Posted on Oct 22, 2015
Did you hear about the US Special Operations raid which released ISIS prisoners in northern Iraq but cost the life of a US service member?
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According to the NY Times:
"An American soldier was killed on Thursday morning as American and Kurdish commandos raided an Islamic State outpost near the northern Iraqi town of Hawija, freeing prisoners there and capturing some of the militants themselves, Iraqi and American officials said. The commando became the first American soldier killed in action in Iraq since the withdrawal in 2011."
[Update DoD News Release:]
"The U.S. provided helicopter lift and accompanied Iraqi [Kurdish] Peshmerga forces to the compound. Approximately 70 hostages were rescued including more than 20 members of the Iraqi Security Forces. Five ISIL terrorists were detained by the Iraqis and a number of ISIL terrorists were killed as well. In addition, the U.S. recovered important intelligence about ISIL.
[Update thanks to CSM Michael J. Uhlig whose discussion was merged into this one, the identity of the dead soldier has been confirmed after notification of next of kin:
The first American soldier to die in combat against the Islamic State group in Iraq has been identified as Master Sgt. Joshua L. Wheeler, coalition officials said Friday.
He was wounded during the rescue mission acting in support of Iraqi Peshmerga forces after they came under fire by ISIL. He subsequently died after receiving medical care. In addition, four Peshmerga soldiers were wounded."
http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/625236/statement-from-pentagon-press-secretary-peter-cook-on-hostage-rescue-mission-in?source=GovDelivery
"An American soldier was killed on Thursday morning as American and Kurdish commandos raided an Islamic State outpost near the northern Iraqi town of Hawija, freeing prisoners there and capturing some of the militants themselves, Iraqi and American officials said. The commando became the first American soldier killed in action in Iraq since the withdrawal in 2011."
[Update DoD News Release:]
"The U.S. provided helicopter lift and accompanied Iraqi [Kurdish] Peshmerga forces to the compound. Approximately 70 hostages were rescued including more than 20 members of the Iraqi Security Forces. Five ISIL terrorists were detained by the Iraqis and a number of ISIL terrorists were killed as well. In addition, the U.S. recovered important intelligence about ISIL.
[Update thanks to CSM Michael J. Uhlig whose discussion was merged into this one, the identity of the dead soldier has been confirmed after notification of next of kin:
The first American soldier to die in combat against the Islamic State group in Iraq has been identified as Master Sgt. Joshua L. Wheeler, coalition officials said Friday.
He was wounded during the rescue mission acting in support of Iraqi Peshmerga forces after they came under fire by ISIL. He subsequently died after receiving medical care. In addition, four Peshmerga soldiers were wounded."
http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/625236/statement-from-pentagon-press-secretary-peter-cook-on-hostage-rescue-mission-in?source=GovDelivery
Iraq
ISIS
Special Operations
Edited 9 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 7
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I read about this joint Kurdish-US special Operations raid near the northern Iraqi town of Hawija. I am thankful that there are attempts to free ISIS hostages but saddened that an American military man died in the operation. I suppose if nobody had died on our side we would not have heard about it for some time for operational security reasons.
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I was sorry to hear that we lost another great Soldier, a hero by the looks of his record. But did anyone catch this:
Jim Sciutto-CNN's Chief National Security Correspondent posted on Twitter:
NB: WH says POTUS did not sign off on #Iraq Spec Ops raid that left US solider dead, says it was Def. Sec. Carter's call.
CSM Michael J. Uhlig I'll bet Def. Sec. Carter is asking someone to get the plate number off the bus that he just got thrown under. I was under the impression that a Commander is responsible for anything that happens under his command....
Jim Sciutto-CNN's Chief National Security Correspondent posted on Twitter:
NB: WH says POTUS did not sign off on #Iraq Spec Ops raid that left US solider dead, says it was Def. Sec. Carter's call.
CSM Michael J. Uhlig I'll bet Def. Sec. Carter is asking someone to get the plate number off the bus that he just got thrown under. I was under the impression that a Commander is responsible for anything that happens under his command....
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SGT Richard Blue
Does the President usually sign off on all of these types of raids? Does the Secretary of Defense usually have this authority?
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1SG (Join to see)
SGT Richard Blue - I'm sure the SecDef has Carte Blanche to execute a number of missions without having to access the express permission of POTUS. But then I execute tasks daily as the S1 NCOIC without engaging for permission from my BN CDR and he always supports my actions, publicly. If he disagreed with a choice I made, we discuss it privately and move on. The point is, he doesn't throw me under the bus to the BDE CDR no matter what I do because he trusts me, that's why he selected me for the job. If POTUS doesn't trust his appointed SecDef, then change him out but don't publicly humilate him by trying to portray the Defense Dept as acting recklessly and without authority.
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