Age MH-23: of Interventions
Power Projection
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Projecting Power and Maintaining Peace Strategic Overview
By 1980s => Major military powers dominated
Able to project military power over great distances Airlift: able to rapidly deploy SOF & light infantry Sustained sealift to deploy USMC & Navy air at sea
Loiter off potential trouble spots & areas of crises
R&D produced many technological advances & refinements in weapons:
Precision guided munitions=> smart bombs got better Stealth bomber & attack aircraft:
F111 & F117, even B-52G with precision guided munitions capability Later unmanned remote controlled A/C for reconnaissance & attack
Electronic & C4I (later linked with computers for battle array) Computer planning & Battle management
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Power Projection & Battle Management
Result: Power projection & application of military force unmatched:
Precise & effective military power significantly increased:
Enabled rapid deployment & employment of ready force In some cases, within 4 hours alert to "wheels up" Non-stop air-refueled deployments half way around world Example: Fort Bragg (Pope) to Guam (non stop)
Battle planning & management simply unmatched:
Flexible & adaptive & accomplished on the way Numerous contingency options made
(JSOC's Execution check list)
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Post-Cold War Era
When Cold War (CW) ended:
Intervention was up, while... Direct superpower confrontation was down
NTL: as 9/11 shows=>
World still very dangerous place: Nationalistic, religious, ethnic conflict & terror rising Now => all US citizens are the target =>
Even here on American soil!
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Britain's deployment to the Falklands demonstrated it power projection capability
Age of Intervention Battles The Falklands
With significant US logistic and Intel support British "retrieval" Task Force (TF) included: two CVs (Harriers & Helos), a landing force
of 3 Commandos (Marines & Paras), 5
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Falklands- Employment & Combat Movements
Maritime Exclusion Zone announced 12Apr (2 SSNs) British forces attacked IAW movements illustrated below
South Georgia was captured by Royal Marines & SBS on 24-5 April, 1982
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Operation Corporate
2 May: General Belgrano torpedoed by SSN Conqueror
Argentine Navy withdraw from War
4 May: Argentine AF sunk HMS Sheffield w/Exocet missile
Later bombed Brit landing force off San Carlos (HMS Ardent, Antelope, & Coventry & Atlantic Conveyor sunk)
Sinking provoked London & it ordered 45 Commando & 3 Para to march east ASAP to invest Stanley
Meanwhile 2 Para took Goose Green in vicious fight at San 5 Brigade landed(map) Carlos on 25
Results: Brits recovered Falklands at cost of 255 KIA & several ships Restored feeling of Patriotism Thatcher government would have fallen if expedition failed (368 in Belgano) Navy & Army outclassed Junta fell soon afterwards
Argentines lost 700
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Urgent Fury- Deployment- Oct 1983
Following 2nd violent coup, Caribbean Island Grenada fell into chaos
Gov-General Paul Scoon secretly asked OECS to restore order OECS in turn requested assistance from US
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US Motives
Hard line communist faction's take over had strategic implications for US
Salines airstrip modernization (10K') posed threat to vital Caribbean sea lanes & the Panama Canal
Salines could provide potential staging for Cuban & Soviet flights to Africa & Nicaragua
Cubans were acting as Soviet proxies in Africa & Nicaragua at the time Also US concern for safety of 1000 American medical students
Decision taken to intervene:
Restore order & eliminate Communists threat completely
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Operation Urgent Fury- Forces
Operation hastily planned & put together
Pre-Goldwater-Nichols reforms JCS Service Chiefs & OPSDEPs had major influence over Ops Every service also wanted piece of action
(CJCS John Vessey said all forces needed due to short notice)
Invasion force, commanded by C2F, included:
Independence CV Battle Group & LHA Guam (Phibron 4) Amphibious Squadron 4 & 1500 USMC of 22 MAU
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Operation Urgent Fury: Actions & Results
Pre-assault landing by CCT & ST-6 squad failed
4 SEALs lost during night para drop into sea to SW (sudden squall)
25 Oct: H-hour objectives included:
Rangers & USMC take airfields in respective AOA Light resistance for USMC (Pearls Airfield) Heavy resistance in South AOA
(Rangers & JSOTF at Salines & St. Georges)
SEALs to capture or destroy Radio Free Grenada
Also secure safety of Sir Paul Scoon (held in house arrest at his residence)
Rangers tasked to secure Salines Ensure safety of US citizens (students)
By 28 Oct: Grenada firmly under US control, NTL:
Problems included: poor Intel, C3 interoperability, coordination US: 18 KIA & 116 WIA Cuban: 25 KIA & 59 WIA; Grenada: 45 KIA/350 WIA
