TV and movies present an image of U.S. special forces of all varieties as being the most aggressive in the world and not particularly concerned about legalities, Geneva Conventions etc. This is an article of faith among left wingers world wide and the so called right thinking intelligences in the West. You are portrayed as not very bright homicidal knuckle draggers, compared to say, the magnificent Australian Special forces – surgical foreign policy tools, etc., etc. Well I now wish to apologise for entertaining such thoughts.
There is an ongoing Australian Army investigation into what are, I believe, potentially Calley grade war crimes by Australian special forces over a long period in the middle east. Crimes that are not justified by the pressures of combat, etc.
The latest allegation, from a U. S. marine aircrew, is that an Australian special forces unit holding several captured Afghans, when told that their U.S extraction helicopter was overloaded by one man, responded by shooting and killing one of their prisoners to lighten the load.
I have no reason to doubt this story, as it is just one of an ongoing stream that is non political. If what is portrayed is found to be true then I would like to see these units disestablished and rebuilt from the ground up because they in no way represent Australian ethos. Killing combatants is one thing. Killing prisoners and civilians is another. I apologise to American special forces for thinking that the Australian S.A.S was on some kind of superior pedestal. Yes, I have worn the uniform. I’m not some milquetoast. The honour of the Australian defence forces, or what passes for it these days, demands a thorough investigation and the punishment of those involved. I’m ashamed, and so is every service person, if these stories are found to be true.
Walrus,
I spent almost thirty years in the US military, all assigned to USSOCOM units. I was a Special Forces soldier for twenty-two years (Special Forces in the US Army definition, meaning 18-series).
I spent years in Afghanistan with combined and joint elements (multi-national SOF formations). I worked alongside SOF from every nation that sent troops to Afghanistan. I also have a keen knowledge of current military operations work across the spectrum.
Reading that article, “Josh” is FOS. He is lying (and I doubt “Josh” even served in the military or is a real person). His story is simply not credible, based on the detail provided. Further, I never saw anything of that sort from Australian SOF (both SAS and Commando elements).
DOL,
JMG
JM Gavin
Not much of an apology, was it? I was in SF and MACVSOG in the 60s and 70s and only left for clan HUMINT because I thought the Big Army was going to eliminate us. They would have if congress had not taken a protective role in the CT area. By that time I had been dragooned into the USMA faculty for a three year teaching tour and there was no way to escape Hudson High’s clutches and I don’t think Beckwith and I would have played well together. DOL
COL,
I did the reverse; spent my Active Duty career in various SOF elements (first as an Infantry soldier then as a SF soldier), and I now I work the HUMINT side as a DoD civilian. The two tribes are closer now than before, but I still am viewed as a knuckle-dragging simpleton by my MI peers.
An odd apology, indeed. I have been aware of the Aussie’s domestic “scandals” about supposed war crimes by Digger SOF. Reading some of the linked articles at the same publication Walrus cited, it appears the scandals have become akin to hysteria. I’m not smart on Aussie domestic politics, but it appears someone has a political agenda.
JMG
JM Gavin
I started in 2/2 Inf as a rifle platoon leader then went to SF, qualifying at Bragg in ’64, then went to case officer school at Ft. Holabird in ’67, commanded a clan detachment in 3rd Corps border area for a year, went to Turkey and then back to VN in MACVSOG/STDAT-158, then grad schools and USMA. DATT twice, then DIO for ME/SouthAsia. After that was head of DIA HUMINT both as colonel and then SES. I created DH. After that Clapper ran me off.
Walrus,
“He says on a mission early in his 2012 deployment, one of his USMC comrades was shocked by what he witnessed the commandos do on a joint drug operation.”
So this anonymous guy waits 8 years to tell the press? Oh, and he didn’t tell anyone in his own chain of command? Sounds like BS to me.
There is no political will on either side of Parliament to pursue this matter. There’s nothing for anyone to gain. There are no axe grinding antifa types, etc. There has been a steady string of allegations, at least 55 of them from 2012 – 2016.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/sas-under-investigation-for-55-incidents-in-afghanistan
This, in my opinion, is not trivial and a danger to conduct in good order and discipline., etc. as it appears to be entrenched.
Myself and a lot of others have ignored this matter since inception but it is now getting too big for that.
What possible motive would a marine have for making this up?
I’ve apologised for thinking that this sort of stuff would happen in U.S. forces but never in Australia. I was utterly wrong.
Walrus,
“What possible motive would a marine have for making this up?”
That would be ‘ex-marine’. You really have to ask that? He gets attention, he got yours. Feel free to investigate your own people over these unsubstantiated statements.
Walrus,
The details provided by this supposed Marine make this account highly suspect. I’m not going to list all the reasons why the story stinks, as I am not interested in providing a primer on how to write a more accurate and convincing fake war crimes saga. To be clear, the incorrect details aren’t the parts about murder and mayhem. I am referring to mundane details from Josh’s account that are either false or heavily embellished.
Who cares why some ass clown made this stuff up? Bottom line, it’s made up. The story is nonsense, and I never saw this sort of conduct from Aussie SOF, despite working alongside of them quite a bit.
Whatever you thought about U.S. forces is just that…what you thought. That doesn’t make it true or relevant to the story at hand. You are allowed to think whatever you like, and you don’t owe any apologies for your thoughts.
If the Australians want to spin sensational stories of murder and mayhem committed by their troops in Afghanistan, they can do that. If the Australian public wants to believe it, fine. This tale doesn’t square with the operational conduct of the SASR or 2 Cdo Rgt I personally witnessed over a number of years.
JMG