Biden admin considering sending US special operations forces to protect US embassy in Kyiv

[yaesu]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: cnn

(CNN)The Biden administration is in the early stages of discussions about sending special operations forces into Ukraine to help guard the US Embassy in Kyiv, several US officials tell CNN.

The discussions are in very preliminary stages and a proposal has not been presented to President Joe Biden for a decision, the sources added.
For now, the embassy and its limited number of personnel are protected by State Department diplomatic security officials. The discussion centers around whether an increase in security is needed if the number of personnel increase, and whether special operations forces are best equipped to fulfill those requirements.


The Wall Street Journal first reported that special operations forces are being considered for embassy security.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/23/politics/us-embassy-kyiv-special-operations-forces/index.html

[groundloop]

1. Boots on the ground aren't going to do much against bombs and missiles.

Putin hasn't hesitated for an instant about bombing any civilian targets in Ukraine. Surely if/when he decides to attack our embassy he'll adhere to international law to the same extent that he has thus far.

[C Moon]

8. If there are any deaths of special forces, the gop will cry impeach.

[Akoto]

11. A large portion of his military is either worn down or in shambles.

If he bombs our embassy, with or without provocation, no one will hold it against us for reacting to the fullest extent of our ability. Attacking one with bombs and missiles is beyond the pale. What's he going to do once he launches the attack? Hit us with the line of wrecked tanks stretching out from Kyiv as we're roaring out of the gate?

I know the answer would probably be that he'd nuke us, and my reply is that his staff would probably nix him at that point, because he launched an attack on a diplomatic complex and that would invite retaliation most of the world would support. There's a time to fold and his cabinet would recognize that. I suspect more Russian officials are becoming more vocal (see the resigned diplomat at the UN whose name escapes me) because Putin is likely very ill, and they now feel they have the room to act in a sane fashion.

[speak easy]

2. Suggestion: The U.S. puts a Patriot missile system in the Embassy grounds

to protect it from attack. The embassy, after all, is located on American soil.

[yaesu]

3. I read a few days ago, think its was on the guardian live feed that after signing the nearly $40

billion in new aid for Ukraine, it is expected that the Biden administration will also deliver the HIMARS missile system and Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. I haven't found any other trustworthy news source verifying this but it wouldn't surprise me.

What is the HIMARS missile system?
According to Lockheed Martin Corporation, an American organization that manufactures advanced weapons for the US army, HIMARS--High Mobility Artillery Rocket System-- is a full-spectrum, all-weather, 24/7, lethal and responsive, wheeled precision strike weapons system. It is designed to destroy enemy targets as far away as 300 kilometres. It employs a shoot-and-scoot capability which enhances crew and platform survivability in high threat environments. HIMARS carries a single six-pack of GMLRS rockets or one TACMS missile on the Army's Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) 5-ton truck and can launch the entire MLRS family of munitions. The company claims that with a recognized and proven range of 300 km, HIMARS delivers affordable, quick, long-range precision strikes.

What is a PATRIOT?
According to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Phased-Array Tracking Radar to Intercept On Target (PATRIOT) weapons system combats enemy air threats varying from aircraft and helicopters to mid-range ballistic missiles such as SCUD missiles. A PATRIOT battery primarily consists of an Engagement Control Station (ECS, fire control centre), a radar and six launching stations. The launching stations are loaded with a combination of PATRIOT missiles, depending on the threat. The PAC-3 missile is the most advanced missile and has 'Hit-to-Kill' capability.

[PortTack]

12. Both are desperately needed. President Zelensky said yesterday that right now with concentrated

Orcs in the east and south and heavy fighting that casualties are between 50-100 a day. That is not sustainable!

[Submariner]

4. Send Zelenskyy one long range missile to flatten Red Square

as payback for destroying the Ukrainian Cultural Museum this past weekend.

Blow this thing up with incendiaries to burn it to the ground. That would get Vlad's attention.

