Threats to SEAL Team 6 = Smear Attempt against Obama.

[thundley4]

MrModerate   (1000+ posts)             Fri May-13-11 08:10 PM
Original message
Robert Gates Admits That Info Leaks Has SEAL Team 6 Fearing For The Safety Of Their Families
   
Edited on Fri May-13-11 08:12 PM by MrModerate
Source: Mediaite/CNN

Defense Secretary Robert Gates made a fairly startling admission while speaking at Marine Corp base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina yesterday. When asked about the how government was protecting the men who carried out the mission to kill Osama bin Laden, Gates admitted that there were deep concerns.

Read more: http://www.mediaite.com/tv/robert-gates-admits-that-inf... /


I've been looking for info about Gates' claim on sane news sites but all I'm finding is spittle-spewing outrage from ignorant amateur wingnuts. My searching on DU hasn't been productive either (although that could just be me).

So here's the question: What operational info, if any, has been released that would make service members and their families any more worried about retaliation than they ordinarily are, given the nature of their jobs? Or is this just the latest wave of swamp fever sweeping through the wingnut camp?

(PS: Apoligies for exposing folks to Mediaite, which is a bit of a fever swamp itself. I go there precisely because it's a target-rich environment of ignorant blowhards that I enjoy tormenting, but that sort of environment might not be to everyone's taste.)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1098685

KittyWampus   (1000+ posts)             Fri May-13-11 08:16 PM
Response to Original message
1. IMO, from reading what you linked to- some people involved in the mission
   
Edited on Fri May-13-11 08:17 PM by KittyWampus
may have mentioned not wanting info to leak. Or some "troops" as is written in that piece. And whatever was said has been spun into an attempt to insinuate real information having actually leaked.

I haven't read any information about members of whatever team was used. No names.

This could easily be an attempt to start a smear.

KittyWampus   (1000+ posts)             Fri May-13-11 08:27 PM
Response to Original message
3. The WSJ has more detailed information. No names have been revealed.
   
"At a visit to Camp Lejeune, N.C., on Thursday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates was asked by a Marine if the military was taking steps to protect the lives of the SEAL team members involved in the raid.

Mr. Gates said that “the threat of retaliation is increased” in the aftermath of bin Laden’s death. He expressed disappointment that so many details of the operation had become public, but said the identities of the assault team must remain confidential.

“I think there has been a consistent and effective effort to protect the identities of those who participated in the raid, and I think that has to continue. We are very concerned about the security of our families — of your families and our troops, and also these elite units that are engaged in things like that.

Mr. Gates said that when he was with the team members expressed concern about the safety of their families."

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/05/13/military-to-me...

Lucinda   (1000+ posts)             Fri May-13-11 09:02 PM
Response to Original message
6. I saw something the other day that said which base ST6 is based out of
   
Which would definitely paint a target on an entire base...

ReturnoftheDjedi (803 posts)           Fri May-13-11 09:05 PM
Response to Original message
7. this is nothing but a lame attempt to turn this victory against Obama
   
it's kind of sad that Gates decided to go out as a stinkin' Repig. good riddance.

Screw the SEALs, protect Obama's hero image at all costs.

[ReaganForRushmore]

I'd be more worried about the USS Carl Vinson since that vessel was the burial platform of the OBL.

The SEAL Team members are safe. Unlike TiT, most SEAL members don't talk about what they did in any particular operation or theatre of operations.

Gates was speaking of retaliation against military personnel worldwide.

[NHSparky]

What operational info, if any, has been released that would make service members and their families any more worried about retaliation than they ordinarily are, given the nature of their jobs? Or is this just the latest wave of swamp fever sweeping through the wingnut camp?

Why don't you ask your ****ing mental giant hero, aka "Plugs" Biden, about OPSEC and what it means.  Now if I were someone about to undergo Sudden Jihad Syndrome, who would I take my ire out upon and detonate in order to gain some Muslim "street cred" and ensure my 72 virgins in paradise?

Attack the Vinson?  Bit difficult, and even a car full of boom-boom on the pier or a zodiac around North Island ain't gonna do much damage to a 90,000 ton supercarrier.

But a single (or couple) of SEALs or their family members?  Much harder to protect for a long period of time.  Much easier to identify.  Remember, we've got US CITIZENS who are identifying interrogators at GITMO, much to the delight of Johnny Jihadist.  SEALs are good at keeping secrets and not drawing attention to themselves, but any idiot at PSD or out in town can let shit slip and put a BIG target on the back of an operator and their family.

I'll give you a personal, real-life example: when I was on the boats, ALL mail which was addressed to the boat was placed in shred/burn bags, especially when the boat was deployed.  This served several purposes: first, it concealed ship's movements.  Second, it concealed who was on what boat or what they did, for both professional and personal security.  And AFAIK, they still do that.

