Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs?

Posted on | October 7, 2013 | 25 Comments

That’s what an article in the Christian Science Monitor suggests:

A commando unit from the US Navy’s Seal Team Six launched an amphibious raid on a Somali town, but failed to confirm a capture or kill of their Al Shabab target, suspected to be linked to Nairobi’s Westgate mall terror attack.
The operation could have opposite its intended result of discouraging further attacks. Analysts warn that even earlier successful targeted strikes against Al Shabab, a Somalia-based Islamist militant group, failed to curb the group’s capacity to carry out international terror attacks, and that failed missions could in fact bolster its support and recruitment.

You can read the whole thing, but I’m not buying this argument. Unsuccessful operations are just part of the calculus of anti-terror strategy and, while commanders never plan for a mission to fail, no military force in history has ever been 100% successful. Even an unsuccessful mission can have strategic benefits, e.g., keeping the enemy off-balance, forcing them to take defensive measures for their own security.

If this failed Somalia raid should have the short-term result of aiding Al Shabab recruitment (which is merely possible, not certain), that just means more targets for our guys to kill. Go grab an AK-47, idiots, and see how that works out when we get the crosshairs on you.

Even while the SEALs were attacking in Somalia, meaning, in Tripoli “members of the elite U.S. Army Delta Force captured Abu Anas al Libi, an al Qaeda operative wanted for his role in the deadly 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa.”

Delta Force? Best of the best. Fort Bragg, N.C.

Hooah.

Category: Libya, Military, Somalia, Terrorism

Comments

25 Responses to “Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs?”

MrEvilMatt
October 7th, 2013 @ 9:27 am

Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs?: That’s what an article in the Christian Science Monitor suggests: A command… http://t.co/D9SAmunxY5
CHideout
October 7th, 2013 @ 9:27 am

Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs?: That’s what an article in the Christian Science Monitor suggests: A command… http://t.co/WOfvu6V9wF
Citzcom
October 7th, 2013 @ 9:27 am

Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs?: That’s what an article in the Christian Science Monitor suggests: A command… http://t.co/Y4Q1Kqv05A
jwbrown1969
October 7th, 2013 @ 9:27 am

Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs?: That’s what an article in the Christian Science Monitor suggests: A command… http://t.co/z9x3GA2hkd
Lockestep1776
October 7th, 2013 @ 9:27 am

Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs?: That’s what an article in the Christian Science Monitor suggests: A command… http://t.co/wRI5QpXbcM
rsmccain
October 7th, 2013 @ 9:41 am

Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs? http://t.co/TVFnq9b14P #tcot
HarrietBaldwin
October 7th, 2013 @ 9:41 am

RT @rsmccain: Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs? http://t.co/TVFnq9b14P #tcot
BobBelvedere
October 7th, 2013 @ 9:42 am

RT @rsmccain: Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs? http://t.co/TVFnq9b14P #tcot
southsalem
October 7th, 2013 @ 9:42 am

RT @rsmccain: Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs? http://t.co/TVFnq9b14P #tcot
rsmccain
October 7th, 2013 @ 9:47 am

RT @Citzcom: Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs?: That’s what an article in the Christian Science Monitor suggests: A command… http://t.co/…
JimHumbert
October 7th, 2013 @ 9:48 am

RT @Citzcom: Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs?: That’s what an article in the Christian Science Monitor suggests: A command… http://t.co/…
tahDeetz
October 7th, 2013 @ 9:54 am

RT @rsmccain: Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs? http://t.co/TVFnq9b14P #tcot
richard mcenroe
October 7th, 2013 @ 10:27 am

SEAL units are not intended or equipped for pitched battles. Once they were engaged their mission was blown. and trying to push it through would have been Chuck Norris bullshit. Pulling back was the sensible and professional option.
Evi L. Bloggerlady
October 7th, 2013 @ 11:13 am

I am glad they are on the offensive…
Evi L. Bloggerlady
October 7th, 2013 @ 11:51 am

Separated at Birth: Abu Anas al-Libi and…?
Leif Torkelsen
October 7th, 2013 @ 1:16 pm

However unfortunate, it was a defeat for the U.S. in the eyes of our enemies. The aura of invincibility around the US special ops means that any failure will be interpreted as a victory for the enemy. Recall the Iran hostage rescue: it was interpreted as divine intervention by the Iranians as only Allah had the ability to upset American power (this comes up in a number of the interviews Mark Bowden did with Iranians for “Guests of the Ayatollah”).
screwtape1a12
October 7th, 2013 @ 1:21 pm

RT @rsmccain: Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs? http://t.co/TVFnq9b14P #tcot
JackOkie
October 7th, 2013 @ 1:57 pm

The article states that the Seals withdrew to avoid civilian casualties. If we had a more robust counter-terrorism effort than that provided by President Pinprick, I’d advocate Bill Munny’s approach:

Little Bill: “…..You just shot an unarmed man!”

Bill Munny: “Well he should have armed himself if he’s going to decorate his saloon with my friend.”

In other words, if you hang around terrorists, you’re liable to meet their fate.
OldmanRick
October 7th, 2013 @ 3:14 pm

One more than likely reason for this unsuccessful mission is that what passes for a Somali government was informed before hand, and someone within that group leaked the information to the bad guys.
Quartermaster
October 7th, 2013 @ 3:24 pm

Had it been me, once I got everyone of our guys out, I would have called the Corpseman to treat the illness with a thermobaric enema. Works first time every time.
Quartermaster
October 7th, 2013 @ 3:25 pm

If Chuck Norris woulda been there, the tangos would have melted down like butter in a hot skillet just at his presence.
#ObamaShutdown in Malcolm X Park? | Regular Right Guy
October 7th, 2013 @ 5:33 pm

[…] Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs? […]
thatMrGguy
October 7th, 2013 @ 6:26 pm

Did Terrorists Defeat Navy SEALs? http://t.co/SkQh5ui6iS
Before You Rejoice… | Conservative Heritage Times
October 10th, 2013 @ 10:40 am

[…] The pro-war, any war crowd is whooping and hollering over Obama’s kidnapping of Abu Anas al-Libi. These folks may not like many of Obama’s policies, but any exercise of executive force makes them melt into puddles of red-white-and-blue love. […]
Before You Rejoice… - FreePress360
October 10th, 2013 @ 11:02 pm

[…] The pro-war, any war crowd is whooping and hollering over Obama’s kidnapping of Abu Anas al-Libi. These folks may not like many of Obama’s policies, but any exercise of executive force makes them melt into puddles of red-white-and-blue love. […]