USS Cole

whitehall

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Today (Sat) Fox's Jon Scott interviewed the former commander of the USS Cole (Commander Lippold) for his opinion about policy regarding Iraq after a base was recently shelled and 3 U.S. Military members were wounded. First of all, how a retired destroyer skipper is qualified to an opinion about a complicated issue regarding military occupation is anybody's guess. When you factor in the part where he lost crew members when he was apparently unprepared for an attack by a freaking speed boat loaded with teenage terrorists, Cmndr Lippold would be the last person you would ask about policy or strategy.
 
Today (Sat) Fox's Jon Scott interviewed the former commander of the USS Cole (Commander Lippold) for his opinion about policy regarding Iraq after a base was recently shelled and 3 U.S. Military members were wounded. First of all, how a retired destroyer skipper is qualified to an opinion about a complicated issue regarding military occupation is anybody's guess. When you factor in the part where he lost crew members when he was apparently unprepared for an attack by a freaking speed boat loaded with teenage terrorists, Cmndr Lippold would be the last person you would ask about policy or strategy.

1st The base was not shelled. It was a rocket attack.

2nd The military members were two US and one Brit.

3rd How was he unprepared by following his Rules of Engagement?
 
Today (Sat) Fox's Jon Scott interviewed the former commander of the USS Cole (Commander Lippold) for his opinion about policy regarding Iraq after a base was recently shelled and 3 U.S. Military members were wounded. First of all, how a retired destroyer skipper is qualified to an opinion about a complicated issue regarding military occupation is anybody's guess. When you factor in the part where he lost crew members when he was apparently unprepared for an attack by a freaking speed boat loaded with teenage terrorists, Cmndr Lippold would be the last person you would ask about policy or strategy.
Hmmm, a career Naval officer shouldn't be entitled to an opinion regarding a military question? What qualifies you to hold an opinion on the matter then?
 
Today (Sat) Fox's Jon Scott interviewed the former commander of the USS Cole (Commander Lippold) for his opinion about policy regarding Iraq after a base was recently shelled and 3 U.S. Military members were wounded. First of all, how a retired destroyer skipper is qualified to an opinion about a complicated issue regarding military occupation is anybody's guess. When you factor in the part where he lost crew members when he was apparently unprepared for an attack by a freaking speed boat loaded with teenage terrorists, Cmndr Lippold would be the last person you would ask about policy or strategy.
Hmmm, a career Naval officer shouldn't be entitled to an opinion regarding a military question? What qualifies you to hold an opinion on the matter then?
The thing of it is that my informed opinion about the Mid East situation and Iraq is just as valid as a retired Destroyer skipper but Fox doesn't have me on speed dial. If Cmdr Lippold was so astute regarding policy and strategy maybe he should have made a few suggestions to his superiors so he could have had a .50 cal machine gun on deck before his ship was rammed by a freaking speedboat full of teenage terrorists
 
...I was in the USMC in the 80s..got out in mid 1990.....I was on 4 ships [ 2 LSTs, an LPH and an LHA ] ....USS Inchon we were off Beirut when they kidnapped Americans....I don't know if we had any MGs placed for defensive action...but I don't think we came near the coast
....but in 1990, when Bush went to Colombia, we placed .50 cal MGs on the outer passageway decks of the USS Nassau.....it must've been to defend against attacks like the Cole incident [ of course, this was before Cole ] ....I remember clearly because a CH53 came into land and blew our pot of coffee away....I was in the mortar platoon, but, we rotated guard duty at that position....... .50s were in our Company - Weapons Company...the MG position there was, of course, a guard duty position
 
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...I was in the USMC in the 80s..got out in mid 1990.....I was on 4 ships [ 2 LSTs, an LPH and an LHA ] ....USS Inchon we were off Beirut when they kidnapped Americans....I don't know if we had any MGs placed for defensive action...but I don't think we came near the coast
....but in 1990, when Bush went to Colombia, we placed .50 cal MGs on the outer passageway decks of the USS Nassau.....it must've been to defend against attacks like the Cole incident [ of course, this was before Cole ] ....I remember clearly because a CH53 came into land and blew our pot of coffee away....I was in the mortar platoon, but, we rotated guard duty at that position....... .50s were in our Company - Weapons Company...the MG position there was, of course, a guard duty position
Obviously the problem for the USS Cole was that they had a timid skipper who was afraid to buck the system and arm his crew and authorize them to use deadly force against impending terrorist attacks.
 

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