Threats rarely grow weaker and fade away. In this case they grow stronger and their image and reputation are enhanced. They become a model for others who wish to poke the most powerful nation in the eye.
The situation is very clear. The United States did not act. By now we should have formed a coalition of like minded nations and funded them to destroy these modern day robber barons. Or barring that, done it ourself. Ideal mission for a Navy - Marine Team with a MAGTF along with some Egyptian and Saudi Allies as well as financial support from the major sea faring nations that ply these waters and are currently paying off these reprobates. This is a classic scenario for a punitive expedition.
Instead, we spend considerable sums playing defense and expending expensive missiles shooting down their third rate rocketry.
Unfortunately a Marine Corps that was fully capable of executing this mission five years ago is not prepared to deploy, engage, defeat and retrograde today.
Our enemies are not stupid. They know exactly what we can and cannot do and act accordingly.
I agree! FD2030 has ruined our MAGTF capabilities! Hopefully, Pres Trump's SecDef and SecNav will immediately implement VISION2035 and restore our MAGTF lethality and capabilities!
Only a fully equipped and robust MAGTF with all the tools could accomplish this mission. You need all the tools because you never know what you might face. That is why the MAGTF was a Swiss Army knife of military force: it was ready for anything!
Did not know it at the time, but my family home is next to the O’Bannon family home. It is now a historical site. My Mameluke hangs in testimony of lieutenant O’Bannon’s achievement. Proudly!
Another issue here, in addition to Pirates and Terrorist, is “Freedom of the Seas”. CP is right, US Policy Stance on Freedom on the Seas extends out from the early days of Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon, Mameluke Swords and the “Shores of Tripoli”. Right now the only cargo moving through the Red Sea is oil loaded on tankers from Yemen and Iran bound for China. In 1975 the Khmer Rouge seized the US merchant vessel SS Mayaguez in a disputed maritime area. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayaguez_incident
The Mayaguez incident was definitely not the best planned raid and owns too many “lessons learned”, however, the actual seizure of the Mayaguez was very successful with a US Marines Rifle Company going “over the side” of the Destroyer USS Holt. The raid on Koh Tang Island part ,,, not so good. The point here is the US was not going to tolerate the non-sense. In addition, the US leadership called on the US Marine Corps, the no nonsense organization to fix it.
After the raid, the Cambodian Leader that the Khmer Rouge chased out of country, made the public statement that you should never challenge the US Policy of Freedom of the Seas for any reasons or with any means, because the US will respond.
The current situation in the Red Sea with Yemen, Iran and the CCP is ripe for an air strike, amphibious raid and/or a Naval Blockade. I am sure that Lt O’Bannon is not only “rolling in his grave” but also beating on his coffin with his Mameluke Sword. S/F
100% Agree. I am not one to send men int combat for "unspecified and uncertain reasons". We have done far too much of that. But this, as the worlds pre-eminent Naval power is our responsibility. The British owned this responsibility before the 20th century, we own it now. There are major commercial choke points in the world that must be kept open, the Panama and Suez canals, the straights of Hormuz, the entry to the Red Sea, Istanbul, Gibraltar, the South China Sea, etc. There is a reason the British took control of Gibraltar and never let it go.
It i so obvious what happens in the world when the major world power shows and implements weakness! Resolute power prevents conflict, weakness invites it!
Agreed that a punitive expedition could have significant results, aka stop Houthi drone and missile strikes on seagoing traffic. Agreed that a joint effort with local nations be part of the planning and execution. However, it ought to be a "fight to the whistle" something we all learned along the way with pugil stick fights in OCS or recruit training. Meaning the mission is well defined and of short duration, very very violent and unyielding. The signal sent? You gotta be tough, if you're gonna be dumb. Subset message, if you hang on the street corner with the Mullahs, ask them when they are joining the street fight. Likely they won't have your back. Recall locating the mobile SCUD missile launchers in the first Gulf War, was apparently very difficult. It is the writer's understanding that the relatively mobile and unsophisticated nature of the Houthi rockets and drones make them hard to locate. So where do we find the enemy to locate, close with and destroy by fire and maneuver? Find them, fix them, blind, burn and blast them. Ultimately the punishment ought to reduce the will to carry on. Again recall, they gave the Saudi's a Hell of a time, so the beating has to harsh and complete.
In a sense the 38th and 39th CMC's have made the issue moot, we can't get there, we don't have a complete MAGTF even if we could there, and the pentagon has shown that it is currently unable to plan adequately for a logistically complicated operation. There is no doubt the Marines would take the fight to the Houthi's in a manner that the Houthi's would not enjoy, or really survive, but at some point state craft has to step in and blow the whistle, and forged a solid peaceable result. Otherwise, here we go again. Lt. O'Bannon had a clearly defined mission, and then he used his skill and initiative to execute his battle plan successfully, much to the appreciation of President Thomas Jefferson. Signal sent.
Threats rarely grow weaker and fade away. In this case they grow stronger and their image and reputation are enhanced. They become a model for others who wish to poke the most powerful nation in the eye.
