View Full Version : One US SOF soldier killed during rescue of Iraqi hostages
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/10/22/us-special-ops-rescue-hostages-in-iraq-defense-official-says/?intcmp=hpbt2
10 dead ISIS, many Iraqis rescued before they could be executed. Our special operations forces continue to do an amazing job--and take heartbreaking casualties--in a war the President boasted he had ended years ago.
For the families of the Iraqis (many of whom apparently helped us in the past) it will be a great day. For one family, perhaps in the Fort Bragg area, it will be devastating.
Today would be a good day for all of us to reflect on just how hard our troops (and especially the SOF), have fought, and just how much they have sacrificed, for us.
Robinson
10-22-2015, 10:12 AM
I'm glad the hostages were rescued, but damn that was a high price to pay.
BaiHu
10-22-2015, 11:17 AM
Can someone explain the purpose of this? Not to make light of the loss of life, but I thought we were done with the whole GWOT. What do we gain with this?
We're just advising. There aren't any combat troops there. According to the WH anyway.
BaiHu
10-22-2015, 12:04 PM
We're just advising. There aren't any combat troops there. According to the WH anyway.
Oh yeah, that's right. We're not there, just like Obama's foreign policy [emoji35]
Can someone explain the purpose of this? Not to make light of the loss of life, but I thought we were done with the whole GWOT. What do we gain with this?
Supposedly: (1) The Kurdish regional government asked for our help. (2) They wanted to free the hostages, although none of them were supposedly Kurds. (3) We provided the helicopter lift and "advisors;" (4) the Kurds provided the shooters; (5) our guy was wounded in the gunfight and died later; and (6) ISIS lost a bunch of guys--far more than the 10 originally reported.
Obviously there are some possible contradictions in those "facts." My guess is that the Army's counter-terrorism guys were on that raid, and one got shot. Either that or it was "white-side" SF advisors on a not-very-white-side mission, and one got shot. In either case my impression is that we participated because the hostages included people we really cared about.
Unless the White House leaks details we might be kept guessing about what really happened, and when you think about it that probably should be the case.
Kyle Reese
10-22-2015, 12:23 PM
Rest in Peace.
SJC3081
10-22-2015, 01:09 PM
Hilary's testifying today, the sheep need a distraction. Remember when Monica testified we launched a large attack on Saddam the same day.
BaiHu
10-22-2015, 01:35 PM
Supposedly: (1) The Kurdish regional government asked for our help. (2) They wanted to free the hostages, although none of them were supposedly Kurds. (3) We provided the helicopter lift and "advisors;" (4) the Kurds provided the shooters; (5) our guy was wounded in the gunfight and died later; and (6) ISIS lost a bunch of guys--far more than the 10 originally reported.
Obviously there are some possible contradictions in those "facts." My guess is that the Army's counter-terrorism guys were on that raid, and one got shot. Either that or it was "white-side" SF advisors on a not-very-white-side mission, and one got shot. In either case my impression is that we participated because the hostages included people we really cared about.
Unless the White House leaks details we might be kept guessing about what really happened, and when you think about it that probably should be the case.
Thanks Jeep.
I prefer it that way, but being in the dark with "the most transparent administration" ever over the last 7 years has me buying tin foil in bulk.
TCinVA
10-22-2015, 01:41 PM
God speed.
The British press--which reports on the things that the American press seems to care little about--reports that Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler, a very long time veteran of the Army's anti-terrorist unit, was the casualty. Prayers for him and his family.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3286368/Veteran-Delta-Force-Sergeant-casualty-ISIS-ground-war-Soldier-killed-raid-stop-mass-execution-Army-twenty-years-deployed-11-times.html
breakingtime91
10-23-2015, 01:33 PM
Rest in peace warrior
Kyle Reese
10-23-2015, 01:49 PM
14 combat deployments in the GWOT. MSG Wheeler was a pure warrior, and we, as a nation, are greatly diminished.
LSP552
10-23-2015, 02:13 PM
14 combat deployments in the GWOT. MSG Wheeler was a pure warrior, and we, as a nation, are greatly diminished.
