Two Novice Gumshoes Charted The Capture Of Saddam Hussein

Wall Street Journal via Early Bird ^ | December 18,2003 | Farnaz Fassihi, Staff Reporter Of The Wall Street Journal

[Ispy4u]

There are national agencies working on the same thing. But these two have direct access to the arrest/interrogation process and utilized it exceptionally well.

Their original data came from a national database that hundereds of analysts have been working on for years.

But none of those analysts have ever looked a single person on that list in the eye. That is the difference.

[mylife]

"It helped them separate the Known Knowns from the Known Unknowns and the Unknown Unknowns."

Thats the tricky part!

[IGOTMINE]

There is no substitute for having the intel weenies tied directly into the guys conducting the operations.

[Ispy4u]

I think you mean the USMC would have said "can do" and proceeded to point and grunt at the computer.

Gotta jab back. ; )

[cookcounty]

" A 31 year old, 11 year service lieutenant? A 36 year old E-4?"

Rank is a little tougher to come by now, than way back when I was in. I kept getting promoted because I had a pulse and didn't smoke dope.

[Jonah Hex]

Point taken.

:-)

[hosepipe]

The OTHER side of the story.... eat you're heart out Paul Harvey.... Hoo Ah!..

[aculeus]

The two officers say Maj. Murphy's orders to them were: "Figure it out, draw the lines, make me a chart and find every crucial person connected to Saddam."

Great article but "cpls" are not officers.

[Ispy4u]

I just checked the army White Pages. Both of these soldiers are Active duty, not reservists. It is quite apparent due to time in service that 1LT Angela Santana is a mustang, hard charger.

[IGOTMINE]

What was it you did the Corps? I see from your profile that you did three years before switching.

[cookcounty]

"OCS age requirement 19-29. Age waivers on a case by case basis up to age 34. Sounds like the Cpl could well have missed the cutoff."

He's only been in for 27 months or less. Plus today, there are lots of enlisted people with degrees. Some prefer the enlisted life, the chance to be more "mission-oriented" rather than career-oriented. That's why SF guys stay enlisted, otherwise they end up going to all kinds of other not-so-exciting assignments.

[Ispy4u]

A CPL is a Non-commissioned officer, an easy mistake for a dumb reporter.

[Redleg Duke]

You find a lot of people who were prior enlisted service who get commissioned. You also find a lot of patriots who enlisted after 9/11, even though they were a bit "long in the tooth".

I would like to believe that your comment was not implying that these two were deficient in any manner.

[Ispy4u]

I was a Marine Reservist before joining the Army. I tried to go Active USMC but they considered me Prior Service and wouldn't take me at the time. I joined the Army for the Gulf War, I miss the Corps from time to time but the Army has treated me very well.

[headodenton]

From an old OB Tech, an excellent example of sound, imaginative and innovative Order of Battle analysis. Congrats and "Well done" to these two fine soldiers.

[IGOTMINE]

That is AMAZING! Active Duty Marine Corps required a waiver because you were prior service USMCR! What a nutroll.

I'm trying to rejoin the Marine Corps reserves...left active duty in 1995 as an 0231. Spent my first six years as an 03. Then one day when I was carrying an M60 up a hill I had a vision...

[Ispy4u]

When did you retire, there is a slight chance we know each other, MI is quite small.

[Steel Wolf]

I have to wonder why we are paying billions upon billions for professional intelligence bureaucracies. Where were they?

"They" were probably right there, not sharing information as usual. I've had the opportunity to work with some of the 'pros' recently, and my awe quickly gave way to disappointment.

In my somewhat limited experience, they act like prima donna's who are too good to be working with the common military intelligence peons. Apparently their fucntion is to not do anything except take over politically sensitive intel hits from the commoners, and present them as their own.

I'm sure they were screaming to high heaven to get their hands on Saddam the minute we got him.

[BobS]

"A 31 year old, 11 year service lieutenant? A 36 year old E-4?"

That's O-4. Some folks would rather work than fly a desk. I've seen E-6's retire after 20 years.

[daylate-dollarshort]

All I have to say is Well Done