Posted on 07/10/2008 7:10:59 PM PDT by RDTF
For months before a group of disguised Colombian soldiers carried out a daring rescue of three U.S. citizens and a prominent Colombian politician from a guerrilla camp, a team of U.S. Special Forces joined elite Colombian troops tracking the hostages across the jungle in the country's southern fringes.
The U.S. team was supported by a vast intelligence-gathering operation based in the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, far to the north. There, a special 100-person unit made up of Special Forces planners, hostage negotiators and intelligence analysts worked to keep track of the hostages. They also awaited the moment when the rescue would begin.
That moment came in June after a Colombian army major hatched an unconventional plan. Further developed by Colombian intelligence agents, the plan abandoned the idea of a military raid and relied instead on tricking a rebel group notorious for killing hostages into simply handing over 15 of their most prominent captives.
-snip-
As Colombian planners made last-minute preparations June 30, the U.S. ambassador in Bogotá, William Brownfield, briefed Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other Bush administration officials in a videoconference call. Two days later, Colombian commandos scooped up the Americans, Betancourt and 11 Colombian soldiers and policemen.
U.S. troops did not participate directly in the operation, but behind the rescue in a jungle clearing stood years of clandestine American work. It included the deployment of elite U.S. Special Forces in areas where rebel fighters roam, a vast intelligence-gathering operation, and training programs on intercepting and subverting rebel communications.
-snip-
The operation included infiltrators in the highest reaches of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), as well as Colombian commandos playing the part of relief workers and guerrillas and an elaborate scheme to intervene in the rebels' radio network.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
The real miracle is not that the plan worked but that some enlightened being on Ambassador Brownfield or Condi’s staff did not find it necessary (for the greater good) to inform the NYT.
That’s what’s got me lighting candles while wearing a mantilla.
A brilliant charade, brilliant.
BTTT
Agree good point !
Used too be a great little thing with regards to handling or disseminating classified information called ..........NEED TO KNOW !
Seems that went out the window with the Clintonista regime yet hopefully it has returned too the world of secret operations where our men and women go into harms way.
Secrets are supposed too be .
Bless them all.
The article gives no specifics. I’m sure the Latin media in Colombia will soon have a good detailed story. Of course it will be incomplete for few years until the classified portion grows stale. But so far we have next to nothing at all.
Kind of missing any details of how it was done... or did i miss it?
this is from the AP - can’t post it but it tells a little more
http://www.examiner.com/a-1482209~US__Colombia_choked_rebel_communications_network.html
this is from the AP - can’t post it but it tells a little more
http://www.examiner.com/a-1482209~US__Colombia_choked_rebel_communications_network.html
Where do you want the details, on the front page of the New York Times?
RACIST ALERT!!! In talking about the hostages not seeing any news reports in years, CNN reporter Robin Meade said they were in a black hole! RACISM! /sarc
er.... well ... maybe not.
that was better thanks.
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