Thunderbirds are GO!
Posted on 09/06/2004 1:48:45 PM PDT by Calpernia
Readers of Tom Clancy are probably familiar with his book, Rainbow Six, which focuses on the work of an elite team of terror fighting commandos, who were formed to respond to terror attacks, especially those involving hostages. The team was formed in the sequel to his book Executive Orders, where the US Capitol building was destroyed by a terrorist acting on his own, and the US was hit by multiple attacks including one involving bioweapons.
As Clancy readers will tell you, quite often Clancy’s fictional writings draw striking parallels to reality.
We need look no further than the tragedy that occurred this week in the Russian republic of Ossetia, where over a thousand school children and their parents were held hostage by Islamic terrorists, and then hundreds were massacred.
Criticism has been heaped upon the Russians for their handling of the incident. But what country is in fact equipped to deal with a tragedy of this nature? I would dare to suggest that there are not many.
If there is one thing that I have learned from many years of studying Al Qaeda and their operations it is this: they tell us what they are going to do, and they do it.
No, they don’t make it quite that easy. They don’t tell us when or where, but they tell us what and how. They publish their plans for murder and mayhem for all to read.
This will not be the only incident of this nature; Al Qaeda has put too much emphasis on publishing the how-to’s. More assassinations and kidnapping operations are on the horizon, based on their internet announcements.
Many of the incidents could be prevented before they actually happen by extra vigilance. In this case, it appears that the terrorists were involved in the remodeling of the gym of the school this summer. They not only knew their way around the premises, but they appear to have prepositioned weapons and explosives, hiding them under the floorboards of the gym. (This technique has been used in the past. The President of Chechnya was assassinated earlier this year by an explosive device prepositioned when a stadium was constructed.) Those responsible for facilities and for construction need to be alert for this scenario.
But no amount of vigilance is going to stop all attacks. They will certainly continue; the genie is already out of the bottle. We must have a plan of response.
I am publicly calling for the establishment of a multinational team of special forces, not under control of the United Nations but under it’s own aegis, similar to other multinational military coalitions which have been formed over the years.
I would expect Israel, the United States, Great Britain, and Russia to head up this team, but other countries would certainly participate.
This force would be a rapid deployment force, divided into 5 or 6 different groups, each prepositioned at a different location globally to ensure that a team can reach the site of a hostage situation as quickly as possible. That means one positioned in Europe, the US, South America, eastern Russia, Australia, Southeast Asia, and probably North Africa.
Each of these teams would have the best available equipment, as well as expertise in psychology, negotiations, crowd control, explosives, weaponry, hostage rescue, and evaluating the situation. They would be able to go in, assess the situation, and devise a plan to minimize chaos and maximize the chances of getting the hostages out alive.
Although no one team could handle a situation with as many hostages as the school takeover this week, it would certainly be able to provide the leadership and expertise for law enforcement and military forces already on the scene. A multi-day scenario would also provide for more time for one or more of the other teams to arrive on the scene.
Such a force would certainly save lives.
It’s time for one to be created.
We know from experience terrorists want to bring their murder and mayhem to the US homeland again. We must be prepared. Please contact your Senators and Congressmen, and tell them you want one created.
Now.
ping
I figured this was coming ...
Agreed.
Look at this. Maybe the Russian authorities are scared that the terrible pictures will ignite a religious war. They want to lead on this not have it turn into genocide. Kind of like they stopped showing the twin towers burning on TV because people couldn't take it emotionally and it was feared it might incite people to murder Muslims. Some people in turbans were killed, but they were Sikhs. Also, the security forces aren't exactly covered in glory by the Izvestia account. Of course, inciting people into indiscriminate mass killing does play into the hands of the terrorists. Putin has said that vigilantee justice will be viewed as terrorism. Unfortunately the tragedy at Beslan may get much worse. Beslan may only be the first act. If the Russians can't find the reall culprits that supported the actual terrorists, they are probably going to have to find someone to blame.
Izvestia editor fired over coverage of school siege
06 Sep 2004 17:48:48 GMT
Source: Reuters
MOSCOW, Sept 6 (Reuters) - The editor of the respected daily Izvestia was dismissed on Monday after shareholders complained about the newspaper's weekend coverage of the bloody end to the school siege in southern Russia.
Editor Raf Shakirov said shareholders had objected to Izvestia's Saturday issue, which featured large pictures, including one covering the front page, of dead or injured hostages at the school in Beslan and lengthy accounts of the end of the siege.
He told Reuters a major shareholder representing the interests of metal giant Vladimir Potanin had told him on Sunday: "We cannot have a newspaper in the form of a poster."
"This was said to be at odds with our format and too emotional...Clearly they wanted it like one of the main newspapers -- 'Operation completed, hostages freed, casualties, along with pictures of weary special forces rescuing children'," he said.
"Formally, I am leaving at my own request. But, naturally, I have no wish to do so," Shakirov said. "I am obliged to leave. There is no other choice."
At least 335 people, half of them children, were killed after forces stormed the school and ended the the 53-hour siege of the school by Chechen separatists.
Many newspapers have asked questions on whether the operation was carried out properly and on the Kremlin's policy in dealing with 10 years of Chechen insurgency.
But state-controlled television, Russia's most influential medium, has avoided such issues. Rights advocates and Western officials have alleged that Russian television has become less objective as more channels have fallen under state control.
Izvestia's shareholders made no comment on the departure of Shakirov, who had held his job for a year after working at a number of other publications.
What we need is for the Peaceniks and Bush-haters to shut up so that we can eliminate the type of scum that does these acts, and install elected governments in the place of the tyrants and clerics that are holding COUNTRIES hostage. Committees and multinational groups will dither and parse and DO NOTHING.
So what'll we name our team, then? I suggest "G.I. Joe". ;)
Wrong! An international terrorist elimination team is called for and has been called for about 30 years. But the yellow belly West (that's you and everybody else) has no stomach for this kind of operation. Why, some fool on this very forum stated and later demanded a "debate" on "a little idea that is the foundation of Western civilization," the fool claimed, "-- innocent until guilty"!
Thunderbirds are GO!
BTW my (new) cat is named 'Calpurnia' (with a 'u')...
Multi-national forces will have problems with jursidiction, bueracracy, and the varying political climates of their member countries. I'd rather that countries have their own national forces specially trained to deal with terrorists, and then hold yearly or bi-yearly cross-training exercises.
>>>Committees and multinational groups
I think you missunderstood the article. This isn't a committee being called for. Laura Mansfield is suggesting a multinational special operations unit.
Do we really want our top guys (Delta, DevGroup, Force Recon, etc..) giving away our secrets to teams who might be our enemy in the future? I don't think so.
>>>Wrong! An international terrorist elimination team is called for and has been called for about 30 years.
Than who are you saying wrong to? Sounds like you are in agreement.
Now that ia a Cool Cat! :)
Why didn't Russia side with US in Iraq?
They didn't seem to be concerned about our terrorist attacks.
Director of new Elite Hostage Rescue Team.
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