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NousDefionsDoc · 06-11-2004, 14:46

Not a bad article for an amateur. I agree with the TS and would go even further - El Sal was not secret either. The "secrecy" comes from SF operators with good tradecraft, that's all.

The authors appear to be making the case for upping their O allocations. The US influence in El Sal was far and away led by SF NCOs.

I didn't like the part about "taking on the FARC militarily is not about winning, its about not letting the FARC win." rings of Vietnam era politics and I don't like stalemates. Any group that takes up arms and heads to the hills can be defeated militarily. No reason to settle for a tie.

IMO, the Colombian military doesn't need strategic level assistance at joint level, they need small unit assistance to develop an NCO corps. They need some of these young stud E6 and E7s coming in to get them patrolling in small units and recon teams, then pin them and hammer them. The FARC don't do very well when the odds are even. One of the big problems is apathy. There is no medevac and very little way to pile on once they are fixed, so the troops aren't really all that gung ho to get out there and mix it up. They won't work in 4-6 man recon teams and long gunners are basically unknown in Colombia. You don't win this kind of war with big battalions doing manuever and its not an attrition type of thing either. You have to cut of the head and hold the tail down until the whole thing collapses. Make it too dangerous to be a leader.

One interesting thing the article points out is the connection to drugs and supplying the war. I disagree that DEA et al should be more involved. What I say is get the Army more involved in counter drug. We're talking tons, not street buys of baggies while undercover. The police in Colombia are, for the most part, a paramilitary organization. Not LEO as we think of them. They will fight like wildcats if properly led and motivated.

I was in El Sal when they signed the peace agreement. Probably make the one in Colombia if they don't take too long.

Just my 2 pesos as requested.

06-11-2004, 14:46	#5
NousDefionsDoc Quiet Professional Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: LA Posts: 1,653	Not a bad article for an amateur. I agree with the TS and would go even further - El Sal was not secret either. The "secrecy" comes from SF operators with good tradecraft, that's all. The authors appear to be making the case for upping their O allocations. The US influence in El Sal was far and away led by SF NCOs. I didn't like the part about "taking on the FARC militarily is not about winning, its about not letting the FARC win." rings of Vietnam era politics and I don't like stalemates. Any group that takes up arms and heads to the hills can be defeated militarily. No reason to settle for a tie. IMO, the Colombian military doesn't need strategic level assistance at joint level, they need small unit assistance to develop an NCO corps. They need some of these young stud E6 and E7s coming in to get them patrolling in small units and recon teams, then pin them and hammer them. The FARC don't do very well when the odds are even. One of the big problems is apathy. There is no medevac and very little way to pile on once they are fixed, so the troops aren't really all that gung ho to get out there and mix it up. They won't work in 4-6 man recon teams and long gunners are basically unknown in Colombia. You don't win this kind of war with big battalions doing manuever and its not an attrition type of thing either. You have to cut of the head and hold the tail down until the whole thing collapses. Make it too dangerous to be a leader. One interesting thing the article points out is the connection to drugs and supplying the war. I disagree that DEA et al should be more involved. What I say is get the Army more involved in counter drug. We're talking tons, not street buys of baggies while undercover. The police in Colombia are, for the most part, a paramilitary organization. Not LEO as we think of them. They will fight like wildcats if properly led and motivated. I was in El Sal when they signed the peace agreement. Probably make the one in Colombia if they don't take too long. Just my 2 pesos as requested. __________________ Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home. He knows only The Cause. Still want to quit?
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