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| Afghanistan |
| Exclusive: Inside a U.S. hostage rescue mission |
| 2008-11-10 |
| caught via AOSHQ The American businessman lay shackled in a mud hut 8,000 feet up a remote mountain in Afghanistan, armed captors posted inside and outside to prevent any escape attempt. Earlier in his captivity, he had made a run for it, but -- barefoot and much older than the insurgents who held him -- he was snatched back before he could get far. After nearly two months in captivity and out of contact with anyone who cared about him, the hostage reviewed what his fate might hold -- whether ransom negotiations or rescue efforts or a miracle might bring him freedom. "One option was for the money to arrive and be ransomed," the 61-year-old engineer from Ohio told Military Times, speaking on the condition that he remain anonymous. Another was "that they'd just get tired of me and let me loose." A third was "some kind of military intervention," he said. "In my mind I'd given a military intervention a one out of a hundred chance. Not that they couldn't do it, but they're busy and I'm not that important a fellow." On an airstrip many miles away, however, several twin sets of Chinook helicopter rotor blades were starting to turn as about 60 of America's most elite troops prepared to prove him wrong. Members of a task force that Military Times agreed not to name, the commandos had been hunting for the businessman since soon after he went missing. Now they were ready to act. This is the story of one of the most daring and successful U.S. hostage-rescue missions in years. heh - RTWT - you know you wanna |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #7 "Nevertheless, “They knew who was who,” the engineer said. the SEALs quickly demonstrated that, aiming their silencer-equipped weapons to shoot and kill the kidnapper in the room before he could fire a round. The engineer said he heard the sounds of the operators shooting and killing a guard posted outside." Ah yes, the lessons of Gitmo, well learned. |
| Posted by: Darrell 2008-11-10 19:52 |
| #6 And no trials or claims of political asylum. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-11-10 18:42 |
| #5 Great story. Great op. I can just see the captors snoozing away, getting popped in the head with suppressed weapons, and waking up in Hell, saying, WTF???!!!!! |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2008-11-10 18:32 |
| #4 Actually, I appreciate State's position - don't publicize it locally, let the results speak for themselves. Let them never know who's rescued or how or where. Sow confusion, harvest uncertainty, breed stupidity. Back home, or on base, medals and drinks all around. |
| Posted by: Large Spomoling6782 2008-11-10 14:20 |
| #3 State has no firepower, so they have little other than talking points. That doesn't mean they're not worthless, just that there's an inbred reason for their being worthless. This stupid notion that they are the "senior" organization and should handle EVERY foreign policy program is another reason they're worthless. Chad is an excellent example. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2008-11-10 12:32 |
| #2 yeah i was thinking the same thing PTAH, don't wanna make the bad guys look too bad. |
| Posted by: chris 2008-11-10 10:50 |
| #1 Great read. And, as usual, State comes across as d*ckless as ever. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2008-11-10 09:09 |