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Panama offered opportunity to test the Goldwater-Nichols military reforms (as a result of L/L from Just Cause) Opposing Forces:
US: 27K from all four services Noriega & his PDF: 12,800 Guard, Police, & officials
(4000 combat ready)
Blue Spoon (Just Cause): OOB
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Concept of Operations
Concept of Ops ("deliberate execution" scenario)
US forces in Panama (13K) & deployed from CONUS to conduct simultaneous attack on 36 planned & emerging targets in Panama (Pre-invasion recon was conducted by SOF during weeks prior) UW Task Forces (TF) just prior to H-Hour: TF Green (Delta): rescue CIA agent held near Comandancia TF Black (SOUTHCOM SOF): protect opposition leaders TF Green & TF Blue (ST-6): rescue any hostages; locate & seize Noriega TF White (ST-2 & ST-4): conduct maritime ops against Panama City, Balboa Harbor, & Colon Harbor (swimmer limpet attacks) ST-4 (3 platoons) also tasked to attack Noriega's Jet at Paitilla Airfield TF Red (Rangers): airborne assault on Rio Haito & Torrijos
JSOTF to commence operation w/5
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Conventional Forces
3 of 4 Conventional TF would attack at H-Hour:
TF Bayonet (193d Infantry Brigade): seize comandancia & other PDF targets emerging in and around Panama City TF Atlantic (7th Infantry Division (L) & 82nd ABN): seize sites in Canal Zone from Panama City to Colon TF Semper Fi (USMC): secure land approaches to Bridge of Americas & Howard AFB
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Just Cause- Execution
After 6 weeks of plan refinement & rehearsals, ops commenced just before 0100 on 20 Dec 1989 For most part, conducted "as planned" (some time delays & friction) By H+7 the PDF ceased to exist as an organized forced Noriega fled to Papal Nuncio, but later surrendered to US (serving 40 years in FL)
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Iraqi Invasion- August 1990
At 0100, 2 Aug 1990 Iraq invaded Kuwait to surprise of all- especially Arabs
Saddam ignored US & UN sanctions & declared Kuwait Iraq's 13th Province on 8 Aug Commenced a build-up to 43 Divisions (545K) to defend his recent gains from attack
President Bush (I) immediately ordered USS Eisenhower CVBG to Red Sea & USS Independence CVBG into Persian Gulf
Upon request from Saudi Arabia's King Fahd, Bush ordered deployment of largest US force since Vietnam
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Iraq I: Air Campaign
17 Jan, 1991 at 0234 L TF Normandy of UN coalition launched massive air campaign of 1736 A/C against Iraq
USA Apaches led by 2 MH-53Js Pave Lows fired Hellfire missiles at Iraqi radar to clear path for USAF strike force Soon followed by F-117A Nighthawks & strikes on Baghdad Attack Iraqi C3 USN cruise missiles & Leadership targets
Air strike was synchronized & massive (Based on L/L since 1973)
Incorporated technology advances
Iraqi Air Defense included 300 fighters & extensive early warning system (KARI)
SA-2s, -3s, -8s, & Roland I/II SAMs
By D+2 coalition air forces had shut down Iraqi power grids & its entire air defense
Soon Coalition air component turned its attention to Iraqi ground forces
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Coalition forces had 540K: 7 USA Divisions, 2 USMC Div, Brit Armor Div, French light armor, & equivalent of more than 4 Arab/Islamic divisions Iraqis had 43 Divisions (545K) in Kuwait with 4280 tanks, 3100 arty, 2800 APCs
Of 110K coalition sorties flown, 23,430 would be flown against Iraq's ground forces
Ground Campaign
At 0400 24 Feb (G-Day): the ground war commenced
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Bulk of ground attack concentrated on Iraq's RF
But USMC Amphibious force diverted 4-6 Iraqi divisions' attention to Gulf Coast (Iraqi front) SEAL element conducted beach demo raid to simulate pre-landing preparations just prior to coalition ground attack to the East
The Left Hook
While USMC & Arab forces attacked directly toward Kuwait, XVIII Corps (250 miles to west) attacked N-NE twd Euphrates to cut off Highway 8
Also acted to screen VII Corps left flank & severed Iraqi LOC & escape route
Following planned 12 hour delay, VII Corps broke through Iraqi defense lines
Both VII & XVIII ABN Corps turned East to cut off Republican Guards & Iraqi front line remnants Movement resembled giant wheeling motion
25 Feb: 101st ABN established blocking position
Then 101st ABN & 24th Infantry attacked Hwy 8
By 25 Feb USMC 1st Exp. reached outskirts of city
President Bush called halt to war after 100 hours
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By early 1992 civil war led to famine & an entire breakdown society in Somalia
Conditions there had killed 500K people & led to 1 million children being malnourished TV broadcast these appalling conditions & US public opinion soon forced its Bush I Administration to act
Somalia
Heavily armed clans ruled as de facto gov officials
Demanded payment from humanitarian NGOs Restricted distribution of vital food & water
UN created UNOSOM 1 to provide aid & order
