From the commentariat at Rantburg:
Over two years ago, about a year after the successful invasion of Iraq, some 8,000 men who had prior backround in languages and "experience" in the Middle East were culled from files available to the US govt. A large number were older men who had retired from military work in the region, some few were notorious individuals who had spook or worse capabilities. Some were not nice people. Some were people you didnt want to hire for any reason unless you wanted to break several laws. CIA did not get these people, DoD got these people. CIA was not told. Gates knows, but Gates doesnt want any paper to cover any of it. Certainly nothing with his name on it. Rumsfeld gives parties at his home and puts ice in your drink. He is a "private individual" now and he smiles and puts ice in your drink. As it should be in spook work. Let Gambone handle it and then fugedaboutit.
These men were invited to come to Washington at govt. expense where they were interviewed. Then about half of these were sent to Eglin, again at govt expense to be interviewed again and given "orientation". They would be hired after that IF they agreed to the conditions.
If they signed then they would be run through a training course at Bragg. There would be no allowances for age at Bragg. The only concession is that the older men would be checked by a doctor every day while they went through the same training as the younger men. The attrition rate here was another 60%. Out of 8,000, cut to 4,000 at Eglin the numbers now were down below a thousand.
Bragg was harsh in critical appraisal by the instructors, as well, all the men were appraised for leadership skills and character. The appraisals were sometimes frank, loud and very personal. There were two review levels at phases through the training. About a third of the men were rejected due to deficiencys in "interpersonal skills". Sometimes the instructors referred to some of the men being put through this special program as the "Dirty Dozen". Upon graduation from Bragg some were sent to Explosives, some were sent to armory school, and some were sent to Fort Lewis ( not Huachuca) for Intell course work. Most of them didnt need the "refreshers" but it made it all official.
Khash is a village, the cleric was machinegunned while he was climbing into the pulpit...its THAT sort of work. ZAHEDAN. There has been quite a bit of "wet work" in and around Zahedan. Have you people been paying attention? The Governor of the Province there was shot in his car as were all of his security detail. A busload of Padaran were blown up by "men on motorcycles" 0ver 300 Pasdaran have been killed around Zahedan over the past year, one at a time here and there steadily. A US Navy gunboat detail is providing security for the smuggling of guns from the Musandam to Jask. These guns are going "somewhere" in Iran. The heroin trade could provide all the cash one would need for special Ops, and you can pay for that with guns. But dont tell my mother.
The 13 man teams which were sent into Pakistan with various covers about two years ago, Earthquake Relief and Business enterprises had some friction with the local security and with the other covert activists who smelled a rat. Some of the men with notorious backrounds were spotted and recognized. One was spotted and he seemed to be running a "trucking Company". His trucks went all over pakistan and Iran. How convenient. He had been trucking supplies into the Earthquake regions who needed help in rebuilding. But he also seemed to be sending several trucks down into the Baluch, Afghan, Iran triangle...to Zahedan. The Poppy crop in Kandahar can be sent to the refineries in pakiland and then distributed for all the happy souls with needles in their arms in Teheran. And the 300,000 Iranian prostitutes exported every year have to be shipped out to somewhere..Karachi seems to be convenient.
Then Bush passed through Karachi ( remember that ) and the teams with various covers vanished that very day. Somebody push a button. What IS that smell?
They are all in Iran now. Nobody will believe this BS, right? Good, I wouldnt want to deceive anyone.
If you see Zahedan in the news every now and then, remember to eat your popcorn.
Please, please, let it be so.
