US military To Reuters: Trump approved 1st covert counterterrorism operation w/o sufficient intell

[kpete]

Last edited Thu Feb 2, 2017, 09:31 AM - Edit history (1)

Link to tweet

U.S. Central Command said in a statement that an investigating team had "concluded regrettably that civilian non-combatants were likely killed" during Sunday's raid. It said children may have been among the casualties.

Central Command said its assessment "seeks to determine if there were any still-undetected civilian casualties in the ferocious firefight."

U.S. military officials told Reuters that Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations.

As a result, three officials said, the attacking SEAL team found itself dropping onto a reinforced al Qaeda base defended by landmines, snipers, and a larger than expected contingent of heavily armed Islamist extremists.

The Pentagon directed queries about the officials' characterization of the raid to U.S. Central Command, which pointed only to its statement on Wednesday.

"CENTCOM asks for operations we believe have a good chance for success and when we ask for authorization we certainly believe there is a chance of successful operations based on our planning," CENTCOM spokesman Colonel John Thomas said.

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN15G5RX


"Trump approved his first covert CT op without sufficient intel, ground support or adequate backup preparations."
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/02/01/world/middleeast/donald-trump-yemen-commando-raid-questions.html


Trump's disastrous first military strike had previously been rejected by Obama
http://theweek.com/speedreads/677442/trumps-disastrous-first-military-strike-previously-been-rejected-by-obama


Pentagon Points Finger of Blame at Trump
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/pentagon-points-finger-of-blame-at-trump

[dalton99a]

1. "I'm smart, I don't need intelligence"

[BP2]

2. Later in the story, it says

Some of the women were firing at the U.S. force, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters.

[Achilleaze]

3. The Republican draft-dodger-in-chief will find and eliminate

the American patriot officials who dared to speak the truth. Alas for America.

[Greg K]

4. But... they had the element of surprise, right? That always wins, right? nt

[frankieallen]

5. In all fairness, the president gets his intel from the military. If the intel was wrong,

You can't really blame the president, whether it be trump or Obama. The military makes its recommendations, the Pontus decides based on that.

[Horse with no Name]

6. Bullshit. I'm sorry. No excuses.

He fucked it up.

When will the Yemen hearings begin??

[Lochloosa]

7. The President is the Commander in Chief. Buck stops there.

[uponit7771]

14. Yeap, Carter got smashed for something similar

[GusBob]

10. As long as we are being fair.....yes the military is complicent in this fiasco as well IF

IF this version is true

One version has it the element of surprise was ruined before the attack. AQ knew they were coming. The SEALS had radio intercepts which indicated that they were aware that AQ was on to them. They proceeded anyway into a hornets nest. This is a reason they gave for the high level of defense they faced.

PRESUMABLY and SPECULATIVELY someone in the chain of command had to make the decision to proceed rather than abort the mission. If that person was the CIC, we could see why the military is pointing fingers at him.

Conversely if someone in the chain of command other than CIC had given the order to attack without the element of surprise, they could be pointing fingers at Trump (knowing he is not a popular guy anywhere right now) in order to cover their ass and deflect the blame

Just my speculative opinion

[uponit7771]

13. Ummmm, no.... no.... he's already claimed he doesn't input all intel... its all on him. fuck him

Even if its 100% the military's fault Benedict Donald has intimated he doesn't read what people give him in regards to intel...

What he said after he was elected last year is pretty fucked up and gives him no cover in regards to military fuck ups

[KittyWampus]

16. There wasn't ENOUGH intel. The intel wasn't "wrong". That's why Obama didn't do it.

[jmg257]

8. trump fucked up a J-SOC operation that was in planning for months? What did he change?

President Trump was presented with the first of what will be many life-or-death decisions: whether to approve a commando raid that risked the lives of American Special Operations forces and foreign civilians alike.

President Barack Obama’s national security aides had reviewed the plans for a risky attack on a small, heavily guarded brick home of a senior Qaeda collaborator in a mountainous village in a remote part of central Yemen. But Mr. Obama did not act because the Pentagon wanted to launch the attack on a moonless night and the next one would come after his term had ended.

[GusBob]

12. What changed according to one telling of the story......

PBO decided it was too risky and their was insufficient intel on the mission

When they presented the mission to the DJT, they either left the risks and lack of intel out of the equation, or he ignored them or didn't ask. Or they were all high on power, gung ho or one upmanship

They may have said something along the lines of 'Obama decided it was too risky and wanted to wait until the next moonless night to decide, so its your call now'

The way he thinks, probably he was like: "MAGA! I will show that scared punk BO how its done!"

[jmg257]

17. Unfortunately that makes some sense.

[spanone]

9. hubris...AND PEOPLE DIED.

[Gothmog]

11. Trump is incompetent and his stupidity killed this Seal

[FSogol]

15. Where are all the Benghazi-style investigations? C'mon GOP, what gives?