Legion 4 | 24 Jan 2016 8:24 a.m. PST |
Watching an interview with the US Sec Def on CNN. He just said the US was sending the entire US 101 ABN/AIR ASSLT Div. to Iraq ?!?!? To train up, etc. and get the Iraqis ready to take on Daesh ? Did I miss something ? Are the Iraqis and their Persian puppet masters that worthless ? Is the situation that bad we're sending an entire US Air Asslt Div. ? Does this remind anyone of POTUS Johnson telling the US that he was sending the 1st CAV to Vietnam ? Wow ! |
Tgunner | 24 Jan 2016 8:41 a.m. PST |
The Sec Def talking in an interview to CNN (which I can't find any evidence of on-line but should be major international news) is hardly the same as the president talking to the nation in a live broadcast. The 101st in 2016 is about the same as the 1st Cav in 1965 though. Although I don't think they are the right force for the job. Strykers and heavy forces yes, light chopper grunts… not so much. Useful supporting troops indeed, but not really the type of spearhead I would want against ISIS. It would be nice to see US forces finally getting serious about ISIS… but not with this president. He's just now making serious efforts to form something like a coalition to combat ISIS. I think we are a long ways away from taking steps on this level. But who knows. |
Legion 4 | 24 Jan 2016 9:01 a.m. PST |
Well I'm watching now CNN and they are interviewing Netanyahu … So I'm not delusional ! But from what I got from the Sec Def is, the 101 won't be in a "Combat Role" per se … And yes, this POTUS is not LBJ … but I don't want to go any more political than that. And as you may know, I was a PL in the 101 and later a Mech Co Cdr. During that decade + I was on active duty '79-'90. At this point, I see if the 101 was to actually go Deash hunting alone or along with the Iraqis. Some Armed support would be nice. I know the Iraqis have some M1s, etc., left. They didn't abandon all of them for Daesh to loot. But I'm not sure if we can depend in them, very much ? But the AH-64s in the 101 have a lot of firepower as well. Regardless, I think this Sec Def, is very much tied into the POTUS and wouldn't say anything that the POTUS has not agreed to, etc. … But bottom line we'll have to wait and see. And we all know as we saw in Vietnam in the early '60s. And even now in Iraq/Syria. Many "advisors", end up being in combat. Regardless what the current US government wants to call it … |
M C MonkeyDew | 24 Jan 2016 10:04 a.m. PST |
" And yes, this POTUS is not LBJ … " ? Could'a fooled me… If DH'd for this it was totally worth it :) Bob EDIT: to put this in a military theory context the idea of bombing someone into submission without the will to totally obliterate same, is a chimera. The technology has improved but people haven't. Bombs, smart bombs, killer drones, to not send messages, they kill people and when they kill enough of the wrong people they STIFFEN resistance, rather than erode it. No advocating obliterating anyone through air power mind. Just pointing out it's limits as an independent force. |
Legion 4 | 24 Jan 2016 10:08 a.m. PST |
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Darrell B D Day | 24 Jan 2016 10:29 a.m. PST |
Ahh – I've just worked out what POTUS is without my having to Google it. A triumph. DBDD |
15mm and 28mm Fanatik | 24 Jan 2016 11:05 a.m. PST |
I'm skeptical but if this turns out to be true it would be an about-face from our current "No Boots on the Ground" policy, even if the division is forbidden to engage in offensive operations. |
Weasel | 24 Jan 2016 11:58 a.m. PST |
I guess we weren't leaving after all. |
Mako11 | 24 Jan 2016 12:44 p.m. PST |
So, what are their Iranian allies and militias doing, and/or the Iraqi "military" (I use that term rather loosely)? |
raylev3 | 24 Jan 2016 1:52 p.m. PST |
Haven't seen this ANYWHERE in the news. I'd a thunk something like that would have been immediately in the headlines. Heck, not even on the CNN headlines sites. Does anyone have a link? I kinda' don't think this is true. |
Tgunner | 24 Jan 2016 2:29 p.m. PST |
Maybe he was just saying that elements of the division were going over there to support operations rather than the whole lot. |
