>>It was reported over here as the story was breaking that US military (CAG one assumes), UK military (SAS one likewise assumes) and "Canadian law enforcement" (Mounties with dog sleds?) did the recovery. At least that was the story that was being put out on one of the news channels yesterday morning while I was at the gym. Could just be that the Canadians pulled a better bit of opsec than everyone else, though . .<< Horsesoldier, let's face it. The SAS donned their superman suits and flew into the building where the hostages were being held (faster than a speeding bullet...this is why no shots were fired), grabbed them while in flight, and brought them back to base. Seriously, CAG and the SAS were probably the units involved in the actual rescue, with the Canadians giving intel (just like you said). I am sure the SEALs passed on the mission...you know the saying "Behind every man, there is a woman...behind every dead man, there is a Navy SEAL". I assume the SEALs saw that their wouldn't be any bloodshed :). In all seriousness, I wish the SEALs were getting more missions. They go through pure hell to become a SEAL (in my opinion they go through much tougher stuff than the other SOCOM training...but this is a totally different issue), and they aren't getting any missions. Kind of disheartening...they really don't have a role in any land warfare if you think about it. They are relegated to the Sleeping, Eating, and Lifting...and of course the extremely exciting "VBSS". It is really bs. That is the end of my rant, I don't want to hijack this thread.

i don't know if you have heard of JTF 2 there is of course no jtf 1 hehe but even for the world of commandoes and spec ops types they take secrecy to extremes. for a long time they refused to admit such a thing even existed.

>>i don't know if you have heard of JTF 2 there is of course no jtf 1 hehe but even for the world of commandoes and spec ops types they take secrecy to extremes. for a long time they refused to admit such a thing even existed. << I've heard of them, but like I said, the news report was specific on saying "Canadian law enforcement" which seemed a bit odd. JTF 2 personnel seem a bit more appropriate on assault . . . On the "JTF 2" designation, surely "Special Service Force" would have had a cooler ring to it (though perhaps the joint American-Canadian ancestor would have ruffled some feathers in some Canadian circles) . . . but I guess it's really no wackier than "Special Air Service" or "Delta Force" etc if you just look at the names without reading any of their reputation into them.

Hard to say how many SEAL missions that are going on. They are one of those kind of units that if they are successful you never hear about it. SEALs are deployed all over the world even as I type this. Most in places you'd never suspect.

i could have lived with special service force for the historical connotations though i think the initials SS Force might have raised an eyebrow or two ;) as for names at least the sas started off blowing up airplanes which puts them closer than most to making actual sense.

>>Hard to say how many SEAL missions that are going on. They are one of those kind of units that if they are successful you never hear about it. SEALs are deployed all over the world even as I type this. Most in places you'd never suspect.<< What type of missions are we talking about?

Usually intel. Perhaps the occasional anti-terrorist hit. The only way to know is if you hear about "training" accidents. I remember a couple of SEALs died on a "training" mission in Venezuala 2 years ago. If they don't die, you'll never know. The sub guys know more than we do, and they won't even talk about the missions their subs are on, much less what their human cargo might have been.

Sorry it was not a poem but a short-story... ... a really lost Irishman who grows up in Tibet-India border named "Namgay Doola" - Namgay Doola, new christened Patsay Doola, son of Timlay Doola, which is Tim Doolan gone very wrong indeed. Never read the story properly, just remembered it had something to do with a lost Irishman. Now that I think of it, its not really a nice one at all ~ pretty pro-Imperialist, pre-Home Rule attitude on Kipling's part. Condescending cr@p. http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/2418/ Sorry about that.

A link for your consideration - http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/issues/2006/april/specialops.htm Reality is that fasties have been doing this for years.

>>Hard to say how many SEAL missions that are going on. They are one of those kind of units that if they are successful you never hear about it. SEALs are deployed all over the world even as I type this. Most in places you'd never suspect.<< I saw so some pretty serious guys take down a shoplifter in Woolworths last week.