So … let me get this straight.
The US Navy mounted a high-investment, presumably complex and high-risk special ops mission to interdict, board, and seize THIS charming little dhow they deign to call a “ship”:
I saw the photo of this "ship" a few days ago, attached to an ostensibly serious report. I didn't even read the article, because my innate content filter flagged it as parody.
But apparently this is the story they're sticking with, in which case a few questions come to mind:
What could possibly warrant sending a SEAL team – reputedly the crème de la crème of US soldiery – on a mission to interdict, board, and seize THIS ship?
The kinds of things we see in these photos?
Seriously?
And if the US admiralty believed this “ship” important enough to justify risking such valuable assets, did they fail to anticipate that it might also be well-defended?
Or, did they even pause to consider that it might be an ambush?
Because I bet that is exactly what it was.
I bet they got tricked into smacking a hornet nest.
And now two highly trained and undoubtedly admirable young American special ops sailors are dead.
There are no easy wars left to fight.
FYI: Over the life of this blog, a few generous people have pledged some money to support it. But I have never required a paid subscription to read my stuff. And I still won’t. However, I have now “enabled” subscriptions purely as a means by which, if people are so inclined, they may support me with whatever amount they so choose. I also include a “Tip Jar” link in every post, if you’d like to go that route. But you don’t have to if you don’t want to. It’s purely voluntary. Everyone will still be able to read everything I write.
For all of you who have previously pledged to support this blog, I express my genuine gratitude. I hope my writing has been informative in some small manner and aided you in your quest to understand our crazy world a little better.
— Will Schryver