12 U.S. DELTA MEMBERS WOUNDED ON RAID OF OMAR

Drudge ^ | 11/3/01

[Diogenesis]

MAG: 12 U.S. DELTA MEMBERS WOUNDED ON RAID OF OMAR'S COMPLEX, THREE SERIOUSLY; PENTAGON RETHINKS 'SPECIAL FORCES OPERATIONS'

Seymour Hersh has filed yet another controversial report for coming editons of the NEW YORKER, publishing sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT.

In ESCAPE AND EVASION, Hersh claims: In the wake of a near-disaster during the assault on Mullah Omar's complex during the early morning of October 20th, the Pentagon has been rethinking future Special Forces operations inside Afghanistan.

Delta Force, which prides itself on stealth, had been counterattacked by the Taliban, and some of the Americans had had to fight their way to safety. Hersh has filed his report for the November 12, 2001 issue of the NEW YORKER, on sale Monday.

Twelve Delta members were wounded, three of them seriously.

The intensity and ferocity of the Taliban response "scared the crap out of everyone," a senior military officer tells Hersh.

The Delta team stormed Mullah Omar's complex, but found little of value, Hersh reports, and then, "as they came out of the house, the shit hit the fan," one senior officer says. "It was like an ambush. The Taliban were fighting with light arms and either [rocket-propelled grenades] or mortars." The team immediately began taking casualties and evacuated.

"The Delta team was forced to abandon one of its objectives: the insertion of an undercover team into the area and the stay-behind soldiers fled to a previously determined rendezvous point, using a contingency plan known as an E. & E., for escape and evasion," Hersh writes.

[BellStar]

Old F@rt trying to remain relative. Sad!

[SSN558]

I don't know about that not talkin stuff. I was at camp Bullis when Delta was still doing their weapons training there. I was there mowing lawns for two weeks because the OSI had lost my backround check. They talked about everything. We were under strict orders to be in the Barracks at 9PM. It didn't stop anyone from climbing out the windows and going to town to go get drunk, in fact one of the DI's joined them. A few got caught sneaking in at the wee hours of the morning, most did not. Has it really changed that much, I think not.

[Holden Magroin]

That's not true. In "Delta Force," all of Chuck Norris' buddies made it out of Beiruit alive.

[wlj1]

If this is true, I'm sure there was some casualties. But I'll bet the Taliban had a crapload more!!

[Prodigal Son]

Thanks for your positive feedback!
I want to stress, I speak from a position I know about and not more. I didn't mention Navy SEALs, Force Recon 'cause I don't know about those guys (not that I know that much about elite units).

I spoke more from a perspective of every other Joe who wishes some day to go to one of those schools. We had a SSG in my unit in Bosnia that slept with his eyes open (I sh*t you not) and he is now a Green Beret- so maybe that's what it takes to go SF. I know plenty of other guys that just tried to make it through SFAS but failed and were able to tell me why.

I always watch for keywords in a reporter's stories to let me know if he's "in the know" or not and the use of "Pathfinder" told me that this story writer had at least some of the facts down.

But I would highly question any accounts citing Delta members as a source. How many interviews have we heard from members of the 10th Mountain? and they are also deployed in theater? They would also be more approachable than Delta by a large factor of magnitude. More likely the writer has put together piecemeal something from a hodgepodge of sources in order to get some exposure. There may be a kernel of truth in it but I would take it with a grain of salt (personally).

The only other wisdom I can shed is- every mission is subject to Murphy's Law. Even in training the best laid plans tend to go to hell in the first 10-15 minutes of the battle- so if there was a cockup on the ground you could put it down equally to "if anything can go wrong..." as to faulty MI.

I do want to state though that I wasn't trying to stick my nose in- but I do know a few handy things about the Army and the way it operates and the availability of this reporter's source put some question marks in my mind- not to say that it couldn't be true- it's just one of those things that make you go hmmm.

[Prodigal Son]

One other thing. The trooper who is not frightened the first time they hear that 'WHACK' sound when a bullet goes by is a sociopath.

Agree 110%. Fear is a useful thing actually. Especially if it gets your ass that extra millimeter closer to the ground that's required.

[Prodigal Son]

I hear you. I did a lot of "clandestine ops" myself during my Army career and many of them were dedicated to "how to best sneak up on the alcohol". I just still question how much a Delta member would be running his mouth during war time.

[Kierkegaard]

Yeah....I just wish he had gotten the scoop on how many farts the Afhgans ripped out in the desert while waiting for our spec ops forces to exit the compound. Real relevant and believable his assertions about pant pissing by our forces. It is very important at this time for us to hear every possible unconfirmable report about how chicken sh*t our forces are.

[Lester Moore]

The intensity and ferocity of the Taliban response "scared the crap out of everyone," a senior military officer tells Hersh.

This is much harder than gassing & machine gunning children & religious nuts in Waco TX.

[Aerial]

Wrong. These guys didn't exist before 1993. Better do your homework; or, do your homework better.

My homework leads me to believe that "while it is true that the Taliban foot soldiers are young Afghans who studied in religious schools in Pakistan during the Soviet war, the higher officials of the Taliban are made up of former communist government officials and puppets controlled by Saudia Arabia and Pakistan."

[Aerial]

"While it is true that the Talib foot soldiers are young Afghans who studied in religious schools in Pakistan during the Soviet war, the higher officials of the Taliban are made up of former communist government officials and puppets controlled by Saudia Arabia and Pakistan."

I generalized too much but I do believe many are underestimating these madmen.

[JmyBryan]

JCS chief Myers was just on Meet the Press and disclaimed the entire Hersh piece. Gave testimony that there were no Taliban inflicted injuries and IMHO blew huge holes in the credibility of Hersh and others reporting on the war.

[d14truth]

"Or, do you think unarmed women and children should be arbitrarily killed, during war?"

No, I do not agree with what 'the terrorists' did on September 11. But, I do believe that governments that let 'terrorists' hide behind and among women and children will get women and children killed during war.

Such 'murderers' have to be severely dealt with.--if not by members of their own family; then, by external forces.

[Lazamataz]

I didn't record the TV newscast.

How conveeeeeeeeeeeenient.

[d14truth]

"You know prizes will be given. Is that 'bad?'"

Of course not. And, they will usually be given by people with likes(AGENDA) and dislikes(Politically Incorrect). Many Pulitzer 'journalistic' awards must go, by default, to 'slanted' works. I was quoting a source and providing information about Mr. Hersh's first major journalistic award, for comparison purposes, to the current piece. There was no 'impugnment' of the Pulitzer Prize, per se, intended.

[wingnuts'nbolts]

Why are you allowing the media to elevate the Taliban to a giant superman fighting force? They are not! Russia never hit them with the weapons and special forces we are introducing them to. Thier biggest defense is that they are not concentrated in one area. However, that is not going to save them. We did not bring this on them, they did and they must go!!!! Never did they anticipate the force we have brought to bear. I do believe the collapse of the Taliban in Afganistan is emminent,soon.

[Bigg Red]

Suggest everyone watch this week's Frontline if you can - "Ambush in Somalia". All interviews with Rangers - very good. Shows how Bin laden set us up in Somalia

But does it show how i-X42 set up those brave fighting men?

[Ben Bolt]

You know .. These folks are not madmen , they are fanatical people with conviction . They are also merely mortal regardless of there religion . I saw an interesting piece on the tele last night . A history of the Taliban, over the last several years . You did not make a general statement all that much . Looks like you saw the same show ..