[thundley4]

Why don't you ask your ****ing mental giant hero, aka "Plugs" Biden, about OPSEC and what it means.  Now if I were someone about to undergo Sudden Jihad Syndrome, who would I take my ire out upon and detonate in order to gain some Muslim "street cred" and ensure my 72 virgins in paradise?

Attack the Vinson?  Bit difficult, and even a car full of boom-boom on the pier or a zodiac around North Island ain't gonna do much damage to a 90,000 ton supercarrier.

But a single (or couple) of SEALs or their family members?  Much harder to protect for a long period of time.  Much easier to identify.  Remember, we've got US CITIZENS who are identifying interrogators at GITMO, much to the delight of Johnny Jihadist.  SEALs are good at keeping secrets and not drawing attention to themselves, but any idiot at PSD or out in town can let shit slip and put a BIG target on the back of an operator and their family.

I'll give you a personal, real-life example: when I was on the boats, ALL mail which was addressed to the boat was placed in shred/burn bags, especially when the boat was deployed.  This served several purposes: first, it concealed ship's movements.  Second, it concealed who was on what boat or what they did, for both professional and personal security.  And AFAIK, they still do that.

We now have the Washington Post trying to help the jihadis find SEALs. 
WaPo article on where SEALs hang out in Virginia Beach.

The article lists a few bars and places that are supposed hangouts of SEALs.  If it is true, then it puts them in danger, but it still might make those places targets even if SEALs never set foot in the places.

[Thor]

The thing is.... nobody is going to know who is a SEAL and who's not in Va Beach, unless they are running their mouths. The SEALs won't be, but some idiot Seaman Deuce Personnelman MIGHT. After all, all of us Sailors tend to look alike, at least to the civilians.  

The only place I've ever been and the SEAL teams were even just somewhat running their mouths was at San Clemente Island little bar there. Of course Government employees and typically active duty people were the only ones there. In the bar, after hours, they looked just like any other Sailor to me. There was a couple of bars in Coronado that they hung out at, too, but again, unless one knew them personally, nobody would ever know that they were SEALs. I was TAD to that place almost as much as a sea duty tour doing torpedo recoveries for the f'n Dolphin boys. (Submariners)

[thundley4]

That's why I said that while SEALs might not be at risk from the WaPo article, but the businesses and their regular customers might become targets.  When I was in Norfolk I rarely ventured into the Va. Beach part.  I stuck to the little redneck bars along Ocean View Ave. 

I think the closest I came to seeing SEALs might have been seeing some rough water landing drills during storms, and those were on public beaches.

[Thor]

Being an Airedale, a couple of the squadrons I was in worked very closely with the SEALs, taking them out for whatever exercises they needed to do. I never said much to them and they didn't say much around the squadron.

I recognized the names of one of those bars mentioned, but the location is wrong from what I knew of the bar. Things could have changed in 16 years and probably have.

[AprilRazz]

Being married to a specwar sailor in the area I have met quite a few of them. But they were at work so that is the only reason I knew what they did. If you met most of them on the street you would have no idea. Yes they have that military look but so do at least half the guys around here. The spouses were required to go to OPSEC training and it was drilled into me when I was in. But it only takes one person.

But I am waiting for some wikileaks crap to come out. Some little E-3 is going to get pissed because his chief yelled at him for being late yet again and will spill the beans.

[NHSparky]

Yup--the media/public image of the SEAL being 10 feet tall and looking like Arnie is crap.  Very few are.  Most are average height, but in very, very, very good shape (tone, not necessarily bulk.)

We did ops with them on both my boats, but my first boat (Buffalo) now has the DDS (Dry Deck Shelter) for ops and the SSGN's can carry SEALs, so not too many other boats will carry them in the near future.

All very confident, very good at what they do, and very low key.  Rule of thumb: If someone brags about being a SEAL, it's about 99.99999 percent certain they weren't one.

[AprilRazz]

Yup--the media/public image of the SEAL being 10 feet tall and looking like Arnie is crap.  Very few are.  Most are average height, but in very, very, very good shape (tone, not necessarily bulk.)

I will admit that some of the ladies are pretty good at pointing one out. As a group they are some of the better looking members of our armed forces and are mostly pretty conservative.

[BlueStateSaint]

All very confident, very good at what they do, and very low key.  Rule of thumb: If someone brags about being a SEAL, it's about 99.99999 percent certain they weren't one.

I've found that if anyone brags about having been in, or being in, any sort of elite unit in any branch of the military, it's 99.99999% certain that they weren't.

[NHSparky]

I've found that if anyone brags about having been in, or being in, any sort of elite unit in any branch of the military, it's 99.99999% certain that they weren't.

^5.  Notice that nobody brags about being a truck driver?  I'm proud of what I did, and I know it was tough, but by no means was/is it "elite" in terms of the size of the community.  There's a lot more former bubblehead nukes out there than former SEALs, Rangers, etc.

[JohnnyReb]

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