Negotiators shocked by special forces rescue raid on Taleban

[jimmy olsen]

Hard to see how they can be that surprised, they're in a warzone where these things happen all the time. Also, the authorities can't assume that the negotiators will succeed. If they see an opportunity to attempt a rescue, they should go for it.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/Afghanistan/article6828338.ece

September 10, 2009
Negotiators shocked by special forces rescue raid on Taleban

Hostage negotiators expressed shock and anger at Gordon Brown's decision to approve a commando raid to free a kidnapped British journalist, saying that they were within days of securing his release through peaceful means.

Stephen Farrell — who was in Afghanistan for The New York Times — was not harmed in the raid but his Afghan translator, Sultan Munadi, and a British soldier from the Special Forces Support Group were killed. The men were being held at a house in Kharudi in northern Afghanistan. Just after midnight on Tuesday US helicopters dropped British special forces and Afghan troops in the village. Taleban militants fled the house and a fierce battle ensued. At least one civilian and scores of militants were killed.

Defence sources said that intensive efforts had been made over the weekend to pinpoint the hostages and assess the strength of the Taleban presence. They said there were no guarantees that a negotiated deal would have led to Mr Farrell's release and that there were fears he could be moved. However, several sources in Kabul said that the captors were, at worst, seeking a ransom. A Western source involved in the talks said: "There was no immediate urgency that they were going to be beheaded or handed over to another group. You cannot move them easily. It's a very isolated area."

Another Western official said: "It was totally heavy-handed. If they'd showed a bit of patience and respect they could have got both of them out without firing a bullet. Instead, they ended up having one of their own killed, the Afghan killed and civilians killed. There's a lot of p****d-off people at the moment."

The negotiations had begun within 24 hours of the kidnapping last week.The Interior Minister had persuaded 300 local elders to intercede with the kidnappers, saying that the hostages were just journalists doing their job. Mr Mudani's uncle had established communications with the provincial Taleban commander. An Afghan who spoke with the local commander said: "I think we could have got them out peacefully, maybe in a few days."

Tuesday night's raid was approved by David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, and Bob Ainsworth, the Defence Secretary, after consulting Gordon Brown, The Times can confirm.

Mr Brown said: "Hostage-taking is never justified, and the UK does not make substantive concessions, including paying ransoms."

An opinion poll by ICM Research shows that most Britons are against the British mission in Afghanistan.

[Neil]

Talk-people often assume that their jobs are important.  Hans Blix was a good example of this.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Morons. 

[Sheilbh]

Gordon Brown's doomed.  You know you have no chance of ever regaining popularity when the story of a daring raid by special forces that rescues a British citizen somehow becomes a negative story

[Neil]

Gordon Brown's doomed.  You know you have no chance of ever regaining popularity when the story of a daring raid by special forces that rescues a British citizen somehow becomes a negative story

The relatives of the Taliban guys who were killed will probably mount a protest in assorted parts of London, which will be joined by the protest kid movement.

[Viking]

It's not the first time this journalist got himself kidnapped. To get kidnapped once might be considered unfortunate, to be kidnapped twice might be considered reckless. This guy may have gotten 4 people killed by having a british passport, being a journalist and trying to get a scoop by hanging out where the only reason the locals don't want to kill him is the ransom they might get.

[Razgovory]

It's not the first time this journalist got himself kidnapped. To get kidnapped once might be considered unfortunate, to be kidnapped twice might be considered reckless. This guy may have gotten 4 people killed by having a british passport, being a journalist and trying to get a scoop by hanging out where the only reason the locals don't want to kill him is the ransom they might get.

The British are irritating.  Is there anyplace where that's not the case?

[DisturbedPervert]

It's not the first time this journalist got himself kidnapped. To get kidnapped once might be considered unfortunate, to be kidnapped twice might be considered reckless. This guy may have gotten 4 people killed by having a british passport, being a journalist and trying to get a scoop by hanging out where the only reason the locals don't want to kill him is the ransom they might get.

He's just trying to report on the REAL Afghanistan dood.

[citizen k]

The operation to rescue the journalist was mentioned on CNN. No mention of the ongoing negotiations. Just that one coalition soldier was killed in the process.

[Josquius]

Gordon Brown's doomed.  You know you have no chance of ever regaining popularity when the story of a daring raid by special forces that rescues a British citizen somehow becomes a negative story

Indeed.
The Sun should be spunking all over the place 'OMFG SAS FTW!!1111' but....no.

[Viking]

Gordon Brown's doomed.  You know you have no chance of ever regaining popularity when the story of a daring raid by special forces that rescues a British citizen somehow becomes a negative story

Indeed.
The Sun should be spunking all over the place 'OMFG SAS FTW!!1111' but....no.

One of the Commandos got killed, so they probably would say something like "this scumbag journo ain't worth the lickspittle off the boots of one of our SAS lads" if they hired a typsetter with that men letters....

but England just qualified for the world cup. Much more important than men dying.

