Sunday, February 05, 2006
Secret Troops, Secret Ops, Hollywood At The Pentagon?
I wouldn’t want to say that this indicates the US would send in military units to fight in countries we’re not at war with, but... Hey, all those “Delta Force” kind of movies and movies about super-secret hit teams—they were to soften us up for it to happen in real life. Rambo for real; the Lone Marauder As Patriot.
What this also means is that Cheney, Bush, and Rumsfeld have read too goddam many Tom Clancy novels. Or, in Dubya's case, watched the movie versions.
washingtonpost.com
Ability to Wage 'Long War' Is Key To Pentagon Plan
Conventional Tactics De-Emphasized
By Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, February 4, 2006; A01
[snipped]
... calls for a one-third increase in Army Special Forces battalions, whose troops are trained in languages and to work with indigenous fighters; an increase in Navy SEAL teams; and the creation of a new SOF squadron of unmanned aerial vehicles to "locate and target enemy capabilities" in countries where access is difficult.
In addition, civil affairs and psychological operations units will gain 3,500 personnel, a 33 percent increase, while the Marine Corps will establish a 2,600-strong Special Operations force for training foreign militaries, conducting reconnaissance and carrying out strikes.
"SOF will increase their capacity to perform more demanding and specialized tasks, especially long-duration, indirect and clandestine operations in politically sensitive environments and denied areas," the report says. By 2007, SOF will have newly modified Navy submarines, each armed with 150 Tomahawk missiles, for reaching "denied areas" and striking individuals or other targets.
"SOF will have the capacity to operate in dozens of countries simultaneously" and will deploy for longer periods to build relationships with "foreign military and security forces," it says.
To conduct strikes against terrorists and other enemies -- work typically assigned to Delta Force members and SEAL teams -- these forces will gain "an expanded organic ability to locate, tag and track dangerous individuals and other high-value targets globally," the report says.
The growth will also allow for the creation of small teams of operatives assigned to "detect, locate, and render safe" nuclear, chemical and biological weapons -- as well as to prevent their transfer from states such as North Korea to terrorist groups.
To strengthen homeland defense, the report calls for improving communications and command systems so that military efforts can be better coordinated with state and local governments.
© 2006 The Washington Post Company
What this also means is that Cheney, Bush, and Rumsfeld have read too goddam many Tom Clancy novels. Or, in Dubya's case, watched the movie versions.
washingtonpost.com
Ability to Wage 'Long War' Is Key To Pentagon Plan
Conventional Tactics De-Emphasized
By Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, February 4, 2006; A01
[snipped]
... calls for a one-third increase in Army Special Forces battalions, whose troops are trained in languages and to work with indigenous fighters; an increase in Navy SEAL teams; and the creation of a new SOF squadron of unmanned aerial vehicles to "locate and target enemy capabilities" in countries where access is difficult.
In addition, civil affairs and psychological operations units will gain 3,500 personnel, a 33 percent increase, while the Marine Corps will establish a 2,600-strong Special Operations force for training foreign militaries, conducting reconnaissance and carrying out strikes.
"SOF will increase their capacity to perform more demanding and specialized tasks, especially long-duration, indirect and clandestine operations in politically sensitive environments and denied areas," the report says. By 2007, SOF will have newly modified Navy submarines, each armed with 150 Tomahawk missiles, for reaching "denied areas" and striking individuals or other targets.
"SOF will have the capacity to operate in dozens of countries simultaneously" and will deploy for longer periods to build relationships with "foreign military and security forces," it says.
To conduct strikes against terrorists and other enemies -- work typically assigned to Delta Force members and SEAL teams -- these forces will gain "an expanded organic ability to locate, tag and track dangerous individuals and other high-value targets globally," the report says.
The growth will also allow for the creation of small teams of operatives assigned to "detect, locate, and render safe" nuclear, chemical and biological weapons -- as well as to prevent their transfer from states such as North Korea to terrorist groups.
To strengthen homeland defense, the report calls for improving communications and command systems so that military efforts can be better coordinated with state and local governments.
© 2006 The Washington Post Company
