General Stephen J. Townsend (pictured), who was the commander of America's offensive against ISIS between 2016 and 2017 and who implemented the policy that delegated strike authority to lower-ranking personnel at that time, has brushed off claims that the cell acted recklessly or with apathy, attributing the casualties it accrued to the 'misfortunes of war'
* A small American strike cell alarmed CIA and Airforce officials by killing countless civilians as they launches airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria
* Between 2014 and 2017, operation Talon Anvil routinely flouted safeguard procedures, sources told the New York Times, to function at the 'speed of war'
* In the process, they obscured the number of civilians they killed in their operations, and averted drone cameras at the moment that missiles would hit
* The cell played an 'outsize' role in the 112,000 bombs and missiles aimed at the Islamic State while the so-called caliphate was in operation
* Former Department of Defense and Pentagon adviser Larry Lewis said that casualties were ten times higher in Syria than in similar missions in Afghanistan
* 'It was higher than I would have expected from a U.S. unit,' he said. 'The fact that it increased dramatically and steadily over a period of years shocked me'
* Overseeing strike after strike, one source said, seemed to 'erode operators' perspective and fray their humanity'
A small, classified American strike cell that launched tens of thousands of bombs and missiles against Islamic State targets in Syria, regularly disregarded safeguard procedures to function at the 'speed of war,' and obscured the countless number of civilians they wounded and killed with deceptive tactics.
Known as Talon Anvil, the cell worked around the clock in three shifts out of nondescript offices in Syria and Iraq between 2014 and 2019 - but according to a bombshell report published on Sunday by the New York Times, they 'never existed' in military records.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: This blog covered extensively the final weeks in the war against ISIS in Syria. I recalled mentioning at the time that the push to end ISIS once and for all was brutal and devastating. It ended ISIS as we know it, but the civilian carnage that resulted from that onslaught was massive.
Top Secret US Military Unit Called Talon Anvil Alarmed CIA And Air-force Officials By Killing Civilians When They Launched Airstrikes Against The Islamic State In Syria
As a Secret Unit Pounded ISIS, Civilian Deaths Mounted -- New York Times
Covert US army unit tasked with fighting IS repeatedly killed civilians – NYT -- Times of Israel
NYT: Secret anti-ISIS strike cell showed reckless disregard for civilian casualties -- The Week
Covert US Drone Strike Unit That Massacred Syrian Civilians Had Carte Blanche for 5 Years - Report -- Sputnik
8 comments:
ISIS women often carried weapons and were not just housewives, ISIS member Sabine S. testified in the fifth session of Omaima Abdi’s trial in Germany, according to investigative journalist Jenan Moussa.
Women and children in the al-Hol Camp are conducting ISIS operations and perpetuating ISIS's ideology.
Coming to a city near you because for Dims, Joe Bite Me, Julia from "Life of Julia", Pajama Boy and the other morons.
What kind of bullshit statement is this: "A small American strike cell alarmed CIA and Airforce officials by killing countless civilians as they launches airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria "
Since when are the murderers at the CIA alarmed about the deaths of civilians anywhere? Maybe they don't accept civilian deaths unless they themselves are responsible? Such nonsense. Who leaked this story? Someone sympathetic to ISIS would be my guess...
Every one is sorry for the civilian losses and I would not being one of them. But who can tell about a war without civilian casualties?
"Someone sympathetic to ISIS would be my guess..."
Seemingly so angry at ISIS, while you paint your real target the CIA.
What Jac said.
WW2 had hundreds of thousands as both collateral damage and also purposeful deaths. Perpetrators were Russia, US, Britain, Japan and Germany.
France got knocked out of the war before they could play for too long.
"Former Department of Defense and Pentagon adviser Larry Lewis "
Air conditioned room in the Pentagon. Biggest risk is a papercut, carpal tunnel or a split nail.
Team is not a direct report to him or his immediate subordinate(s), so he can whine and not be tell on himself.
Been in the trenches (?)
In 2014 people were scared shitless about ISIS. They were 20 miles outside of Baghdad . there was fighting south of Baghdad as well. People in the White House pissed themselves.
They were told to git-r-done and now the excitement is over, they want to hang them.
The war against ISIS was a real war, which was actively prosecuted. Afghanistan was put on the back burner on simmer. So when Larry Lewis compares thee two, it is fraudulent. How is it not fraudulent? In the last 10 years did America try to win? Point out how. Pitching a tent does not count.
I've got a brilliant idea!!!!! How bout we invade Iraq and "nation-build" them into a circumspect, self-governing, lawful, democratic society. Imma goin call the Biden/Obama administration and propose it. Wish me luck!
Every country has a tradition of democracy. Every country. Every country can be a dictatorship in 3 to 10 years. Unless the iron law of oligarchy means nothing. Arab or Muslim countries have majlis or shura councils. The Anglo-Saxons had the Witan. The Magna Carta was was a for the Barons. Nonetheless it is the spring from which democracy grew in England.
A big difference in Iraq was the difference between George Bush and Obama. Bush called PM Maliki every day. Obama didn't. Malik suffered heavily under Saddam. With Bush gone and Obama looking elsewhere, Maliki let his demons get to him. Democracy is easier to destroy than create. Obama didn't give a fuck.
Maybe if the country had been Pakistan instead of Iraq, he might have gave a shit.
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