AGamer | 24 Jan 2016 2:37 p.m. PST |
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15mm and 28mm Fanatik | 24 Jan 2016 3:21 p.m. PST |
False alarm folks. We're only deploying approximately 200 paratroopers from the 101st to "advise and assist" the Iraqis per current policy. No need to get your feathers all ruffled. |
Tgunner | 24 Jan 2016 4:29 p.m. PST |
BUT I LIKE GETTING MY FEATHERS IN A RUFFLE!!! Seesh!! |
15mm and 28mm Fanatik | 24 Jan 2016 5:07 p.m. PST |
DON'T LET THE FACT THAT YOU LIKE HAVING YOUR FEATHERS RUFFLED GET YOUR FEATHERS RUFFLED!!! Sheesh!! |
cwlinsj | 24 Jan 2016 5:46 p.m. PST |
It was announced late last year. Just a training mission not to exceed 500 troops. |
Legion 4 | 24 Jan 2016 5:49 p.m. PST |
Guys, I saw the Sec Def on CNN being interviewed by Fareed Zakaris this morning. And again later when they re-aired the show called Fareed Zakaris : GPS … I clearly heard him, the Sec Def say the entire 101 was being deployed … I heard it twice. So can I take it the Sec Def does not know the difference between a Division and Company sized element of 200 Troops ? And I've also heard these "200" referred to as "Commandos". Unless the 101 has change a lot since I was there, '80-'83. They are Not Commandos, but a very highly trained and skilled Air Assault Div. The only one in the US ARMY. And in the link someone posted, he says 200 from the 101, today on CNN he said the entire Division … I went to the CNN transcript page … today's show was not there yet … I'll go back and see … if I misunderstood the Sec Def. |
Rakkasan | 24 Jan 2016 6:12 p.m. PST |
Not new. Army times announced it in November of last year. Elements of the division are going to Kuwait, some will go into Iraq. |
JCD1964 | 24 Jan 2016 6:21 p.m. PST |
Generally speaking the media are not good when reporting on military formations. They often fail to understand that Divisions, Brigades, Companies, etc are not interchangeable terms. …and I once heard a reporter pronounce Army Corps as Army Corpse… |
Legion 4 | 24 Jan 2016 6:26 p.m. PST |
Yes … but the Sec Def said it. I know it's not rare the media gets military formations, ranks, units etc., wrong … But as I said the Sec Def should know better yes ? |
Mako11 | 24 Jan 2016 6:37 p.m. PST |
So, how many training missions are going on there, now? First it was just a handful of troops, then 3,000 – 3,500 more, and now 200 more. Presumably, none are wearing combat boots so as to not violate the "no boots on the ground" edict. |
Blackhorse MP | 24 Jan 2016 6:54 p.m. PST |
…and I once heard a reporter pronounce Army Corps as Army Corpse… Well they are just taking after the Commander in Chief who pronounced Navy Corpsman as "Corpse-man". Nothing significant is going to happen before the next administration takes over next year. Let's just hope we don't lose too much before then to turn it around. |
Lion in the Stars | 24 Jan 2016 8:12 p.m. PST |
No, you did NOT hear the SecDef correctly, L4. link Military.com is reporting that 1,300 soldiers from the 101st will be deployed to Iraq, looks like the entire 2nd Brigade Combat Team. So "just" a Brigade, not the whole Division. |
Kevin C | 24 Jan 2016 8:31 p.m. PST |
All of you need to join the Blue Fez. It is not as bad as people portray it to be and you really can say what you want. But you do need to think things through first, because people will fact check you. By the way. I don't think any body posted anything here worthy of being dawg-housed. Kevin |
AzSteven | 24 Jan 2016 9:09 p.m. PST |
1300 is a bit light for the full Brigade Combat Team I think |
Legion 4 | 25 Jan 2016 8:13 a.m. PST |
NO I Didn't Hear the Sec Def Wrong … I just went to Fort Campbell last week. The headquarters of the 101st Airborne Division. Storied American airborne division. They're going to be the next unit going in to Iraq. A whole division. link I'm old, I'm crazy, I'm semi-crippled, I'm getting cataracts, etc., etc., … But my hearing in not impaired that much. And I have Closed Caption on all my TVs, just in case.
So I heard the Sec Def correctly, he was just incorrect by saying "A whole division" … "Oh ye of little faith !" < need a Smiley sticking his tongue out … > Found it !!!!!!!!!!!
