Interesting military deployments

[Cain]

A dozen MC-130H, HC-130N, HC-130P and AC-130U military transport planes and gunships crossed the Atlantic Ocean on Sept. 13 heading eastbound. These aircraft are typically used for a variety of special tasks, including in support for special operations forces. The last known stop for the aircraft was Souda Bay, Crete.

12 U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets arrived in two waves at Moron air base in Spain on Sept. 24.

100 French special operations troops have been deployed in the sub-Saharan region to counteract militants in northern Mali. Le Figaro reported that maritime patrol aircraft that can be used to collect intelligence will be deployed to the region and that commandos of the French navy will reinforce the French special operations troops.

Italian journalist Guido Olimpio reported in September that U.S. unmanned aerial vehicles are currently tracking militants in Cyrenaica and that U.S. special operations forces were planning to carry out intelligence operations that could be in preparation for surgical strikes in North Africa, including in Libya and in Mali.

All of these could be unconnected, and part of routine deployments for a variety of ongoing military operations.

Or, they could be part of a start of a push into Mali against the Tuareg/Al-Qaeda secession there.

Or it could be that the US is planning a large strike against Al-Qaeda affiliated militants in the region as a response to the assassination of the US Ambassador to Libya.

Or something else entirely (Syria?).

[Juana Go?]

This sounds fun. d: What do you reckon it is, Cain?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

With that size of deployment, I'm guessing it's going to be a rapid response team to handle attacks on US embassies.

See:  Barn door, horses gone.

[Cain]

Garbo, I'm not sure.  I assign equal weight to the Libya/Mali/independent assignments theories mentioned above.

I'm inclined to agree the numbers are too small for a full-scale intervention in Mali....however, I assume what would happen is that the US and France would lead ECOWAS troops in regaining lost Mali territory, while using said intervention to take out what is possibly a burgeoning Al-Qaeda safe zone.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Libyan militants of an international mindset are not already setting up camps and training grounds in Tuareg territory.  In which case, securing Libyan and Mali interests at the same time could be served by such an intervention.

[hunter s.durden]

With that size of deployment, I'm guessing it's going to be a rapid response team to handle attacks on US embassies.

See:  Barn door, horses gone.

This and this.

"How do we prepare for this thing that already happened?"

I did that after the USS Cole. "Fuck, maybe we should arm these vitals vessels with some defense from that thing that terrorists always do!" That's what Marines are for. "Tip of the spear," they called us.
"After the fac,t" we were.

[hirley0]

A v THaT v &  THE other ^

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Hirley0, what do you know of this?

[hirley0]

At 140 pounds i Avoid combat.
none the less | the worst thumping i ever took
Was at the hands of two Marines { on Hotel
believe what you want

[Sano]

Wow, this is the first time I understood one of hirley0's posts from the beginning to the end.

[stelz]

You can understand a lot of his stuff if you pay attention. It's like Joyce without the Catholicism and poompy love letters.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Wow, this is the first time I understood one of hirley0's posts from the beginning to the end.

It gets easier.  He hasn't changed.  YOU have.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

At 140 pounds i Avoid combat.
none the less | the worst thumping i ever took
Was at the hands of two Marines { on Hotel
believe what you want

What, in Hawaii?