Boston Herald.com
By Boston Herald Editorial Staff
Saturday, January 28, 2012 -
Saturday, January 28, 2012 -
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ShareAgain we cheer the skill and daring of U.S. commando forces, this time for the rescue by SEAL Team 6 of aid workers Jessica Buchanan and her Danish colleague Poul Thisted from three months of captivity in Somalia. We hope appropriate lessons are being drawn everywhere — and that the Pentagon and CIA are shaping lessons for America’s enemies.
Already press comment in Washington describes the raid as an example of the Obama administration’s increased reliance on special forces to offset planned declines in conventional firepower.
It does no harm to attract notice to U.S. prowess, but the pundits must remember that these opponents were nine bandits (apparently all killed) who, it seems, were stoned from chewing qat, a local narcotic, or asleep when the SEALS arrived. This was hardly a difficult adversary. The group of thugs was devoted to raising money from ransoms and was unconnected to any terrorists.
Other opponents (like the guards of Osama bin Laden overcome in that famous SEAL Team 6 raid in Pakistan) will be tougher. An operation could require fire support from fighter-bombers, drones, naval gunfire and missiles, plus deceptive maneuvers, decoys, electronic jamming and more.
The region is full of kidnappers. The one that most needs “attitude adjustment” is Iran, which often detains tourists on phony accusations of spying. Former U.S. Marine Amir Hakmati, arrested on a visit to his grandmother, received a death sentence earlier this month.
The tactics, training and preparedness of U.S. special forces has come a long way since the 1980 failure of Operation Eagle Claw — the Carter administration’s attempt to recover the 52 hostages at the seized U.S. embassy in Tehran. Iran would be well advised to recognize that. The rescue of Jessica Buchanan was a good way to drive home that point.
Already press comment in Washington describes the raid as an example of the Obama administration’s increased reliance on special forces to offset planned declines in conventional firepower.
It does no harm to attract notice to U.S. prowess, but the pundits must remember that these opponents were nine bandits (apparently all killed) who, it seems, were stoned from chewing qat, a local narcotic, or asleep when the SEALS arrived. This was hardly a difficult adversary. The group of thugs was devoted to raising money from ransoms and was unconnected to any terrorists.
The region is full of kidnappers. The one that most needs “attitude adjustment” is Iran, which often detains tourists on phony accusations of spying. Former U.S. Marine Amir Hakmati, arrested on a visit to his grandmother, received a death sentence earlier this month.
The tactics, training and preparedness of U.S. special forces has come a long way since the 1980 failure of Operation Eagle Claw — the Carter administration’s attempt to recover the 52 hostages at the seized U.S. embassy in Tehran. Iran would be well advised to recognize that. The rescue of Jessica Buchanan was a good way to drive home that point.
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