Mad-Dog Mattis's Benghazi

[H. E. Panqui]

https://www.stripes.com/news/retired-green-beret-says-mattis-left-my-men-to-die-in-afghanistan-1.442367

WASHINGTON – A retired Green Beret officer alleged Friday that Gen. James Mattis, who has been nominated to be the next defense secretary, hesitated to send medical evacuation flights and left soldiers to die during a 2001 friendly fire incident in Afghanistan.
Retired Lt. Col. Jason Amerine, in a Facebook post, said a delay by Mattis in sending rescue aircraft from a nearby base might have led to the deaths of Staff Sgt. Brian Cody Prosser and at least two Afghans after they were hit by a U.S. bomb outside of Kandahar.
“He was indecisive and betrayed his duty to us, leaving my men to die during the golden hour when he could have reached us,” wrote Amerine, who is a future of war fellow at the New America think tank in Washington, D.C.

[scm]

https://www.stripes.com/news/retired-green-beret-says-mattis-left-my-men-to-die-in-afghanistan-1.442367

WASHINGTON – A retired Green Beret officer alleged Friday that Gen. James Mattis, who has been nominated to be the next defense secretary, hesitated to send medical evacuation flights and left soldiers to die during a 2001 friendly fire incident in Afghanistan.
Retired Lt. Col. Jason Amerine, in a Facebook post, said a delay by Mattis in sending rescue aircraft from a nearby base might have led to the deaths of Staff Sgt. Brian Cody Prosser and at least two Afghans after they were hit by a U.S. bomb outside of Kandahar.
“He was indecisive and betrayed his duty to us, leaving my men to die during the golden hour when he could have reached us,” wrote Amerine, who is a future of war fellow at the New America think tank in Washington, D.C.

What difference does it make?

[presence]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Sayyd_Alma_Kalay_airstrike

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Sayyd_Alma_Kalay_airstrike)

keywords

2001 Sayyd Alma Kalay airstrike


Boeing B-52 Stratofortress (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-52_Stratofortress).




Type
airstrike


Location
Sayyd Alma Kalay, near the Arghandab River (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arghandab_River), Oruzgan Province (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oruzgan_Province), Afghanistan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan)



Target
United States (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States) (friendly fire)


Date
December 5, 2001


Executed by
United States


Casualties
3 Americans and 10 Afghans killed
40 injured




Two days earlier, Captain (now Lieutenant Colonel) Jason Amerine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Amerine) and Afghan tribal leader Hamid Karzai (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamid_Karzai) fought for the vital Arghandab town of Sayyd Alma Kalay (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Sayyd_Alma_Kalay). The Taliban (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban) withdrew from the town, and Amerine and Karzai entered the town. After both talked in the headquarters, Amerine left to discuss further airstrikes with another officer. While studying a map, a huge explosion hit the hill near them, apparently from one of their own bombs. Amerine was wounded, while many on the hill were killed or also wounded. A military investigation revealed that one of the men from the headquarters in Sayyd Alma Kalay who arrived earlier in the day made a mistake: he was on the ground calling in airstrikes when he accidentally gave the wrong coordinates for a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-52_Stratofortress) that dropped the 2,000 lb bomb on the hill on which several Americans and Afghans were proposed.

Three of Amerine's friends died:


Master Sergeant Jefferson Davis, 39 years old, of Watuga, Tennessee
Sergeant First Class Dan Petithory, 32 years old, of Cheshire, Massachusetts
Staff Sergeant Brian Prosser, 28 years old, of Bakersfield, California

10 Afghans died as well. Forty Afghans and Americans, including Amerine, were wounded. The wounded were taken to Ramstein Air Base (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramstein_Air_Base) in Germany (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany) for treatment.

[presence]

On a moonless November night in 2001, five Blackhawk helicopters infiltrate southern Afghanistan, dropping a Special Forces A-Team—ODA 574—deep behind enemy lines in the mountains of Uruzgan Province. Captain Jason Amerine and the 10 men under his command are on a seemingly impossible mission: to destroy the Taliban from within and prevent a civil war from consuming the country. This lone team of Green Berets has just one ally in the south: Hamid Karzai, a little-known Pashtun statesman who has returned from exile and is being hunted by the Taliban as he roams the countryside raising a militia.




THEN ONE MORNING, not long after the team had set foot behind enemy lines, an urgent radio call for help went out over the airwaves.
At Camp Rhino, less than 100 miles south of ODA-574’s position near Kandahar, Master Sergeant David Lee was in his B-team’s tent when the request for emergency medical evacuation came over the radio shortly before 9 a.m. The 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, under the command of Brigadier General James Mattis, had occupied the “Rhino” airstrip since November 25. Two days later, Lee and his B-team had arrived; their primary role was as a liaison, coordinating the Special Forces’ actions in the area with those of the Marines.



