U.S. Navy SEALs conduct special reconnaissance on a suspected location of al Qaida and Taliban forces. Navy special operations forces are conducting missions in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Tim Turner.
Syria Airstrikes Need Boots On The Ground, AF Officer Says -- USA Today
WASHINGTON — U.S. special operations forces will be needed on the ground in Syria to make the expanded air war President Obama has ordered there more effective, a senior Air Force commander told USA TODAY.
The spy planes flying missions over Iraq and Syria can develop a list of potential Islamic State targets, said the commander who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe what the war might look like. But it's "absolutely crucial that pilots are talking to an American on the ground" who can verify that the target is legitimate.
The CIA said Thursday evening that a new intelligence assessment estimates the Islamic State can muster between 20,000 and 31,500 fighters across Iraq and Syria, up from a previous figure of 10,000. CIA spokesman Ryan Trapani said the new assessment is based on a review of intelligence reports from May to August, the Associated Press reported.
Read more ....
Update: U.S. ground troops needed to defeat Islamic State in Iraq: military analysts -- Washington Times
My Comment: I agree .... U.S. boots and CIA assets will eventually be needed on the ground to direct U.S. airstrikes. But in the case of Syria (unlike Iraq) .... there are probably no U.S. assets present in the region that the Islamic State operates in .... and if that is the case .... it is going to take time before the U.S. can have the structure and network to operate effectively.
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