NY Times on 'Counter-Terrorism Olympics'

[dak0ta]

Special forces competing in a training facility in Jordan. I love the part about the Canadians:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/21/magazine/sleep-away-camp-for-postmodern-cowboys.html?hp&_r=0

Everyone agreed that the Canadians would be tough. They were from Canada’s Special Operations Regiment. Recently back from a tour in Afghanistan, they sported combat beards, intimidating tattoos (Revelation 6:8, “And behold, a pale horse: and its rider’s name was Death”) and the kind of burly frames that come from carrying big guns over tall mountains for weeks at a time. “They look like the dudes from ‘300,’ ” a member of one of four U.S. teams said. Another said, “They look like werewolf lumberjacks.”

 

[leprechaun50]

Back in the 70's I was stationed on a joint command base with the Canadian AF. Those guys were super serious about their job, but were a blast to party with. (They were serious about that to!)

 

[Spats McGee]

Combat beards

Those sound very tactical. Those guys better be careful that they don't have assault beards, though. I hear that there's a movement to ban those.

 

[OldBrownDog]

Anybody else think it's interesting that the Chinese soldiers in the pictures are using M4-pattern weapons?

 

[dak0ta]

It's probably a Norinco clone, the CQ-311.

 

[hso]

Matter of fact, the only ones not pictured with M4-type carbines were the Russians.

 

[dak0ta]

The Swiss are using a Sig 55x rifle.


Surprised there were no Germans. They'd probably be using an HK416 or G36c.

 

[YZ]

Matter of fact, the only ones not pictured with M4-type carbines were the Russians.

Nor the Israelis. No wait, they weren't invited.

I did not like the fact that the Chinese won the counterterrolympics hands down. The descriptions of Americans as loosey goosey, thick around midsection, smokin' and chewin' were a little disturbing. I only hope at least some of it was peachfuzz and blabber from a poorly informed embedded reporter.

 

[mgkdrgn]

Back in the 70's I was stationed on a joint command base with the Canadian AF. Those guys were super serious about their job, but were a blast to party with. (They were serious about that to!)

The Canadians I partied with once (airshow crew) would always be the group closest to the taps .. drinking with both hands. I understood the close to the taps bit ... but had to ask them about the glass in each hand thing:

"Fewer refill trips, eh?"

 

[dak0ta]

The Americans were apparently just private security workers that were former special forces. Delta, SEALS were not there apparently. Also, the British SAS, the original special forces wasn't mentioned either. Neither were the Australians, Polish GROM, etc.

I'm pretty sure China is good, but it's not the same when other nations don't supply their Tier 1 units. Canada's CSOR is actually our 2nd best CT unit who's mandate is to be support for our top CT unit, Joint Task Force 2, which was the only non-American special forces in Afghanistan to serve along Delta/SEALS as a Tier 1 force. They got the Presidential Unit Citation as a result.

Gotta love putting the most sophisticated badass good guys in the world in a team and kicking butt. Special Forces + Drones are really effective tools for CT.

 

[YZ]

The Palestinians on the other hand were there. Sophisticated badass kind no doubt. Now back to China. Handed them a propaganda victory. If they take the competition more seriously than we do, we have two other options, both better. One, not show up. Or two, come in full strength, no?

 

[jeepnik]

I don't know about Canadians, but the German and Spanish air force guys I met were complete animals when it came to a party. Never try to out drink them, it will end badly the next morning.

 

[RustHunter87]

So they didnt bother invite real US SF, the British, Israelis or the Germans???

Why did they even bother?

Everyone know when your looking for a counter attack you call in the Germans!

 

[YZ]

It may be, just a guess, that the New York Times fluffed up the story, called a private tournament Counter-Terrorist Olympics as if it were indeed a contest of nations. The Chinese came in dead serious, many others for a good time. Maybe no big deal, but still rubs me the wrong way.

 

[dak0ta]

I wonder if the South Koreans have anything good to put forward next time...

 

[Archaic]

Good for the Chinese, let them enjoy their paper win while the real killers a staying in the shadows. No way we or our allies should send our best and let them know just how far behind they really are.

 

[YZ]

Archaic
This attitude gets us in trouble, initially anyway. The chicoms should never be underestimated. I see your point, but we cannot afford letting the world know we are second best. We'll get dissed more, and in the end will have to restore the reputation.

 

[hso]

Their official name was Team I.D.S., for International Defense Systems — a military supplier that specialized in tactical equipment and ballistics gear. In keeping with the corporate outsourcing of war, I.D.S. was a sponsor of the competition. The team was here not to represent the United States, but to promote the brand.

It always helps to read the article.

 

[YZ]

It is understood that American private contractors competed with the Chinese military. It helps as much to read the posts before weighing in.

 

[hso]

Post 14 is on target. The event reads like a sham if the best aren't represented and some countries with the best are represented. You have to wonder about the NYT reporter as well since he didn't appear to try to spend much time with anyone but the colorful company guys. Still, if there were several first and second class teams there they got the chance to see something of the Chinese performance.

 

[Thermactor]

Amazing to see posts disparaging the Chinese. I for one wouldn't dream of belittling them.

 

[CSC_Saint]

What the Chinese may lack in combat experience, they gain in the "sit back and watch everyone else learn the hard way" mentality. Under no circumstances should the Chinese be underestimated. Good ol' murica should know this already, but 60 years of them not doing anything has made us complacent if not arrogant in our attitudes towards them. The Chinese have watched us wage war and studied everything, they even copy and field our military technology faster than we do, albeit later than us.

While America fights and writes doctrine in all sorts of scenarios, China has been studying and refining our doctrine as well as determining how to defeat our doctrine. Our defense budget gets thrown at having to fight, theirs is in production and training. They have nothing better to do with a defense budget that rivals ours without the burden of combat or aiding multitudes of other countries.

While we Americans sit back and chuckle at how the Chinese threw their best at our Tuesday afternoon strippers with C section scars, in all reality, their was more than likely a very different agenda in mind for the Chinese to have done so. it's also an intelligence gathering opportunity for NATO, and prudent for the primary competitors(US, Germany, UK) to not send our varsity players for the same reason.

 

[Mitlov]

There's no doubt the Chinese groups were "taking this more seriously" than other groups. But that's not to say the Chinese groups weren't talented. China, due to its size and it's social structure, can get VERY talented VERY quickly. In terms of Olympic fencing (just one random example I know of because I'm a fencer), they went from "what's fencing?" to being a world powerhouse that rivals the best European teams...in the course of about a decade. I'm sure they could improve in counter-terrorism and military tactics at a similar staggering pace if they wanted to...and I'm sure they want to.

 

[dak0ta]

Bombing at the Beijing Airport today, seems like we'll probably see more Chinese CT Units.

 

[Mitlov]

Bombing at the Beijing Airport today, seems like we'll probably see more Chinese CT Units.

China's been having civil strife for years (particularly in the western provinces); we just don't hear about it much on the US news.