(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0061661228/thedaibea-20/)
Looking out the door at the parked helicopters—including four Cobra gunships, four transport CH-53s, and six dual-rotor heavy-lift CH-46s—Lee picked up the radio and informed Task Force Dagger that the Marines at Camp Rhino were the closest Americans in a position to respond,


a 45-minute helicopter flight away.


Meanwhile, Lee’s boss—Major Rob Cairnes, the B-team commander—was running across the flat, barren landscape to General Mattis’ command post, located in one of the few hard structures on the base, a single-story concrete building. He informed the Marine general, face-to-face, that a presumed mortar or artillery attack on a Green Beret position had occurred and that the wounded needed immediate evacuation. Mattis asked if they were still in contact and wanted more specifics, which Cairnes did not have.


“Well, if they’ve taken fire,” said the general, “and you can’t tell me definitively how they got all scuffed up, I’m not going to send anything until you can assure me that the situation on the ground is secure.” Mattis went on to explain that there were nearly a thousand Marines at Camp Rhino for him to worry about, and he was not willing to dilute base security and risk sending his air squadron on a dangerous daylight mission just to assist an unknown number of casualties.


Cairnes raced back to consult with Lee, who was his third in command, and his second-in-command, Chief Warrant Officer Tom Leithead, both of whom were infuriated. They could understand why Mattis wouldn’t send all of his helicopters, but no one in the tent could fathom why he wouldn’t do something to help their guys. “Where’s the love from the Marines?” said another member of the team. “They’re supposed to be frothing at the mouth for this kind of shit.”


The Green Berets continued to monitor the radio and berate the Marines: “These helicopters outside would be airborne already if it were Marines that were bleeding,” said the B-team’s communications sergeant.


“You know what,” said Lee, who had watched the Marines endure abysmal conditions at the base since they’d arrived. “It’s not the Marines. It’s Mattis.”
“Just heard,” said the commo sergeant. “One American KIA, three critically wounded.” For the past week, Lee and Leithead had been briefing Mattis and found him a fairly personable guy. He probably just needs a little prodding in the right direction, thought Lee. Turning to Leithead, he said,


“Let’s go have a little talk with the general.”


“I’m all for that,” said Leithead, and the two hurried to the Marine command post some 20 minutes after Mattis had declined Cairnes’ request. Inside, the expressions on the faces of Mattis’ staff showed their frustration and embarrassment. One Marine glanced away as they walked past, unable to meet their eyes.
Mattis greeted the two Green Berets at the heavy wood door that led into his spartan concrete-floored office. He held a military-issue canteen cup filled with coffee in his left hand and gestured them inside with the other. After closing the door to a crack, he sat down at a small writing desk where a map was laid out.
“Let’s hear it,” said Mattis.


“Sir,” said Lee, “we’ve got reports of mass casualties, and word is they expect the numbers to continue to rise. You are the closest American with the ability to respond.”
“Do you have an update on how they got all scuffed up? Are they still in contact?”
“With all due respect,” said Leithead, “we think that’s irrelevant.”
“I hear you, but no, I’m not sending a rescue mission,” Mattis said. “We. Don’t. Know. The situation.”
“The situation, sir,” said Lee, “is that Americans are dying. And they need your help.”
“Look, when I have fighters over the scene so that I’ve got air superiority, then I’ll send choppers. That, or we wait till nightfall.”
Exchanging a look with Leithead, Lee said, “That’s not good enough, sir.”



Standing up, the general cleared his throat. “Sergeant,” Mattis called to his sergeant at arms, positioned outside the office.


“We’re done. Escort these men out of here.”



Without another word, Lee and Leithead walked out of the office toward the door to the command post, again passing Marines who wouldn’t make eye contact. Behind them, they heard Mattis say,

“Nobody gets into my office.”



Back outside, Lee said, “Who’s going to get our guys out of there?”
“Besides here, the only helicopters are at K2 and J-Bad. Uzbekistan and Pakistan. They’re at least three hours away, and that’s if they’re ready to launch.”


They looked to their left, at the rows of Marine helicopters parked along the desert airstrip.


“What a joke,” said Lee.




HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY IN UZBEKISTAN,


Special Forces Major Chris Miller entered the unusually silent command tent of Task Force Dagger at the moment Colonel Mulholland began to speak into a microphone:
“Texas One Two . . . SITREP?”
Normally, satellite communications were broken or fuzzy, but the voice on the other end was clear, as if Amerine were there in the room. “We have established security,” he said. “I have one confirmed KIA; one missing, presumed KIA.” Amerine went down the list, “two expectant [expected to die regardless of medical treatment] four seriously wounded...” He continued his brief, then concluded with “Rambo Eight Five will send additional SITREPs on all casualties once they are tallied.”
Miller was stunned by Amerine’s composure; he might as well have been in a training exercise back at Fort Campbell. It reminded him of a legendary combat commander in the Korean War, “Iron” Mike McKallis, whose higher command learned that the calmer Iron Mike sounded on the radio, the worse the situation was on the ground.
There was a pause after Amerine finished his report, then Mulholland said, “What do you need from us, Texas One Two?”
“I am combat ineffective. We need to be relieved in place by follow-on units.”
Turning around, Mulholland spoke to the only person in the command tent wearing a helmet and holding a gun.