President Bush (I) ordered US military to assist Phase I: Operation Provide Relief began
28K metric tons of relief supplies sent to Somalia NTL- the fighting & food shortages continued
Phase II (9 Dec 92-4 May 93): UN sponsored limited military nation building (Op Restore Hope)
US took lead beginning w/amphibious landing of USMC Expeditionary force at Mogadishu US forces gradually grew to 30 K with 10th Mtn Div
March 1993: UN took over Phase III of Restore Hope
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Changing Objectives
US continued to provide logistics
Assigned 10th Mountain division to UN OPCON
UN policing efforts angered local warlord Chief - Mohammed Farah Adid His forces ambushed Pakistani UN troops
They were in route to seize Adid's radio station 24 KIA- bodies mutilated and displayed
UN then set objective of capturing Adid & debilitating his organization
US (DOS) agreed to take lead to capture Adid Task Force Ranger was established at Ft. Bragg Began planning & exercising various scenarios
Deploy to Mogadishu Airfield & set up FOB
3 Oct 93: after several successful missions capturing Adid's Lts, but always just missing Adid
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Concept of Operations
TF Ranger (TFR) launched to find & capture them
The Plan was for Delta to fast rope from UH-60s to the street & also debark from MH-1s onto the target roof to snatch Adid & his Lts in meeting rooms below Army Rangers would also fast rope from Blackhawks to their assigned "chalks" & blocking positions Then a TFR convoy of heavy trucks & Humvees would rendezvous at the target & extract the prisoners & remaining Task Force & return to the FOB
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Black Hawk Down
Things were going as planned when CWO Wolcott reported to the net in calm voice that his Helo was hit and he was going down
He had been hit by a RPG & forced to crash land
The mission now radically changed to search & rescue (and later recovery)
Locate & secure crash site now became 1st priority
Adid's militia rushed to sound of the guns
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Super Six Four
Super Six Four commanded by Mike Durant now filled in for Wolcott's downed Black Hawk
Soon after Durant's Helo was also hit by an RPG and went down as well Now two Black Hawks were down in two separate locations
Two Delta snipers volunteered to go in and secure the 2nd crash site
They would ask 3 times before getting permission from the JOC It was a desperate move but the only chance to protect the downed crew
Their names are now on growing list in a memorial displayed in Delta's secret Gary compound
Gordon and Randall Shughart
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For Conspicuous Gallantry...
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TF Ranger finally recovered the bodies of Wolcott & his crew
Aftermath
In a horrendous continuing running battle with Adid's men through the night & the next day,* they finally reached the relative safety of the FOB They continued to search for Durant & the bodies of his missing crew and those of the two Delta snipers
General Garrison, the commander of TF Ranger, requested reenforcements to finish the job
That request was set in motion until it reversed by the political leadership who had had enough of US involvement in UN "peace making" US involvement ended on 4 Mar 1994 & all US troops were withdrawn
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Bosnia- 1945-1995
1945-1991: Yugoslavia comprised 6 independent republics: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, & Macedonia With end of Cold War (1990) nationalism & ethnic distrust erupted Formerly suppressed by Tito until his death in 1980 Since then 3 bloody civil wars were fought Gain independence & expand borders at neighbor's expense Fighting caused death & ethnic cleanings, rape, torture, & mass murder (genocide) 28Aug95: Serbs mortared Sarajevo (UN safe zone- 1 of 6) Killed 38 & wounded 85=> broadcast via global TV images Attack came in defiance of US warning to Serbs to stop attacks UN & US credibility on the line=> both had had enough
Motives for Civil Wars:
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US & NATO Response: Deliberate Force
30 Aug 1995 NATO unleashed Operation Deliberate Force
60 NATO aircraft flying from Italy and US CVs in Adriatic attack Serb army positions around Sarajevo Continued attacks until Serbs agreed to meet at Dayton to negotiate peace terms
US flew two thirds of 3515 total sorties during Deliberate Force
60% of targets struck with precision guided munitions Forced Serbs to peace talks in Dayton Dayton Accords completed Nov 1995
Dec 1995: US & Allies embarked on Op Joint Endeavor (peacekeeping)
Task Force Eagle comprised 20K US Marked first NATO operational commitment in its history (+USSR)
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Kosovo- 1987-1999
In 1987 Serbian President Milosevic conducted ethnic cleansing, against Albanian ethnic groups
1988: violence escalated between Serbs & Albanian majority in Kosovo
300K people were displaced as a result
