U.S Troops land in Greece 4 Libya buildup

[Skybird]

Mogadishu does not cmpasre, there it was a civil population with rifles that went on ram page, it were clan fighters, smugglers, gangster, at best irregular militias. There was no "line army", no conventional C3I.

Gaddhafi uses mercenaries which are trained and for African standards to parts rate as elite units. So I see them as army units, not just some wild clansmen. They have shown to be capable to adopt to NATO airstrike tactics, and by doing so avoiding them. They have a functional command hierarchy, and while blind in the air they are most liekjly capable of gaining intel on the ground. Parts of them are said to be presidential guards from I think it was Angola - well trained elite units. This is no wild mob like in Mogadishu.

400 is enough to launch a small and limited commando operation: quickly in, get some job done, and out. Wheter that kind of missions are part of the MEUs' curriculum, I cannot assess for sure, to me it sounds more like something done by special forces. It is not enough to engage in a ground war when a lasting participation is being planned.

I could imagine that Obama wanted an option to take a harbour or a dock for a while to get ships out, and then withdraing again.

However, I stick to what I thought from the start of the Lybian civil war - airstrikes, intel, training and CAS yes, ground troops and modern weapon deliveries no. Training is a priority on my list.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Look at the Battle of Mogadishu, 160 "UN Troops" (mostly US) killed between 1000-3000 "Enemy combatants" (Militia etc).

400 US Marines could do a lot of damage to the Libyan army right now if we were willing to use them.

Very doubtful....the Libyan army is far better equipped, armed and organised.

Originally Posted by Platapus

Oh if Obama puts in ground troops into Libya there won't be a fan big enough to handle the crap that hits it.

I do agree.

[yubba]

Oh, like the media is going too say anything about it, I stumbled across this by acceident checking on the Eygptian troop movements in the Sinya{synia} Desert. That might be a cause for concern. So,, who loves Obama ?? the media does..

[Gerald]

No Obama like the media, so public opinion is blowing in his direction, he has said that he does not endorse any land subsidence

[TarJak]

Originally Posted by Skybird

400 is enough to launch a small and limited commando operation: quickly in, get some job done, and out. Wheter that kind of missions are part of the MEUs' curriculum, I cannot assess for sure, to me it sounds more like something done by special forces. It is not enough to engage in a ground war when a lasting participation is being planned.

I could imagine that Obama wanted an option to take a harbour or a dock for a while to get ships out, and then withdraing again.

However, I stick to what I thought from the start of the Lybian civil war - airstrikes, intel, training and CAS yes, ground troops and modern weapon deliveries no. Training is a priority on my list.

Or it's about the right number for a signifcant advisory effort to train and assist organisation of the mostly civilian rebel forces. Which will it be I wonder?

[yubba]

Watched ABC nightly news just as I figured, Libya didn't even get an honorable mention. So did the Marines invade Greece, the world may never know........??????/

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by yubba

So did the Marines invade Greece, the world may never know........??????/

Deploying to an overseas US base hardly constitutes as an invasion of the host country. Maybe they're planning on opening a string of gyro sandwich stands.

[yubba]

I thought I heard that Greece was trying to defect from the Ero pee in Union, so the U.N. sent in some union thugs too straighten them out

That article is dated 3/3/2011

So what are they doing?
Walking to Libya?

Originally Posted by yubba

Watched ABC nightly news just as I figured, Libya didn't even get an honorable mention. So did the Marines invade Greece, the world may never know........??????/

They wanted to visit Sparte and get some additional training.

[krashkart]

300 meets 400?


THIS IS...




THE MARINE CORPS!!!

[Castout]

The pro democracy movement must hit hard and take Tripoli and put an end to this conflict.


They can't do that without heavy arms: Tanks, arty and even CAS Helicopter and planes.

For once and for all they need to end this conflict. I still believe it won't take too long time. For any non military solution to be feasible, the military efforts need to be able to apply pressure to the Gaddafi people to realize there is no future for them.

I just hope the pro democracy movement do not fall into the trap of vengeance. Being right and righteous are a force to be reckoned with and respected even from the opposing forces. if they see little reason to put their neck for Gaddafi hopefully they will stop fighting for him and make it easier for the pro democracy movement.

One way or another Gaddafi reign is finished. The Libyans are really resolute. They no longer fear the threat of death and death. I hope the major powers will help to bring the Gaddafi regime to an end quicker than otherwise.

On the other hand the secretarian violence is Egypt is disheartening. In almost every evolution there's always sides who are not yet enlightened and care only about their group. There are even traitors to the movement in almost any evolution or the small groups who are willing to use every dirty method to get their minority ideas to be implemented. I'd call them saboteur. Sigh. I really admire the Egyptians for their evolution. But I guess in any society there are fools in the incumbent government and fools in the opposition.

Israel would probably interpret this Arab awakening as her doomsday scenario but like I said if men cannot afford to have good faith in anything nothing could be accomplished. Nothing. Besides it's not a one man or a group of men doing but the majority of people in those nations.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Castout

The pro democracy movement must hit hard and take Tripoli and put an end to this conflict.

Do we know that there is a pro-democracy in Libya?

Or is it just anti-Qaddafi?

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Gaddhafi uses mercenaries which are trained and for African standards to parts rate as elite units.

In western standards those guys rate somewhere around the Militia of Montana or the Branch Davidians.

The USMC is arguably the best light infantry force on the planet.

Troop quality makes a huge difference.