Edit: The sun does have some stuff about it

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/2628720/Brit-soldier-dies-in-daring-raid.html

Brit soldier dies in daring raid

PM Gordon Brown last night praised a high-risk Special Forces operation to free a Brit hostage in Afghanistan - describing the heroism as "breathtaking".

An elite helicopter unit led by Special Boat Service commandos backed up by a larger group of Paras went in after journalist Stephen Farrell and his interpreter were grabbed by the Taliban.


Tragically a British Para died in the fierce firefight along with the translator.

But 48 Taliban were also killed - and Mr Farrell was brought out alive and well.

The 46-year-old was grabbed on Saturday after going to the town of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan to investigate a Nato air strike on fuel trucks captured by the Taliban.

The German-led attack had left 125 people dead.

But reporter Mr Farrell was criticised last night after it was revealed locals had warned him to leave because Taliban were in the area and would almost certainly grab him.

It was also the second time he had been kidnapped. Mr Farrell was abducted at gunpoint near Fallujah in Iraq in 2004.

The command for Brit Special Forces to go in and get him out was given by Mr Brown after a top-level briefing from military commanders.

Intelligence reports revealed there was "a specific threat to life", The Sun has been told.

The Taliban is believed to have been planning to hand over the New York Times reporter to al-Qaeda terror chiefs in Pakistan. He may then have been beheaded on film.

Revealing the dramatic scenes as he was freed from a civilian compound early yesterday, Mr Farrell told how he first knew the rescue was on when he heard the sound of helicopters approaching.

He said: "We were all in a room, the Talibs all ran, it was obviously a raid. We thought they would kill us. We thought, should we go out?"

He and interpreter Sultan Munadi waited and then made their way into a courtyard and along a wall where they could hear both British and Afghan voices shouting.

In the darkness, Mr Munadi put up his hands and walked into the open, calling "journalist, journalist" but he was hit seconds later. Mr Farrell went on: "There were bullets all around us. He was three seconds away from safety. I thought we were safe. He just walked into a hail of bullets.

"He was so close, he was just two feet in front of me when he dropped."

The journalist then dived into a ditch, listened for which direction the British voices were coming from, and then shouted: "British hostage, British hostage." He was then grabbed by the British troops, bundled into a helicopter and flown to safety.

The PM was woken early yesterday to be told of the operation's outcome - and the tragic news that a Brit had died.

The hero was a corporal from 1st Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, serving with the Special Forces Support Group. Heaping praise on the assault teams, Mr Brown said: "Hostage taking is never justified, and the UK does not make substantive concessions, including paying ransoms.

"But whenever British nationals are kidnapped we and our allies will do everything in our power to free them.

"As we all know, and as last night once again demonstrated, our Armed Forces have the skill and courage to act.

"They are truly the finest among us, and all of us in Britain pay tribute to them, and to the families and communities who sustain them in their awesome responsibilities."

He then added: "It is with very deep sadness that I must also confirm that, while acting with the greatest of courage in this most dangerous mission, one member of the British Armed Forces lost his life.

"His family has been informed, and our immediate thoughts are with them. His bravery will not be forgotten.

He risked soldiers' lives

By ANDY McNAB

Former SAS hero

IT is often thought that you go in with the aim of killing the terrorists or kidnappers.

But that is not the case - the aim is to save the lives of the hostages.

When you are making your plan, you want time. But sometimes that does not happen - sometimes the hostage is in danger and you have to go with the information you've got. The only reason they would have gone in early was if they thought lives were in danger.

However, Stephen Farrell was told not to go where he did because the area was known to be unsafe.

He got caught and he knew full well that people would have to risk their lives in order to save him.

That is irresponsible - it is not a game out there.

I don't care if he puts his own life at risk, but he put other peoples' lives at risk - and they are dead.

He has to live with that now.

[Viking]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8247668.stm

A senior Army source told the Daily Telegraph: "When you look at the number of warnings this person had it makes you really wonder whether he was worth rescuing, whether it was worth the cost of a soldier's life.

"In the future, special forces might think twice in a similar situation."

He may not just have killed the soldier and the three afghans who died rescuing him, he may have killed many many more journalists who will not be rescued like he was, twice.

[Berkut]

I don't get it - the resolution here is vastly better than even if they had got him out peacefully.

Bummer that a soldier and a civilian were killed of course, but apparently they go about 50 bad guys as well. How is this a bad thing?

[Faeelin]

I don't get it - the resolution here is vastly better than even if they had got him out peacefully.

Bummer that a soldier and a civilian were killed of course, but apparently they go about 50 bad guys as well. How is this a bad thing?

They could have gotten him out and then bombed the place?

[Josquius]

Whats the usual kill ratio in Afghanistan?
Is 1:48 positive or negative for this?