^ Can't say it better than this.
14 combat deployments in the GWOT. MSG Wheeler was a pure warrior, and we, as a nation, are greatly diminished.
Remember, it's not the GWOT anymore. It's foreign contingency operations. And the same day that MSG Wheeler died, the President vetoed the military budget because it (1) increased defense spending but didn't increase domestic spending, including the funding increases the President wants for the EPA, IRS and various welfare programs; and (2) it refuses to appropriate any money to shut down Gitmo, where some of those foreign contingents are still held.
It really makes you wonder if the country--or at least the political system--is worthy of men such as MSG Wheeler, the other members of his unit who were in--and won--that fight, our other SOF personnel, who are currently stationed all over the world, or any of the members of our armed forces.
The Daily Beast reports the following on MSG Wheeler. Note the number of Bronze Stars--and the number of children:
"Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler, the first American to die in Iraq against ISIS, is a reminder of those who have sacrificed in two wars that never really ended.
Fourteen combat deployments.
Eleven bronze stars, four with a V for valor.
Seventy hostages rescued in the final mission.
One flag covered coffin, to be met by one new widow.
Four sons now without a father, one a new baby.
One posthumous Purple Heart."
Chance
10-25-2015, 12:57 PM
There has been helmet cam footage released of a portion of the raid. The Washington Post has the video, and a write up (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2015/10/24/helmet-camera-footage-shows-joint-u-s-delta-force-kurdish-raid-to-rescue-islamic-state-hostages/).
It really makes you wonder if the country--or at least the political system--is worthy of men such as MSG Wheeler, the other members of his unit who were in--and won--that fight, our other SOF personnel, who are currently stationed all over the world, or any of the members of our armed forces.
Well, MSG Wheeler apparently thought so.....along with a swath of Americans and foreigners who get up everyday and do it.
Let's try and not cheapen his death by turning it into a political thing, mmkay?
TGS: We see things differently here. I think that pretending that our soldiers are not fighting a war on terror cheapens their deaths for the purpose of scoring domestic political points and will inevitably cause more deaths in the long run.
MichaelD
10-26-2015, 08:59 AM
Foxtrot Alpha has a pretty good article about the raid which cost MSgt Wheeler his life: http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/helmet-cam-video-shows-raid-on-isis-prison-where-u-s-d-1738558922
Godspeed.
Dagga Boy
10-26-2015, 10:56 AM
Very good read. It is hard to not bring politics into the discussion when the administration spends far more effort playing word games and spin rather than themselves paying respect to the service of one of the finest warriors ever produced by this country. It is utter b.s. and I think it is fair game to comment when we lose a hero doing a difficult job and the focus of others is deniability rather than honor. As I posted elsewhere, the press conference in Valhalla was "Today we welcome a giant of a warrior to the hall".
walker2713
10-26-2015, 11:18 AM
Good update....thanks for posting!!
Prayers for his family and friends.....
NickA
10-26-2015, 11:36 AM
Couldn't help but notice that while we got up to the minute updates on Lamar Odom's condition after his heroic effort to use coke and hookers to save his marriage, the death of one of our finest soldiers barely rated a mention in most media outlets.
RIP, Master Sergeant Wheeler.
"Today we welcome a giant of a warrior to the hall".
Eleven Bronze Stars. Eleven. Unbelievable.
Chance
10-26-2015, 02:17 PM
Couldn't help but notice that while we got up to the minute updates on Lamar Odom's condition after his heroic effort to use coke and hookers to save his marriage, the death of one of our finest soldiers barely rated a mention in most media outlets.
Men like Joshua Wheeler give Americans the luxury of focusing on such trivial bullshit.
Gray222
10-26-2015, 03:55 PM
Couldn't help but notice that while we got up to the minute updates on Lamar Odom's condition after his heroic effort to use coke and hookers to save his marriage, the death of one of our finest soldiers barely rated a mention in most media outlets.
RIP, Master Sergeant Wheeler.
...and we should take every single opportunity to tell people this, in fact it should be considered humiliating to not know Wheeler's name after this event. Just like those warriors who came before him and gave as much.
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