The situation is very clear. The United States did not act. By now we should have formed a coalition of like minded nations and funded them to destroy these modern day robber barons. Or barring that, done it ourself. Ideal mission for a Navy - Marine Team with a MAGTF along with some Egyptian and Saudi Allies as well as financial support from the major sea faring nations that ply these waters and are currently paying off these reprobates. This is a classic scenario for a punitive expedition.
Instead, we spend considerable sums playing defense and expending expensive missiles shooting down their third rate rocketry.
Unfortunately a Marine Corps that was fully capable of executing this mission five years ago is not prepared to deploy, engage, defeat and retrograde today.
Our enemies are not stupid. They know exactly what we can and cannot do and act accordingly.
I agree! FD2030 has ruined our MAGTF capabilities! Hopefully, Pres Trump's SecDef and SecNav will immediately implement VISION2035 and restore our MAGTF lethality and capabilities!
Only a fully equipped and robust MAGTF with all the tools could accomplish this mission. You need all the tools because you never know what you might face. That is why the MAGTF was a Swiss Army knife of military force: it was ready for anything!
Did not know it at the time, but my family home is next to the O’Bannon family home. It is now a historical site. My Mameluke hangs in testimony of lieutenant O’Bannon’s achievement. Proudly!
Another issue here, in addition to Pirates and Terrorist, is “Freedom of the Seas”. CP is right, US Policy Stance on Freedom on the Seas extends out from the early days of Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon, Mameluke Swords and the “Shores of Tripoli”. Right now the only cargo moving through the Red Sea is oil loaded on tankers from Yemen and Iran bound for China. In 1975 the Khmer Rouge seized the US merchant vessel SS Mayaguez in a disputed maritime area. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayaguez_incident
The Mayaguez incident was definitely not the best planned raid and owns too many “lessons learned”, however, the actual seizure of the Mayaguez was very successful with a US Marines Rifle Company going “over the side” of the Destroyer USS Holt. The raid on Koh Tang Island part ,,, not so good. The point here is the US was not going to tolerate the non-sense. In addition, the US leadership called on the US Marine Corps, the no nonsense organization to fix it.
After the raid, the Cambodian Leader that the Khmer Rouge chased out of country, made the public statement that you should never challenge the US Policy of Freedom of the Seas for any reasons or with any means, because the US will respond.
The current situation in the Red Sea with Yemen, Iran and the CCP is ripe for an air strike, amphibious raid and/or a Naval Blockade. I am sure that Lt O’Bannon is not only “rolling in his grave” but also beating on his coffin with his Mameluke Sword. S/F
100% Agree. I am not one to send men int combat for "unspecified and uncertain reasons". We have done far too much of that. But this, as the worlds pre-eminent Naval power is our responsibility. The British owned this responsibility before the 20th century, we own it now. There are major commercial choke points in the world that must be kept open, the Panama and Suez canals, the straights of Hormuz, the entry to the Red Sea, Istanbul, Gibraltar, the South China Sea, etc. There is a reason the British took control of Gibraltar and never let it go.
It i so obvious what happens in the world when the major world power shows and implements weakness! Resolute power prevents conflict, weakness invites it!
Agreed that a punitive expedition could have significant results, aka stop Houthi drone and missile strikes on seagoing traffic. Agreed that a joint effort with local nations be part of the planning and execution. However, it ought to be a "fight to the whistle" something we all learned along the way with pugil stick fights in OCS or recruit training. Meaning the mission is well defined and of short duration, very very violent and unyielding. The signal sent? You gotta be tough, if you're gonna be dumb. Subset message, if you hang on the street corner with the Mullahs, ask them when they are joining the street fight. Likely they won't have your back. Recall locating the mobile SCUD missile launchers in the first Gulf War, was apparently very difficult. It is the writer's understanding that the relatively mobile and unsophisticated nature of the Houthi rockets and drones make them hard to locate. So where do we find the enemy to locate, close with and destroy by fire and maneuver? Find them, fix them, blind, burn and blast them. Ultimately the punishment ought to reduce the will to carry on. Again recall, they gave the Saudi's a Hell of a time, so the beating has to harsh and complete.
In a sense the 38th and 39th CMC's have made the issue moot, we can't get there, we don't have a complete MAGTF even if we could there, and the pentagon has shown that it is currently unable to plan adequately for a logistically complicated operation. There is no doubt the Marines would take the fight to the Houthi's in a manner that the Houthi's would not enjoy, or really survive, but at some point state craft has to step in and blow the whistle, and forged a solid peaceable result. Otherwise, here we go again. Lt. O'Bannon had a clearly defined mission, and then he used his skill and initiative to execute his battle plan successfully, much to the appreciation of President Thomas Jefferson. Signal sent.
Burn them out, hang the survivors. The proven old ways.
I think this payment is also called: protection money or extortion!
I agree 100% with the observations of the writer here! Force with overwhelming consequences will rid the Mid East and elsewhere of these terrorists!!!