WP: Military Split on How to Use Special Forces In Terror War

[kskiska]

Monday, January 5, 2004; Page A01

With Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld pressuring the Pentagon to take a more aggressive role in tracking down terrorists, military and intelligence officials are engaged in a fierce debate over when and how elite military units should be deployed for maximum effectiveness.

Under Rumsfeld's direction, secret commando units known as hunter-killer teams have been ordered to "kick down the doors," as the generals put it, all over the world in search of al Qaeda members and their sympathizers.

The approach has succeeded in recent months in Iraq, as Special Operations forces have helped capture Saddam Hussein and other Baathist loyalists. But in other parts of the world, particularly Afghanistan, these soldiers and their civilian advocates have complained to superiors that the Pentagon's counterterrorism policy is too inflexible in the use of Special Forces overall and about what units are allowed to chase down suspected terrorists, according to former commandos and a Defense Department official.

In fact, these advocates said the U.S. military may have missed chances to capture two of its most-wanted fugitives -- Mohammad Omar, the Taliban leader, and Ayman Zawahiri, deputy to Osama bin Laden -- during the past two years because of restrictions on Green Berets in favor of two other components of the Special Operations Command, the Delta Force and SEAL Team Six.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54655-2004Jan4.html

[DuctapeFatwa]

1. This reminds me of those arguments within the Taliban

about whether gay people should be stoned or thrown off a high wall.

[TacticalPeek]

2. Intentional (?) or not,

these ideologues are driving lots of operators out of the services and into the arms of the waiting privateer$.

Many have returned recently, after spending months sitting around sandy airports, doing nothing, unable even to train properly. Lots are not leaning toward reupping.

Just what we need. :(

[DUreader]

3. I wouldn't be surprised if it were intentional

[DUreader]

4. Actually, this article stinks...

What is that smell/

Oh, it is coming from Page A01.

The Article Immediately Draws the Non-Existant Link Between Saddam Baathists and Al Queda!

WP Liars Strike Again.

Maybe Time for Somebody to Adopt the Writer Gregory L. Vistica

[DUreader]

5. Here is a Namebsae Diagram for the Author, just for fun