On 2/11/2012 5:40 PM, John Doe wrote:
DanB2431B aol.com wrote:

John Doe wrote:
DanB2431B aol.com wrote:
John Doe wrote:
"Keith W"keithnospoofsplease demon.co.uk wrote:

Special forces are required to be tough and brave but not
suicidal.

Ever hear of "Japan"?

There's a huge difference between kamikaze missions and
special operations missions.

Whether you think Japan's kamikazes were "special forces" or
not is semantics. In my opinion, a kamikaze mission is a
special force mission. It requires the same sort of extreme
discipline. Maybe you are more familiar with World War II
Japanese terminology, and whether they considered kamikazes to
be special forces or not. Not that it matters with respect to
the subject, but it might be interesting off-topic trivia to
you.

Special operators plan to return, kamikazes don't. Kamikazes
don't need to be trained beyond the requirements needed to
operate their suicide weapons, special operators are trained
to do any mission asked of them etc.

Including flight school? Sounds na‹ve to me.

But you probably knew all this and just want to be difficult.

Here you are arguing the semantics of "special forces", acting
like you've never seen or dished out difficulties before, in a
group that is full of difficulties.


Obviously you have no idea what special ops is.

As much is your idea of what the subject is.

I spent 14 years in special ops.

Cool. Are unmanned drone operators considered "special ops"?

Special ops involves all branches of the military. You brought
up flight school.

I also brought up "special forces".

Yes, some special operators are flight crews.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."

Ever heard of AFSOC? It's Air Force Special Operations Command.
There's more to special ops than the men at the "tip of the
spear."

Cool. Then I would wonder why you have no comment on one of the
most extraordinary aerobatic feats in modern times.

You insult special operators when you compare them to kamikazes.

Would "special operators" include a joystick operator of an
unmanned drone?! If so, I happily insult special operators.

Big fat egotism is one of the problems with some of our current
military and leaders. Even some who pretend to be religious seem
to think that human life is not to be taken seriously. But in
fact, someone who is willing to give up their life for a cause
should be shown maximum respect. There is no greater sacrifice.

At the very least kamikazes plan on a one way mission, special
operators plan on returning alive. You may call it "semantics,"
the rest of the world calls it reality.

Can you point to any place else where that distinction has been
made prior to this time? "What makes kamikazes not special forces
is the fact that kamikazes do not return alive." When you search
for "kamikazes" and "special forces" at the same time, you get
over 1 million results. Looks like some of those results
specifically associate "special forces" with kamikazes. Makes
sense to me.


When you have done some research what "special operations" means and
stop trying to cheapen it with canards about drones and suicide missions
feel free to get back to me. In the mean time I have had my fill of you.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired