Tenten
Jedi
Source: http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2007/01/journal_targeti.html
JOURNAL: Targeting PMCs
Iraq. Here's an interesting data point on the level of tactical sophistication the US military is up against in Baghdad. Robert Young Pelton, the author of "Licensed to Kill", has the details on a series of attacks that targeted Blackwater USA on Tuesday (23 January 2007). Here's a recap:
Hook. A State Department official protected by a Blackwater PSD (personal security detail) convoy was attacked.
Line. QRF (quick reaction force) ground teams were dispatched from the Green Zone to relieve the convoy. These teams were ambushed. One retreated and the others were halted.
Sinker. Two Blackwater Boeing Little Birds (small helicopter gunships) were dispatched to provide support. One was shot down and the other was damaged and forced to return to base. Recovery teams found the four bodies (one more died on the other helo that returned to the green zone) from the helicopter crash were stripped of their weapons.
UPDATE: Ansar al-Sunna followed up the attacks with a fast media loop by posting pictures of the four dead men's ID cards on their Website. The 1920 Revolution brigades got cell phone footage of a smoldering chopper to al-Jazeera.
[Tenten]video of Blackwater "Little Bird" helicopters in Baghdad: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9142046234356623565&q=blackwater&hl=en [/Tenten]
JOURNAL: Targeting PMCs
Iraq. Here's an interesting data point on the level of tactical sophistication the US military is up against in Baghdad. Robert Young Pelton, the author of "Licensed to Kill", has the details on a series of attacks that targeted Blackwater USA on Tuesday (23 January 2007). Here's a recap:
Hook. A State Department official protected by a Blackwater PSD (personal security detail) convoy was attacked.
Line. QRF (quick reaction force) ground teams were dispatched from the Green Zone to relieve the convoy. These teams were ambushed. One retreated and the others were halted.
Sinker. Two Blackwater Boeing Little Birds (small helicopter gunships) were dispatched to provide support. One was shot down and the other was damaged and forced to return to base. Recovery teams found the four bodies (one more died on the other helo that returned to the green zone) from the helicopter crash were stripped of their weapons.
UPDATE: Ansar al-Sunna followed up the attacks with a fast media loop by posting pictures of the four dead men's ID cards on their Website. The 1920 Revolution brigades got cell phone footage of a smoldering chopper to al-Jazeera.
[Tenten]video of Blackwater "Little Bird" helicopters in Baghdad: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9142046234356623565&q=blackwater&hl=en [/Tenten]
