This freedom, combined with the amount of intelligence generated on missions, creates a furious operational tempo for the TF 145 elements, which average well over a mission per day.
From 6 at night to 10 the next morning, “We’re going balls to the wall, doing hits all over the place,” the special operations source said.
This is why our SOF units have become so effective within Iraq over the past 12 months and Zarqawi will not be able to operate within our OODA loop for much longer - And while S. Naylor doesn't have the best of reputation (especially within the SEAL community) he was certainly given quite a decent behind the scenes type view here -
Zarqawi is alive because 1. He is a tough / mean SOB and 2. He has been da*m lucky! -
Also it is clear slightly within the article some of the bruised ego's within the "white" SOF community - But that is to be expected and is also over-hyped as well -
The reality is in this phase of the WOT we need more shooters / DA type guys -
Which is why the SEALs have been so prominent - the SEALs have become the premier direct action SOF units in the GWOT - (of course the smaller Delta element is right there as well)
I think the one major area of concern for JSOC was the concern that too many of our DA Units were so dependent on receiving their Intel from OGA's - That has switched to a sizable degree over the past 12 months (thanks to SecDef Rumsfeld) with more of this units developing and then immediately acting gathered Intel (Not to disparage OGAs...they have provided a ton of valuable Intel).
Zarqawi is alive because 1. He is a tough / mean SOB and 2. He has been da*m lucky! 3. He's probably running things from Syria.