[HUAJIAO]

13. I would not vote for that.

[malthaussen]

5. The Marines aren't good enough?

I mean, they have been protecting our embassies throughout our history. It is not exactly a "special forces" speciality.

-- Mal

[yaesu]

9. Best guess, special circumstance, a country being invaded, possibility of hit squads makes it

necessary to have specially trained soldiers on site.

[dutch777]

7. Seems like a waste of SOC resources unless there is an ulterior motive. Marines seem to have worked

in the past. Putin would be a fool to target the US or any NATO embassy unless he wants a No Fly zone imposed and even more hassle than he already has.

[llashram]

10. step by step?

maybe intel has some kind of threat or incursion...

[Turbineguy]

14. Thin end of the wedge

Camel's nose under the tent.

[Martin68]

15. Interesting. That might be considered a tripwire were the Russians to bomb the embassy or their

residences. The embassy might also serve as a base for reconnaissance or black ops outside Kyiv.

[Chainfire]

16. I think that it is a bad idea.

We move in troops, the troops get attacked, on purpose, accidently or allegedly, and we move in more troops? Are we looking for an excuse? If the time ever comes to put US troops in Ukraine, it needs to be by the division; at least then we would know what we were getting into.

If the embassy is in danger, move it. Move it out of the country if necessary. Work from home...

[pecosbob]

17. I suspect this would be to protect Zelensky from further assassination attempts

Marines wouldn't be the best fit IMO. This should be more like the State Department protection details.

[Igel]

18. The embassy, it's US staff, and local employees would be good targets.

Not by Kalibr missiles or air-drop bombs.

Thing about this war is that there's a reasonable minority of Ukrainians that preferred pre-1991 Ukraine and support Putin. Corrupted, deluded, marginalized and embittered--whatever.

What better to defeat the will of a weak-willed nation--as we're seen--than have the ambassador kidnapped and his aides killed, the ambassador held for ransom--"Pull out of Ukraine or he dies."

Russia's already managed to get buy-in that the little green men weren't necessarily Russians. Until they were rewarded.

That the Russophone soldiers in the Donbas pre-2/23/2022 were always locals, in spite of a court ruling that Russia wronged its soldiers by not properly providing for them while on duty in Donechchyna.

Just have somebody say, "I'm Ukrainian but pro-Russian" and Putin has plausible deniability for anything the very much non-Nazi terrorist would do. (He learned how to leverage the West quite well years ago--didn't work this time, doesn't mean it won't work next time ... After all, it worked so many times before.)

In case of attack, assault, kidnapping, bomb threat, etc., etc. I'd want special forces. Perhaps it's because I don't know the Marines' capabilities.

[DFW]

19. That is getting into precarious territory

It gives Putin an excuse to say we are sending our forces into the conflict to kill Russians, and sooner or later, he will probably be right. DIA will surely slip some people in, and who knows where the hell they will really be deployed. If the Special Operations Forces we send are REALLY only for the protection of the embassy and its personnel, fine. I'm sure Putin would dearly love to kidnap a few that the FSB has identified as U.S. intelligence operatives.

However, would we stop at just that? Can you really eat just ONE Lays potato chip?

When I say I'd watch my step here, what I really mean, is that if we are going to send in some of our tough guys, let them be private contractors hired by the Ukie government, or some such pretense (and after all, it's ALL pretense). If they are wearing our uniforms and even ONE of them is caught doing something a U.S. uniform has no business doing, we have just handed Putin an excuse to ratchet up the stakes a few levels, and we just do NOT want to do that. We should provide the Ukies with just about any non nuclear weapon they ask for, and train them on how to use them. Sending our guys to shoot at Putin's guys gives Putin an excuse to shoot back at our guys--ANYWHERE. That is something he does not yet have, and we should keep it that way.

[greenjar_01]

20. Just a detachment of Marines to guard the airfield

Just a few advisors in the field.

Just a division to patrol entry routes in the Highlands...

[Omaha Steve]

21. After a review by forum hosts....LOCKING

Something being considered IS NOT LBN.

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