The death of a Navy SEAL reveals US mission creep in Somalia

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

It hasn't happened since the infamous Black Hawk Down battle in 1993. 

Last month, a US soldier was shot and killed fighting in Somalia. Reports indicate the Navy SEAL was serving alongside his Somali counterparts — not advising from the operating base — as they battled al-Shabab militants.

New York Times correspondent Jeffrey Gettleman has covered Somalia for more than a decade, and writes about it in his new book, “Love, Africa: A Memoir of Romance, War, and Survival.”

Gettleman is skeptical of Washington's official explanation that dozens, perhaps hundreds of US soldiers are in Somalia simply to offer advice.

"Many of us suspect this is not simply advise and assist, that American troops are fighting toe-to-toe with al-Shabab militants," he explains. "The fact that a Navy SEAL was just killed in combat in a spray of bullets fired at a vehicle pretty much confirms what we had always suspected."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-death-of-a-navy-seal-reveals-us-mission-creep-in-somalia/ar-BBBx8kj?li=BBnbcA1&ocid=edgsp

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. Does anyone still buy the "adviser" crap anymore?

My now ex was one of thousands of "advisers" sent to Viet Nam in '64.
He trained at a military base, for a year before, in helicopters, and every day of that year he and his buddies knew they were going to 'Nam in a fighting capacity.
Newspapers kept printing the "adviser" crap tho.

the wiggle word Obama used was "boots on the ground"....
"not gonna send *boots on the ground* to_________ country.

I remember when AfricaCom was created, during Shrub's turn in the WH.
Of course we were sending military to Africa, but not much news coverage.

Color me skeptical, always, about military reporting, esp. with repugs in power.

[sdfernando]

2. My Father was an "advisor" as well

In Vietnam. He served right along side the Vietnamese troops. He was in the Binks Hotel when it was bombed. Thankfully he wasn't really injured. Came home not long after.