Why The Yemeni Hostage Rescue Failed

Luke Somers Raid In Yemen: How It Went Wrong

 

 

 

 

 

 

” Under the cover of night, U.S. commandos approached the walled compound on foot, hoping to catch unawares the militants holding two hostages, including American Luke Somers.

  Then, less than 100 yards from their target, something went terribly wrong. A noise, maybe a dog bark, alerted the militants to the raiders, according to U.S. officials briefed on the operation. The rescue team’s biggest advantage—the element of surprise—was lost in that moment, and the shooting started.

  When the dust settled 30 minutes later, the roughly 40-man Special Operations team emerged from the compound carrying Mr. Somers and a South African hostage, both badly wounded. The medics couldn’t save them, and the two were pronounced dead after their evacuation.

  The operation took place after midnight Saturday local time in a remote area of southern Yemen. White House officials knew the operation would be risky. They also didn’t see any better options.”

 

WSJ has more details

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Obama Chose To Capture Al-Qaeda Big Instead Of Benghazi Suspect

US Commandos Were Poised For Raid To Capture Benghazi Suspect

 

 

 

 

” When U.S. commandos grabbed a former al Qaeda operative in Tripoli this month, American forces were just hours away from potentially launching a more dangerous covert raid to capture a militia figure facing charges in the deadly Benghazi terror attack, U.S. officials tell CNN.

U.S. special operations forces were ready, if ordered, to enter Benghazi and capture Ahmed Abu Khattalah, a leading figure in the Ansar Al-Sharia militia. But the mission never materialized.

But the mission never materialized, partly because there was so much publicity inside Libya and in the western press about the al-Libi capture.

But the inability to get Khattalah is leading to sensitive questions inside the administration about the tradeoff between getting al-Libi and going after the perpetrators of the politically charged Benghazi attack.”

 

    We all know the administration has absolutely no interest in bringing the Benghazi terrorists to justice . Testimony from the terrorists responsible would be nothing but an embarrassment to an administration with so much to hide .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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