Subsequently under international pressure Milosevic agreed to a cease fire
15 Jan 1999:
Milosevic ordered massacre of 45 ethnic Albanians Serbs at Racak carried out these orders
As disclosure of these massacres became known to world, US appealed to Milosevic to stop them
When he continued to ignore US appeals for cessation of violence against Kosovars, NATO responded forcefully
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Operation Allied Force (24 Mar-10 Jun 1999)
24 Mach 1999: NATO launched air strikes against Serbia
US & NATO flew 38K sorties
Lost only 2 aircraft (recovered crew)
US employed new generation of standoff, precision-guided munitions based on JDAM & Joint Stand Off Weapons
B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber made its combat debut by dropping GPS assisted JDAM on first night of Operation 38% of munitions dropped on Serbia were precision guided against Army, C3, industry & transportation targets in & around Serbia
After 78 days of strikes, Serbs ceased attacks on ethnic Albanians & w/d army
Milosevic (now weakened) agreed to new elections Sept 2000 he lost & was soon ousted from power Arrested for war crimes (now on trial at the Haig)
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Emerging Threats of the 21st Century
Last quarter of the 20th century saw a new threat emerge
International terrorism (for many and varied motives) was especially troubling US in particular became the international target of choice for terrorists
After many attacks & various levels of destruction, the one on 9/11/2001 finally prompted a forceful US response
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War in Afghanistan (American Style)
Al Qaeda led by Bin Laden was identified as the force behind the 9/11 attack
The Taliban of Afghanistan its host When the Taliban refused to turn over Bin Laden and eject al Qaeda, the US struck
7 Oct 2001: US & its Allies attacked
US SOF would play a key role in the mountains of Afghanistan (and still does)
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Iraq II
Whatever the political, military, or Intelligence rationale for Iraq War (II)
Removing Saddam Hussein from power was a prime objective
US & Allied (UK) forces conducted a militarily successful campaign that ended in the occupation of Baghdad & fall of Hussein's government on 9 April 2003, 21 days after the war's start
SOF played an important role, especially in the North & West Including the capture of Saddam & the location & death of his sons
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The Hard Part
The question still TBD:
Will the "Peace" also be won Growing insurgency & escalating violence (IEDs, suicide bombings, & rising sectarian conflict) is having a debilitating impact on continued public support for the war
Ultimately the political will of the American people, not the politicians, will determine whether or not we "stay the course"
It might even be argued that the insurgency was Saddam's strategy for dealing with a superior & technically advanced US force all along "Mission Accomplished" is still to be assessed by history
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Cold War- Assessment
Post WW2 period => known as "the Cold War"
Witnessed the major military states project military power globally Forces able to cover great distances in short amount of time By sea or air transport Initial & lighter forces deployed mostly by air Remaining follow on forces & heavy equipment by sea Throughout their forces were sustained with effective logistic support
Examples:
Dominican Republic, Falklands, & Grenada Objective: overwhelm less capable enemy force quickly Before given chance to recover from surprise & initial shock35
Complications
Complications emerge NTL: (in many cases)=>
Due to friction- where the unexpected often arises
During Deployment:
Required to deploy forces long distances on very short notice (i.e. come as you are fight) => ready or not Problems usually unfold as result (Urgent Fury)
Inter-service C3 & interoperability problems: planning & coordination
During Employment - immediately upon arrival =>
Air/sea/ground forces had to jump right into combat Immediate Tactical objective: defeat enemy swiftly (Just Cause)
Challenges:
Accurate intelligence & effective logistic support Rapid & effective coordination of combined arms Concentrate overwhelming force quickly on all tactical objectives before enemy can react and defend 36
Post Cold War Interventions
As Cold War ended => USSR was no longer superpower:
No firm bi-polar alliances to keep each side's allies in check Former Soviet clients & ethnic minorities no longer repressed Result: regional & ethnic conflicts escalate & spread
National/NATO/UN forces attempt to control global situation of growing unrest:
Regional conflict rise to surface (why? - no longer repressed) (Nationalistic, religious, ethnic, regional tensions all rise) New & violent sometimes unexpected- conflict ensues Examples: Iraq (PG War), India-Pakistan, Balkans, NK
Implication: (IAW Text) => predicts:
Future violent conflicts more likely: Brief, highly intensive conflicts with high casualties (vice long protra...