Quote Originally Posted by motorfirebox View Post
I don't have a lot of experience on the ground, but I do have quite a bit of experience watching CNN.
Well, okay but TV 'news' served up by the Entertainment industry and fllavored strongly by US domestic politics and ideologies is probably a poor source for decision making information...

Better to skim the Internet for multiple news reports, preferably competing or conflicting and from several nations -- and give the 'news' time to be corroborated and to gel (first reports are invariably incorrect, some dangerously so) -- then judge veracity, filter for bias and make your own decision.

Later realize you did the best you could with the information you had at the time but the unknown unknowns gotcha.
I can't see the US military willingly taking that kind of PR hit, regardless of how the action against the Somalis themselves is viewed.
Willingly is not an option...

Speak to the politicians. Your Elected leaders and their appointed minions make those types of decisions. Whether the military wants to do it, is properly trained or equipped to do it is absolutely immaterial to them. Virtually no one in the US Army wanted to go to Iraq...