Yet another indicator of boots already on the ground...while virtually all A-10 pilots are qualified as airborne forward air controllers (FAC-A), they work best in tandem with ground-based controllers, such as special forces teams or JTACs.
Three weeks ago, a reporter for the Daily Beast (who served as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan and Iraq) was given permission to move up with Kurdish forces near the Mosul Dam. Suddenly, the reporter and his Kurdish escort were told to hold in place because they had “visitors.” Moments later, several armored Toyota pick-up trucks sped past; the reporter said the men inside looked like western SOF, and a Kurdish official confirmed that U.S. and German SF teams are on the ground with the Peshmerga.
If Barry Zero had half a clue, he’d turn the SOF loose, just as GWB did during the surge. SF teams did a lot of critical work that helped break the back of the insurgency.
I don’t care how well financed ISIS is, or how much more competent they are than their predecessor, Al Qaida in Iraq. There isn’t an ISIS fighter alive who is a match for a Green Beret, a SEAL, a Delta operator, a member of the British or Australian SAS, or Germany’s KSK.
Don't forget, US Marines can be hard on terrorists too. I kind of heard the South Koreans were some bad a$$es. When I was in Nam, the VC feared them. Maybe we could get Koreans to kick a$$es and take names too.
What makes you think Barry has any say in what SOFs are doing or will do? I’m pretty sure he’s not cleared for that information.