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Legion 4 | 25 Jan 2016 8:35 a.m. PST |
All of you need to join the Blue Fez. It is not as bad as people portray it to be and you really can say what you want. But you do need to think things through first, because people will fact check you. By the way. I don't think any body posted anything here worthy of being dawg-housed.Kevin
Hey guys … I didn't have to fact check … I heard the Sec Def say it. And started this thread as he was still talking … All the links posted here were obviously older than this current interview … So … Neener ! Neener ! And why should this thread be on Blue Fez, when we're talking about a current deployment of combat force to a combat zone ? Doesn't that have a possibility of someone, playing a war game with the 101 ending up fighting Daesh, the Persians, Shia and or Sunni militias, etc. … As I always say, GHQ has every thing one would need to war game this conflict. They even make ISIS(Deash) figures ! link And yes, I agree there is nothing here for anyone to be DH'd … but stranger things have happened ! [Another reason I'm not a supporting member !] |
Lion in the Stars | 25 Jan 2016 10:06 a.m. PST |
1300 is a bit light for the full Brigade Combat Team I think yeah, it seems a bit small, now that I look at some TO&Es. Aren't the 82nd and 101st usually a bit heavier on the bodies? ===== So, who makes those damn DAESH black flags in any scale (ideally 15mm for me, and 6mm for L4) so my airplanes will know where to bomb? |
Legion 4 | 25 Jan 2016 10:20 a.m. PST |
I make my own flags …
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Airborne Engineer | 25 Jan 2016 10:40 a.m. PST |
Well Foreign Policy magazine published an article yesterday that more or less mocked Washington for thinking Special Ops forces could defeat ISIS on their own. They specifically noted that without conventional forces nearby to provide assistance, SF can't launch effective missions. One because they have to have a wider margin of safety (knowing what they are up against) because they can't rely on Iraqi forces to ride in like the cavalry if they get into a fight they can't get out of. And two, because without significant intel assets on the ground it takes too long (if ever) to get a clear enough intel picture to know what targets are available and what support the targets have that needs defeating. So the SF either sits and waits, or goes in blind with no hope of rescue. Not surprising that they might increase 101st presence to have an air assault cavalry available to back them up when they kick a hornets nest. |
15mm and 28mm Fanatik | 25 Jan 2016 11:01 a.m. PST |
Like the Rangers backing up the Delta boys at Mogadishu. Good idea. |
Legion 4 | 25 Jan 2016 4:57 p.m. PST |
Had the US had an Armored/Mech Force there in Mogadishu. It would have turned out differently. Another case of the US elected civilian leaders not sending enough assets to do the job. Like Benghazi … That being said, whatever assets the US/NATO, etc., has in Iraq/Syria will mostly likely not engage Deash directly. Save for an occasional raid. As well as Recon and FAC duties … As I have said before, as well as others, the local forces have to many more troops on the ground. In contact with Daesh, with US/NATO support. With training, log, intel, etc. … As the Sec Def said in that interview yesterday on CNN. You can read it on the transcript link I already posted. He said, in this Anti-Daesh Coalition., the locals, Arabs, Turks, etc. have sent the fewest assets. ZAKARIA: Do you want major Arab troops involved in this campaign? Because so far you have almost none. CARTER: This is one of the great ironies which is that the countries of the region are -- have made the least contributions to the Counter ISIL Coalition, including the Gulf countries. Now I'm hoping and believe that if we show them what they can do and what they can accomplish, that they will do more because if they are better suited culturally and historically to deal with some of these complicated situations than we are. So, IMO as long as the local, moslem nations seem unwilling to directly take the fight to Daesh. In some sort of Joint Arab/Turk Battle Grp. Daesh will be around for some time … |
Kevin C | 25 Jan 2016 8:58 p.m. PST |
Legion 4, I was not calling your facts into question. I was simply defending the Blue Fez site because some are under the false impression that people go there and say anything that they want and no one will call them on it. Nor do I believe that your postings were inappropriate for this site. As I said, I don't believe anyone has said anything here worthy of being dawg housed. However, I really do believe that some of the people posting here would enjoy the Blue Fez. That in no way is meant as an insult. I enjoy the Blue Fez site and I thought that others might as well. Thank you for bringing this information concerning the 101st to my attention. I also find it interesting. Kevin |
Aleator | 26 Jan 2016 5:54 a.m. PST |
"No boots on the ground." That's why they're sending the 101st in helicopters. If they never land, no "boots on the ground". ;) |
Legion 4 | 26 Jan 2016 8:14 a.m. PST |
I was not calling your facts into question. No harm … no foul Kevin … I was just beginning to think I or others thought I was delusional ! Aleator
That's why they're sending the 101st in helicopters.If they never land, no "boots on the ground".
As a former 101 Rifle PL, '80-'81 … I wish we never did land! Like all Light Infantry, once on the ground … you walk and walk and walk until you have to run … than you walk again. Regardless of terrain, weather etc. … Good times !! |