US officials say that commanders are reviewing how troops conduct missions in Iraq and Syria after an incident south of Irbil in which two US troops were killed fighting in a cave complex.
US operations in Iraq have become complicated since the assassination of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. After Iraq failed to expel US forces from the country, they’ve made a point to not conduct joint operations with the US for most anti-ISIS engagements.
In this particular case, the US says the two Marines were working with Iraqi counter-terrorism forces, and had to be pulled out of a crevice they fell into. The recovery of the two bodies was a whole separate US operation that took six hours.
And while the US officials say they’ll continue to support Iraq against ISIS, these look to be very comprehensive reviews of when and how that happens. This may suggest that the US is not going to be so deeply engaged in the fight going forward, which likely will suit Iraq just fine.
The problem was sent right away to the boys in marketing at Langley. The rapid deployment bullshit is coming shortly.
I doubt that, Dave. This isn’t even Langley’s mission. The DJT Administration’s doing the reviewing, after 2 soldiers were killed. That problem shouldn’t have even gone to the boys in marketing at Langley at all. Those 2 soldiers weren’t Langley’s mercenaries, they were ordinary US soldiers who happened to be fighting some ISIS terrorists in a cave.
The record shows, US militant leaders will lie about causation of US casualties for political reasons. Perhaps it seems hunky dory to you that 2 guys in an “advisory” role, were the only casualties in a cave assault. The going down in a “blaze of glory” with massive enemy casualties is movie stuff. Likely, my bet, this was an insider ambush, and the guys were tossed in a deep hole.
Differing special ops services are defined (loosely), by the typical amount of support they recieve on a mission. Marine Raiders typically recieve at least air, and often ground support…where was it ?