The U.S. Central Command Statement On Death Of USS Cole Bombing Operative

The U.S. Navy News Service reports that Jamal al-Badawi, a terrorist involved in the attack on the USS Cole in 2000, was killed in Yemen.

(NNS) -- U.S. Central Command spokesman Capt. Bill Urban released the following statement Jan. 6 on the death of Jamal al-Badawi:

“U.S. Central Command has confirmed that Jamal al-Badawi was killed in a precision strike in Marib governate [Yemen] on Jan. 1.

“Jamal al-Badawi was a legacy al Qaeda operative in Yemen involved in the USS Cole bombing. U.S. forces confirmed the results of the strike following a deliberate assessment process.

“Jamal al-Badawi was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2003, charged with 50 counts of various terrorism offenses, including murder of U.S. nationals and murder of U.S. military personnel; was wanted by the U.S. for his role in the Oct. 12, 2000, terrorist attack against USS Cole; and was also charged with attempting with co-conspirators to attack a U.S. Navy vessel in January 2000.”

USS Cole (DDG 67) was attacked during a brief refueling stop in the harbor of Aden, Yemen. The suicide terrorist attack killed 17 members of the ship's crew, wounded 39 others and seriously damaged the ship. 

After 14 months of upgrades and repairs, the Arleigh Burke-class – "Determined Warrior” – returned to the fleet, departing Pascagoula, Mississippi, April 19, 2002. 

You can also read my Counterterrorism magazine interview with the commanding officer of the USS Cole during the attack via the below link:

www.pauldavisoncrime.com/2012/08/a-q-with-commander-kirk-s-lippold.html 

U.S., Partner Nations Conduct 13 Strikes Against ISIL in Syria

The U.S. Central Command released the below information:

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 24, 2014 - U.S. military forces and partner nations, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, attacked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria today, using a mix of fighter and remotely piloted aircraft to conduct 13 airstrikes against 12 ISIL-controlled modular oil refineries in remote areas of eastern Syria near Mayadin, Hasakah, and Abu Kamal and an ISIL vehicle near Dayr az Zawr, also in eastern Syria, U.S. Central Command officials reported.

Centcom officials said they are still assessing the outcome of the attack on the refineries, but have initial indications that the strikes were successful. The ISIL vehicle was destroyed, they added. The small-scale refineries provided fuel to run ISIL operations, money to finance their continued attacks throughout Iraq and Syria, and an economic asset to support their future operations, Centcom officials said. Producing 300 to 500 barrels of refined petroleum per day, ISIL is estimated to generate as much as $2 million per day from these refineries.

The destruction and degradation of these targets further limits ISIL's ability to lead, control, project power and conduct operations, officials said.

To conduct these strikes, the U.S. employed Air Force fighter aircraft deployed to the Centcom area of operations. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also participated in the airstrikes, officials said, and all aircraft safely exited the strike areas.

Special Ops Provide Great Return On Investment, Commander Says

By Karen Parrish,
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2012 - U.S. special operations forces remain focused on Afghanistan, but they also are active across the globe, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said today.

Navy Adm. William H. McRaven testified with Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, U.S. Central Command commander, before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

About 80 percent of McRaven's troops support Centcom's mission in Afghanistan, and much of the remaining force is spread across nearly 80 other countries, he said.

The Centcom focus "doesn't diminish the effort we are putting into the cultural training or the language training with respect to those other folks that are deployed globally," the admiral said.

Preparing special operations forces for post-Afghanistan operations "will be a function of ... reemphasizing some languages and some cultures as we move from a Centcom-centric environment to a more globally balanced environment over time," he said.

The roughly 66,000 service members who make up Socom support U.S. policy objectives in the Pacific, Africa, Latin America, Europe and other regions, he noted.

Special operations forces have "unique skills, cultural knowledge and the ability to work with partners [that create] effects far above our relatively small numbers," the admiral said.

McRaven said he is committed to strengthening "embedded" special operations forces support to geographical combatant commanders by reinforcing theater special operations commands.

The traditional "hearts and minds" mission of training other nations' special operations forces also continues, he said.

Since service-specific special operations forces were established in the the 1960s, followed by Socom's stand-up in 1987, McRaven said "our relationship with our allied partner force around the world has strengthened each nation's [special operations forces] and each nation's ability to deal with their own security problems. We must continue to build these relationships wherever possible."

McRaven noted that his predecessor at Socom, retired Navy Adm. Eric T. Olson, drew attention last year to the "fraying around the edges" special operations troops experienced during a decade of extremely high demand for their talents.

Olson set up a task force to study the issue, McRaven said, and he has followed through with his own efforts.

"I have put a general officer and my command sergeant major in charge of the preservation of the force and families," he said. "They are empowered to implement innovative solutions across the Socom enterprise to improve the well-being of our warriors and their families."

Recruiting is up from previous years among special operations forces, McRaven noted. He cautioned that retaining those forces requires a considered approach to any change in future benefits.

"I think if you polled a lot of those young men and women coming in, they probably wouldn't cite the health care and retirement benefits as the reason that they are joining," he acknowledged. "However, it could very well be the reason they stay after a certain point in time."

Any changes in future retirement and health care benefits should be "prudent and careful ... so that we keep those experienced noncommissioned officers and officers in and take care of them for the service that they have rendered," McRaven added.

Socom is a force already in line with Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta's strategy calling for a smaller, leaner and more agile military, the admiral said.

Special operations forces remain relevant, in high demand and offer "an unparalleled return on the nation's investment," he said.