't be alarmed. Since the adoption of an all-volunteer force, AWOL rates have dropped to lows unheard of for any military in history. If an article says rates have increased 500-1000%, then you might get worried.

Posted by 11A5S 2003-7-21 6:38:46 PM|| 2003-7-21 6:38:46 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Great letter - gives the feel as well as the fact.

And written by a man who is thinking - not the incessant griping of weenies - that 11A5S describes so well. (I never got a cat-house TDY, shit!) This guy is aware - self, situationally, and the big picture. A Class Act.

Michael - You should be worried about their gullibility, not their morale. Those stupid schmoes told the reporter what he wanted to hear because they're just fucking kids foolishly "impressed" with the asshat who was fulfilling the assigned editorial agenda: Get me a story on bitching GI's. Reduced from soldiers to the lowest point in civilization: tools of the agenda trade.

I no longer subscribe to newspapers and, for the most part, don't read their sites except by linkage from a blog or story on NRO, TCS, etc. I am not alone, of course, and the "fall" of the establishment news organizations is far from over.

Posted by PD 2003-7-21 7:46:38 PM|| 2003-7-21 7:46:38 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Aye thank you!

Posted by Ptah 2003-7-21 7:55:59 PM|| [http://www.crusaderwarcollege.org] 2003-7-21 7:55:59 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 I would really and trully give my left testacle to lead this bunch of kids in combat....not taking anything away from the draftees I led in Viet Nam but this generation of soldier is better trained, better motivated and more professional than anything I had at my disposal....
They are a great bunch of kids and true heroes, everyday they do more for our country than all of the scotch sipping media nebishes in New York.
I tip my hat to these young men, we should be danged proud of them and they are proof positive that given half a chance, maybe the next generation will undo the damage the SDS and closet Weathermen are now doing to our society.

Posted by SOG475 2003-7-21 8:15:32 PM|| 2003-7-21 8:15:32 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 Hi Dar. Thanks for the referral.

Posted by Joe Katzman 2003-7-21 8:47:21 PM|| [http://www.windsofchange.net] 2003-7-21 8:47:21 PM|| Front Page Top

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