Libyan rebels seize British SAS troops-Sunday Times

Reuters ^ | Mar 6, 2011 | Stefano Ambrogi

[Doofer]

Libyan rebels have captured a British special forces unit in the east of the country after a secret diplomatic mission to make contact with opposition leaders backfired, Britain's Sunday Times reported. The team, understood to number up to eight SAS soldiers, were intercepted as they escorted a junior diplomat through rebel-held territory, the newspaper said. The Foreign Office said in a brief statement it could neither "confirm or deny" the report. Earlier on Saturday the Geneva-based Human Rights Solidarity group, which employs a number of Libyan exiles, told Reuters by telephone that a team of "eight special forces personnel" had been seized by rebels. Both the Ministry of Defence and Foreign Office repeatedly declined to comment on the group's report. The SAS intervention apparently angered Libyan opposition figures, who ordered the soldiers locked up on a military base, according to the Sunday Times. Opponents of longtime Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi fear he could use any evidence of Western military intervention to rally patriotic support away from a two-week-old uprising against his 41-year autocratic rule. Citing Libyan sources, the Sunday Times said the special forces troops were taken by rebels to Benghazi, Libya's second largest city and epicentre of the insurrection, and hauled before one of its most senior politicians for questioning. The paper said the junior diplomat they were escorting was preparing the way for a visit by a more senior colleague ahead of establishing diplomatic relations with the rebels. The Sunday Times said Libyan opposition officials were said to be trying to hush up the incident for fear of a backlash from ordinary Libyans.

[Vanders9]

Why are there Libyan refugees when the people are the ones supposedly 'protesting'?

Because in any Civil war situation, particularly at the beginning of one, the usual reaction from most people is "we dont want anything to do with this!"

How can a peaceful group of Libyan citizens without weapons, training, and organization be engaged in an armed conflict with the Libyan military?

For three reasons. Even though they have little military training, the Libyan army are not exactly elite troops themselves. Secondly the seem to have a good edge in numbers. And thirdly the rebels include a fair number of Libyan soldiers who have defected.

Why do peaceful 'protestors' request a no-fly zone?

Because Gaddafi has an air force and they do not. And in modern warfare control of the skies is THE most important factor in military success.

[Vanders9]

How dare you! We are NOT sad and pathetic!

We are devious and underhand. :)

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

I don’t think we have all the info yet...

[stevie_d_64]

Pretty much the same thing happen to the Brit Sailors they made a spectacle of in Iran a year or so ago...

But an SAS unit??? Now that is embarrasing...

With all the concessions and other deals brokered by the Brits with the Libyans and Gaddaffi, you’d think theyd’ still get a pass, but nooooooooooo...

They (Brits) are going to get more bloodied on this than we (USA and the rest of the world) are, whatever the solution and outcome is...

[Former Proud Canadian]

Re post 34. Good idea. Too bad the Brits didn’t think of it. You are thinking like its the 21st century. They are thinking like its the 19th.

[littleharbour]

The SAS troops didn’t fail. Their political/military leaders did. The SAS can kick ass with the best of them, but if their hands are tied by the politicians and their own acquiescent brass, then they don’t have options. I expect that they were told that they must surrender if confronted militarily, which is a position in which no soldier should be placed. How this trip was authorized without even the most basic intelligence from MI-6 as to possible contracts and identity of reliable go-betweens, is unfathomable.

[Former Proud Canadian]

I didn’t say the SAS failed. I agree with the rest of your post.

[2harddrive]

“Isn’t this the same country whose navy surrendered to an Iranian gunboat?”

It was a row boat.

[gleeaikin]

“Now he knows the Brits are trying to contact the rebels.” I wonder if this is why he has stepped up his air attacks on eastern cities. I heard that one thing that could be done is to bomb his airfields so they can’t be used. I wonder if rebels could sneak in and destroy tires and windshields. Unusable, but not severely damaged if they win.

[Marine_Uncle]

Who should do the bombing?

[Dr. Sheldon Cooper]

Who should do the bombing?

Bill Ayers isn't particularly busy, and he's experienced.

[Marine_Uncle]

Good idea. And he could encourage say the old bag Frances Fox Piven to don some camies and join him. It would be good for her soul.

[txhurl]

Man, I have missed you!

[Clock King]

How do 8 SAS lads get seized by the rebels, who by most media accounts appear to lack proper training, equipment, and organization?

I don't see it either, though it has happened before in Iraq. But the Iraqi military is probably trained much better than Libyan rebels.

My conspiracy theory: The SAS are actually there to train the rebels to overthrow Gaddafi. But since the great Obomba publicly said NO to military intervention, the UK (Cameron) has to go around their "special" friend's back. The capture is just a cover story.

[Marine_Uncle]

Whoops! Welcome aboard. Hope your stay is enjoyable as well as informative.

[Dr. Sheldon Cooper]

Thank you kind sir!

[Marine_Uncle]

Your welcome.

[archy]

The Libyan desert never did agree with British troops...

Clearly, you're not familiar with the Long Range Desert Group and Popski's Private Army.

The LRDG were masters at patrolling and establishment of fuel dumps hundreds of miles behind enemy lines. Popskis lot was somewhat more dynamic, cheeerfully providing route reconnaisance and enemy strength intelligence for the British Eighth Army in Cyrynacia.

In his memoirs, General Montgomery described Popski's Private Army as "the most effective Allied intelligence source of the Second World War."

The unit was the smallest unit on the British regimental rolls in terms of personnel, rarely numbering more than a hundred men in operational roles, and about that many again in support roles.

[archy]

German generals considered North Africa a tactician's paradise and a quartermaster's hell

Rommel, on the condudt of war in the desert:

In the absence of orders, find something and kill it.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

Hey there,,,

Been goin’ round-n-round here,,,

Never enough time,,,

Such is life,,,

I hope all those guys get out soon...