Major General Mike Nagata has been named to command the effort to form a guerrilla force to fight ISIS. Nagata is a career Green Beret who is highly regarded within the Big Army and the Pentagon. His appointment shows that the administration is serious about an unconventional effort in the region and has put the professionals in charge. Nagata is picking an all star inter-agency team to bring an all encompassing multi modal attack right where ISIS lives.
In the weeks since he was named, wheels have been turning and preparations being made. According the AP, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday that Saudi Arabia would host the training. It is rumored that Jordan will support training bases also. The plan is to produce 5000 guerrillas in the next year. Training soldiers is the easy part, but these guys are not just going to be cannon fodder. The most important part of Nagata’s job is to build a command-and-control structure with viable political support among democratic groups in Syria.
Previously in charge of Special Operations Command for Central Command, Major General Nagata has presented classified briefings to congressional members and staffers. He was met with some healthy skepticism, but he is a true believer in unconventional warfare and has been very persuasive. This campaign will not be a repeat of the conventionally driven training of the Iraqi army.
This is some very good news for America. Our guys are the very best in the world at unconventional warfare. With a competent Special Operations chain of command, our guys can do their best work. Without delving into speculation, which could help our enemies, I expect an integrated, joint unconventional-warfare campaign which will use every element of allied power to make some very bad things happen to ISIS politically, economically, and militarily. I am not sure ISIS will still be a coherent force by the time the 5000 guerrillas show up.
(Featured Image Courtesy: Staff Sgt. Horace Murray)
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SEAL76 Its like dealing with a pet Cobra.
Aliduck55 I think, contrary to the criticisms of President Obama, he has been wise to not rush to arm whomever is fighting Assad and now the 'Daesh'/ISIS mutation. Many politicians and a few ex-military are quick to criticize us not arming a valid Syrian opposition and I think the current administration's (despite all their shitty leaks) is correct in not just sending arms to whomever wants to take shots at Assad or Islamic extremists we don't need to incubate another Al Queda as what happened in Afghanistan when they were fighting the Soviets.
Although this comment is a dollar short and a day late, it has finally happened, US Army Ranger Peter Kassig has been FUCKING beheaded by those motherfuckers in Syria........... I know some ground pounders have been kidnapped in Iraq and killed, but I think this is the first time a Ranger has been fucking kidnapped and BEHEADED!!! Did anyone serve with Peter?
Remote Six SEAL76 We must train and equip the Kurds.
SEAL76 Remote Six Agreed in theory anyway. But jeez, we would be in a far better position to equip and train the Kurds Syrian and in Iraq (the fantasy Kurdistan) rather than roll the dice on sending a bunch of wannabe Al Nusra Front members (not really but you get the idea) into Saudi and putting M4 in their hands/Stingers/surplusAT4's. Make NO mistake those Al Nusra Front boys really do make Ranger Panties look.....well.........good? (lol) Anyway to push Top and see the wisdom? (not the Ranger Panties but train and equip the Kurds?) Haha!!