UBL EKIA

A few random thoughts and implications of yesterday’s magnificently planned and executed raid provided for your consideration:

-Expect further disaggregation of the al Qaeda network. While UBL’s buddies have been ducking and covering from Pred strikes in the FATA, the non-core al Qaeda franchises on the Arabian Peninsula, North and East Africa have expanded their aspirations, activities, and finances. In remarks last week Daniel Benjamin, the State Department’s Coordinator for Counterterrorism noted, “while the AQ core has weakened operationally, the affiliates have become stronger.” CT pressure must be rapidly and continually applied on these affiliates or, as sweet as it is, UBL’s death will amount to little more than retribution. The momentum and opportunity provided by this success shouldn't be squandered. This means more war-fare, less law-fare. More kinetic strikes and SOF raids, less pumping foreign aid into the personal accounts of corrupt dictators hoping they will play CT with us while they sustain the very factors that create terrorism in their countries. Yes Mr. Secretary, we can kill our way to victory in the war against al Qaeda, at least IMO.

-The Navy is well positioned to support this pressure. With few exceptions, most of the guys who need to join UBL in hell are readily accessible from the seas surrounding Africa and Southwest Asia. And there is no more flexible and adaptive force package than the Joint SOCOM-Navy team.

-Will there be another attack INCONUS? Yes, probably. But there would have been regardless whether UBL is crab food at the bottom of the Indian Ocean or he was still chillaxing in his sweet crib in the burbs. Regardless, I don’t think the enemy has the capability or stomach to pull off another attack the scope of 911.

-SOF operators are a national treasure, and frankly a bargain. For an annual budget significantly less than a new CVN costs, a group of about 50,000 dedicated SOF warriors quietly keep this country safe each and every day in more places than you could imagine. Anybody who talks about cutting SOCOM’s budget needs their own head shot.

Finally, it’s nice to see the evil doer who killed my friends in the Pentagon find justice.

The opinions and views expressed in this post are those of the author alone and are presented in his personal capacity. They do not necessarily represent the views of U.S. Department of Defense, the US Navy, or any other agency.