Increased government regulation and a generally declining job market has had its impact on special operations forces in Iraq, too:
Elite counterterrorism units in Iraq are running half as many operations this year as they have annually since 2008, in part because of a nationwide drop in violence, senior U.S. military officials said Wednesday…
The tempo of counterterrorism raids “is down in comparison to years past, in accordance with the decreasing level of violence,” said Col. Mark Mitchell, commander of an Airborne special forces unit based in Balad, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Baghdad.
The average number of missions a week has dropped to an average of about 25, down from around 50 in 2008 and 2009, said Col. Darsie D. Rogers Jr., who commands the estimated 4,500 U.S. special forces in Iraq. He and Mitchell briefed reporters on Wednesday on U.S. special forces operations with Iraqis.
Mitchell also attributed the drop in missions to legal challenges in getting permission to raid suspected insurgent hideouts.
The poor dears. All dressed up, and no one to kill.
Let’s see…what’s the % of the part that’s the result of a “decrease in violence” and what’s the size of the pie resulting from “legal challenges?” Inquiring minds…
On one hand, they can use the break in Op Tempo. Corresponding decrease in Op Tempo means that at some point, there will be less of them needed there. Meaning, a little less time there, and maybe, just maybe, some more time home. Work on some other skill sets that have been atrophying in the last few years. Listen to someone yelling, “Daddy! Daddy!” for a change, instead of “Allah u akbar!” On the other hand, they are more than just killing machines. It’s a part of what they do, but not their raison d’être as it were.
However, I suspect that while much of it is the drop in targets, vis a vis the drop in violence indicators, the legal process likely has more impact on the decline in Op Tempo. Rogers and Mitchell alluded to that specifically several times in the article. The American in me says, rule of law is a good thing. The guy in me who’s been in that part of the world suspects that politics and connections probably have as much to do with who gets hit as to who doesn’t. The SOF guys have been going back to the same areas for years now and they know the culture, the area and the players. So, they’re not just tools of revenge being mindlessly targeted on innocents by “ambiguous intelligence”, they have a good idea of who they’ve finally gotten the green light to move on, who’s being protected and who’s the attempted target of a faction. I’m betting that they sit some of the dubious ones out when they can’t stop them.
Likely, they’ll get moved to another part of the theater to start over again. Still, if they’re standing around, why not be home? If you need us, send us. If not, mind the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the bedroom door. Call us when you really need us. Mind the door on your way out.
The phrase “legal challenges” bothers me as well, but sooner or later the Iraqis have to own their responsibilities, for good or ill.
Mark Mitchell, a COL now?
Damn, I knew him when he was just a major. He’s probably spent more time on the ground in Iraq than anyone else in the US Army. Fantastic soldier who has earned everything he got.
And yeah, they can use the break in optempo. Whatever the reason.
No problem. There’s still a lot of a$$holes in the ‘Stan that need killing.
Rust and Satan never sleep. Rest while you can, rest while you can.
I have a job for them. Go abduct Julian ASSange, give him a training HALO jump over the Coral Sea, sans ‘chute.
[...] All dressed up with nobody to kill [...]