“Chris, you look like you’re ready to go,” he said.
“Yes sir,” said Miller, “we’re good to go.”
“Take two A-teams down there with your team and figure it out.”
“Roger, sir, we are on our way.”


A path cleared in the crowded tent, and Miller ran down it and straight to ODB-570’s tent. He burst in, out of breath, and yelled, “Hey, get your shit on—we’re going!”
Heads swiveled from The Sopranos on a television in the back of the tent. A few men started laughing.
“No!” Miller boomed. “I’m serious, get your shit on. We’re going now!”
Somebody switched off the television. “You’re not kidding, sir?”
“Goddamnit, I’m not fucking around! We’re going into Afghanistan. Five Seven Four has taken casualties.”

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/01/18/the-green-berets-who-saved-karzai.html

[UWDude]

https://www.stripes.com/news/retired-green-beret-says-mattis-left-my-men-to-die-in-afghanistan-1.442367

WASHINGTON – A retired Green Beret officer alleged Friday that Gen. James Mattis, who has been nominated to be the next defense secretary, hesitated to send medical evacuation flights and left soldiers to die during a 2001 friendly fire incident in Afghanistan.
Retired Lt. Col. Jason Amerine, in a Facebook post, said a delay by Mattis in sending rescue aircraft from a nearby base might have led to the deaths of Staff Sgt. Brian Cody Prosser and at least two Afghans after they were hit by a U.S. bomb outside of Kandahar.
“He was indecisive and betrayed his duty to us, leaving my men to die during the golden hour when he could have reached us,” wrote Amerine, who is a future of war fellow at the New America think tank in Washington, D.C.
A captain questioning a general.


hesitated to send medical evacuation flights and left soldiers to die


might have led

Stripes playing fast and loose with "might have"

[Ender]

A captain questioning a general.




Stripes playing fast and loose with "might have"

Read Post #4.

[enhanced_deficit]

So this 12/5 Benghazi has been covered up for full 15 years ? There should be a full investigation who all have been complicit in this cover up.

This is in sharp contrast to 9/11 Benghazi terror attack under Obama-Hillary Libya intervention regime where top officials including Prez, Susan Rice, Hillary all hit the media circuit soon afterwards in the spirit of transpraency and to inform public what led to deaths of US ambassador and 4 other Americans.

That said, let's wait till the investigation into this other "Benghazi" incidence are completed before jumping to conslusions. If he is not found responisble by investigations, he may not be too bad considering this:

Trump chooses anti-torture , pro Palestinian State Gen. as Sec. of Defense (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?504855-Trump-chooses-anti-torture-pro-Palestinian-State-Gen-as-Sec-of-Defense&)

[Ender]

So this 12/5 Benghazi has been covered up for full 15 years ? There should be a full investigation who all have been complicit in this cover up.

This is in sharp contrast to 9/11 Benghazi terror attack under Obama-Hillary Libya intervention regime where top officials including Prez, Susan Rice, Hillary all hit the media circuit soon afterwards in the spirit of transpraency and to inform public what led to deaths of US ambassador and 4 other Americans.

That said, let's wait till the investigation into this other "Benghazi" incidence are completed before jumping to conslusions. If he is not found responisble by investigations, he may not be too bad considering this:

Trump chooses anti-torture , pro Palestinian State Gen. as Sec. of Defense (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?504855-Trump-chooses-anti-torture-pro-Palestinian-State-Gen-as-Sec-of-Defense&)

Benghazi was covered up because it was a covert operation by the alphabets.

[bunklocoempire]

General Dynamic never lifted a finger to save my 4th at the airport. Fuck him.

Low value order taking war pig, gets low value post.

[AZJoe]

Mad Mattis channels Cheney for latest war fraud scam:

Mattis: 'No doubt' Syrian regime has chemical weapons (http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2017/04/21/Mattis-No-doubt-Syrian-regime-has-chemical-weapons/6911492779300/), April 21, 2017
"There can be no doubt in the international community's mind that Syria has retained chemical weapons in violation of its agreement and its statement that it had removed them all. There is no longer any doubt," Mattis told reporters.


Full text of Dick Cheney's speech (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/aug/27/usa.iraq), August 27, 2002
Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies, and against us. And there is no doubt that his aggressive regional ambitions will lead him into future confrontations with his neighbors ...