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Former Navy SEAL Leif Babin discusses realistic and attainable goals from America’s conflicts in the Middle East.
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We talk about those sort of former neighbors select satellite -- your great interview with about an amendment.
Sort of did -- -- -- did in Iraq and yes sir.
Extraordinary circumstances and that terrible -- resentment is huge battle you were -- It was a revolver oral ramadi ar ramadi Iraq which is the -- Anwar province no question Iraq.
In 2006.
Also as a big deal weren't you sir and so all what -- America what's going on.
With the sergeant in Afghanistan.
-- sports flick about a this this is it a terrible situation obviously I mean both for.
You know dead innocent civilians.
And certainly for the for this this Sargent Stanley.
He's looking -- going to.
-- -- prison from the rest of his life you're you're likely and I I just speculate about the you know the details of exactly what happened there I sort of don't have any inside information that -- does.
It does talk to open a bigger problem.
You know -- -- -- him up PT SD more than that's a factor one of them post.
Posttraumatic stress disorder -- and more than that that's a factor for this you know and in this situation and this guy may be a complete cycle path I don't know I'm.
I'm not to make excuses form but I think.
What people need to realize that a lot of most of our troops.
Majority of our troops and in a tough situation where.
A lot of times there it's a defensive war for them now and and -- -- large city.
They're largely on the defensive meaning they're being attacked by the enemy roadside bombs -- placed in and target their vehicles.
They're being shot dead -- or their bases are being mortar and rocketed and and there's not a lot they get to do to actually go and attack the enemy.
And that's an extremely frustrating thing.
-- for a many US servicemen and women when.
Their toll on the defensive and especially good to see either they're -- wounded and killed -- And that's tremendously frustrating and is those servicemen announced ascent.
I got to know where you -- -- calls or at least decadence.
We'll leave -- well I think it's a lost cause only if you're looking at it to by the way some of our most senior leaders and politicians describe it of we have to create.
A strong central government and an 88.
Well trained technologically advanced military that will be our ally.
However trying to create little American Afghanistan it's a lost dogs if we're simply trying to.
Smash the enemy.
And and lower the level of violence to a relative sustainable peace.
Where we can we can come home turn -- over and -- whatever they do -- -- is is their business.
It's not a -- because I think we can win.
And we should win and I think -- -- when that absolutely themselves so really for people like remain.
This to understand what what what -- or what's realistic to win -- I'm an exact out and we we have to sit realistic goals that that can be.
They can be achieved.
I think the problem in the frustration for many of -- combat troops and I certainly feel this way about Afghanistan is that.
We see new plane to lose right now now and and we're just waiting around on a political.
Timetable to pull that looks a lot like Vietnam station -- really we're we're we're.
I was -- withdrawal that we're either -- -- try to negotiate with a very on trust trust where the enemy of gonna turn security duties over.
Two 20 a largely incompetent.
Hosted security force.
And about what my original question -- -- couldn't get out of this morning.
All was that the troops notice on -- -- -- -- -- Definitely -- solvent solid with a little -- reports of what wall why there are made and why the better but.
I mean even the -- you're talking about bank and a relatively safe from.
And -- the Taliban a dose of Rattan although abdominal point.
And -- presents us -- element is not an apparent that deathly does not help and and and that's infuriating to to US forces that are there in harm's way.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- slow.
To -- you think version -- pull out tomorrow but some policy unrealistic as well.
I think tears.
And I think there's -- to be said there because if you know what I feel is going on right now is a lot like.
-- if you were football game you know it's it's the scores fairly tied.
It's at half time are we going locker room.
-- on the Coach comes and it's it's hey guys.
We can't really win this thing let's just take -- need for the next two quarters.
Trying to get hurt and and then you know we'll stay here too we have to them come.
I -- that that's kind of what what we're looking -- Afghanistan right now and that's.
You know that that's that's absolutely infuriating because.
We can win this thing we should win.
And US forces I believe largely feel.
Let let us win.
And if -- not gonna let us when they bring everybody home to market there's been there's been a tremendous.
Sacrifice.
That that's going on a continuing there.
You know in the last ten years and going on every day talking only about on foreigners Sailor -- -- jurors entered in they'll -- IRS to wider one of -- as soon Truman's term.
You did it was a little little movie called Navy SEALs Charlie Sheen on -- movies of all time problems at the cellular and I order you want to Naval Academy run this year.
The blows up California went to the Naval Academy.
That idea -- I decided back in about junior high school that I really learned good though go into the seal teams -- -- -- and -- and minority do that user.
Shall management of thirteen and -- multiples aren't -- was some like them.
Weren't southern shoulder where you're from objections -- from a little telco would -- Texas right in between Beaumont -- about 2500 people and it's it's down the Mecca the giant metropolis area piles up to a far left -- -- it's about a five hour work from hospital to -- -- it's about -- and after northeast us.
-- early completion and girls -- you don't live in Lebanon a -- -- New York from this solves some there was a ninth anniversary of the the -- in the Iraq War.
-- Wilson that or reject him.
What's its only issues -- -- the judge that I think.
If you know looking back on active there's.
The biggest -- -- -- that we we.
That we we we made in Iraq was that we wouldn't know what -- -- we can win and the insurgency was claiming vitriol the United States are gonna drive us out US forces completely turn that around I think that's that's largely due to the fact that.
Commanders.
Empowered their their leaders stand it the battalion and brigade level.
We're leaders went out push forces ended in the held areas they gave -- resources necessary.
What was enough forces to the search and we we lower the level of violence.
By hundreds of percentage points.
To two point worth now the Iraqis who have themselves and I think that's really the victory that we achieved there and and really what happened so Iraq on the road.
I think we have to.
-- we'll we'll see what happens but you know if if if it if it's security situation deteriorates and it breaks up -- -- three different countries I don't know that it matters that much to America.
I think we achieve victory by defeating users use an -- of dollar listeners -- I did answer.
You know what.
I thought active dollar was great movie.
-- its its it's of Hollywood for so long has depicted us seals and US servicemen and women -- -- here.
As either kind of mindless robots.
Or as these kind -- tortured.
Good person who's who's good hearted but is evil.
That government has made him do things that -- gonna be messed up fortresses line.
It's always great to see.
A movie -- -- pics of the brotherhood of the seal teams and and it's it's it's great to see a movie it depicts.
You know offer for all military servicemen and women they're proud of their service they're almost there on the side of -- of the good guys fighting them a bad evil enemy.
And and they level to -- I'm to guys into the movie and measurement and technical guys are great guys.
And solve some allows after the good relevant to -- one more rhythm and number one you know on the box office short on its opening return him.
Lifestyle -- government again not severely dominant and are some important promised until now.
