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Bowden wrote one of the best blow-by-blow narratives on urban conflict with Blackhawk Down, but it certainly didn't focus on the political aspects or really make any inditements of the Clinton administration in the "meat" of the book. Now the epilogue is entirely different and it's an excellent and entirely accurate summary of the political musings on the battle.
To me, it's yet another affirmation on how mass media has an immense power over public opinion. It seemed that a couple of Delta or Ranger corpses were flashed on CNN for a few seconds and it instilled an overly heavy defeatist mindset within the US political structure, despite the fact that the Ranger and Delta outfit involved delivered one of the most lopsided bloodbaths towards those that had the balls to face them. I seem to recall that the US lost somewhere around 20 lives and 70 wounded during that battle, where conservative estimates placed Somali casualties at 2-3,000.
Militarily, it was a victory but a rough one; there were LOTS of tactical mistakes made at the command level that could have saved lives. The US troops entered into the mission with a bit too much "swagger" as well; this entire mindset and the way that previous operations were carried out galvanized the population of Mogadishu against them, regardless of the fact that their main mission was one of "keeping the peace".
Politically, the way it and the aftermath was handled was a complete and utter embarassment; the Clinton administration quite literally snatched defeat from the jaws of victory because of initial perceptions. It seems as if Clinton's entire 3rd world intervention policy was based off a 10 second CNN clip that had a crowd dragging US bodies through the dirt. Yes, that's a compelling image and scene, but it damn-sure shouldn't have caused the political waves that it did...
JaTo
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Originally posted by JaTo:
Militarily, it was a victory but a rough one; there were LOTS of tactical mistakes made at the command level that could have saved lives. The US troops entered into the mission with a bit too much "swagger" as well; this entire mindset and the way that previous operations were carried out galvanized the population of Mogadishu against them, regardless of the fact that their main mission was one of "keeping the peace".
I disagree with this point. I don't think the 'swagger' had to much to do with it. IMO, its the same thing we are dealing with today, and that is knowing your enemy. We (The US military) do not do a good job at all at understanding how today's current enemy thinks and operates. The philosphy that we 'lost' to in Somali is the same one we are fighting in Iraq and the GWOT.
And the keeping the peace mission changed to "Get Aidid," which is another thing that back fired on them.
Ryan
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Captain Impound Boy
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Originally posted by RTStabler51:
Originally posted by SteedaSVT:
Bullet Catchers is what the movie should have been called
don't be jealous AF Pansy! :-P
Ya i am a pansy LOL...
[censored] AIRPOWER!!!!!!!!!!!!
B-2 with 16 nukes would have made this movie very short and more interesting 
I see it being the next 3 Kings
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Originally posted by SteedaSVT:
Originally posted by RTStabler51:
Originally posted by SteedaSVT:
Bullet Catchers is what the movie should have been called
don't be jealous AF Pansy! :-P
Ya i am a pansy LOL...
[censored] AIRPOWER!!!!!!!!!!!!
B-2 with 16 nukes would have made this movie very short and more interesting
I see it being the next 3 Kings
Broken Arrow anyone? Don't be angry the AF doesn't have any interesting movies about war, at least any true stories....
Ryan
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Originally posted by RTStabler51:
Don't be angry the AF doesn't have any interesting movies about war, at least any true stories....
Top Gun was true, wasn't it? 
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Originally posted by Davo:
Originally posted by RTStabler51:
Don't be angry the AF doesn't have any interesting movies about war, at least any true stories....
Top Gun was true, wasn't it?
Top Gun is a Navy school....
Ryan
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Originally posted by RTStabler51:
Grunts are the ones who see the wars firsthand; I would always like to hear their opinions on these types of issues. I read about 1/2 the book on my way home from Djibout two years ago, then just forgot about it.
I'd love for you to finish it and give your take on it. I thought he came across as an incredibly whiny and confused person, at least for a Marine.
"Think of it, if you like, as a librarian with a G-string under the tweed." Clarkson on the Mondeo.
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Originally posted by RTStabler51:
Top Gun is a Navy school....
But it was true, right?  
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Originally posted by Jeb Hoge:
Originally posted by RTStabler51:
Grunts are the ones who see the wars firsthand; I would always like to hear their opinions on these types of issues. I read about 1/2 the book on my way home from Djibout two years ago, then just forgot about it.
I'd love for you to finish it and give your take on it. I thought he came across as an incredibly whiny and confused person, at least for a Marine.
I'll probably pick it back up after I watch the movie.
Originally posted by Davo:
Originally posted by RTStabler51:
Top Gun is a Navy school....
But it was true, right?
Yes, and the MiG-28 is a badass plane!
Ryan
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i really want to see this movie. Jamie Foxx has been rockingt eh big screen lately.
For Sale:
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