U.S. Special Forces Sent to Train Pakistanis

uboat509 · 05-16-2009, 18:57

Just found this over at Small Wars Journal.

Quote:

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. is sending Special Forces teams into one of Pakistan's most violent regions as part of a push to accelerate the training of the Pakistani military and make it a more effective ally in the fight against insurgents there.

Senior U.S. officials said 25 to 50 Special Forces personnel are deploying to two new training camps in Baluchistan, a Taliban stronghold on the porous Afghan-Pakistani border. The deployment brings U.S. personnel deeper than before into tribal regions of Pakistan, which the Obama administration views as among the world's most-dangerous flashpoints.

The Special Forces personnel will focus on training Pakistan's Frontier Corps, a paramilitary force responsible for battling the Taliban and al Qaeda fighters, who cross freely between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the officials said. The U.S. trainers aren't meant to fight alongside the Pakistanis or accompany them into battle, in part because there will be so few Special Forces personnel in the two training camps.

A senior American military officer said he hoped Islamabad would gradually allow the U.S. to expand its training footprint inside Pakistan's borders. A former U.S. official familiar with the plans said the deployments would "get more American eyes and ears" into the strategically important region.

SFC W

Pete S · 05-16-2009, 21:58

I can't believe this was released by official channels.
The amount of OPSEC related info in that article is staggering.

Utah Bob · 05-18-2009, 06:56

Jesus.!! Why don't they go ahead and put names and pictures in as well!! Might as well throw in a few op plans and maps too.

CoLawman · 05-18-2009, 08:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete S

I can't believe this was released by official channels.
The amount of OPSEC related info in that article is staggering.

"Senior U.S. officials said 25 to 50 Special Forces personnel..."

"The Pakistani and British embassies in Washington declined to comment. The U.S. military's Central Command, which oversees operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, also declined to comment."

OPSEC does not trump political hay with this administration. It is called gratuitously TRANSPARENCY!

This ignorant administration is dangerous. Do away with bonuses, pinpoint SF locations for AQ and the Taliban. Sounds like an excellent recipe for destroying any incentive for someone to become SF.

swpa19 · 05-18-2009, 09:05

YG2BSM:

Quote:

Senior U.S. officials said 25 to 50 Special Forces personnel are deploying to two new training camps in Baluchistan

I wonder if these "Senior" officials are on the Biden "team"

I know a BG thats probably pulling his hair out now.

abc_123 · 05-18-2009, 10:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by swpa19

I know a BG thats probably pulling his hair out now.

you're not kidding.

Fiercely Loyal · 05-18-2009, 16:36

Don't worry. It isn't you that they might kill by telling a reporter about numbers and locations of soldiers. Your supervisors won't care that you leaked it to the press as long as you did it under a condition of "Anonymity".

I CANNOT STAND THESE @$$HOLES!!!

If you cannot release information with your name on it because you are not supposed to then you should not do it. I know that this particular incident was thru "official channels" supposedly, however I cannot count the number of times I see "an anonymous source" cited for an article related to military operations.

7624U · 05-18-2009, 17:47

AnonymousMonster Hunters. Sounds like a good name for a show on discovery.

Fiercely Loyal · 05-18-2009, 19:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7624U

AnonymousMonster Hunters. Sounds like a good name for a show on discovery.

Maybe we can make a pilot and sell the idea to Discovery channel. We will pose as CNN and ask people that work in the Pentagon about current events and see how many "Anonymously" leak info to us. Then if Discovery doesn't like the idea we will just put the leaked info on Wikipedia.

nmap · 05-18-2009, 19:37

I wonder...could it be that this is just a bit of camouflage for what is really going on? Given some of the events we all hear in the media, a training mission seems about as innocuous as anything could be. Perhaps the leak is not really what it seems.

Fiercely Loyal · 05-18-2009, 20:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by nmap

I wonder...could it be that this is just a bit of camouflage for what is really going on? Given some of the events we all hear in the media, a training mission seems about as innocuous as anything could be. Perhaps the leak is not really what it seems.

I do not have a hardon for this specific incident because I believe our Government makes misleading / misleading remarks at times to cover tracks. My problem is the major amount of OPSEC leaks that are happening currently in theater. Even on the home front no one can keep their fat mouths shut. My wife came home from helping with family readiness group related events and started telling me about how a Major was investigating a SNCO for sexual misconduct / harassment of another SNCO. Why would an investigating officer tell anyone outside of those involved what is going on? In fact isn't that illegal? That is the bone I have to pick.

**Ambush Master** · 05-18-2009, 20:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by nmap

I wonder...could it be that this is just a bit of camouflage for what is really going on? Given some of the events we all hear in the media, a training mission seems about as innocuous as anything could be. Perhaps the leak is not really what it seems.

n, and All:
The "Tangos" in that AO and their Handlers, already KNOW what is going on with regard to deployments and the IMPACT that they are having. This "News" is merely HISTORY.

Later
Martin

abc_123 · 05-18-2009, 20:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ambush Master

n, and All:
The "Tangos" in that AO and their Handlers, already KNOW what is going on with regard to deployments and the IMPACT that they are having. This "News" is merely HISTORY.

Later
Martin

True. but that doesn't mean that it's fair game to release to the news media.

nmap · 05-18-2009, 21:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by abc_123

True. but that doesn't mean that it's fair game to release to the news media.

Sir, I perceive that I am deeply ignorant of some of the guiding principles and reasons behind OPSEC. Therefore, please understand that I am asking to learn.

If the opposing forces know the details, and if the events are historical and not current, why restrict the information? I recognize that some information about how things are done can never be released, and I guess there are sensitive issues that should not be discussed, but I speak now of the general case.

Patriot007 · 05-19-2009, 07:00

Maybe it's time to fight back, start releasing sensitive information about where these politicians and journalists are spending their free time, where they work, and the times they are alone and vulnerable.