The U.S. "Delta Force" is a multi-discipline, multi-service group of
military folks whose primary role is hostage rescue in foriegn nations that
are hostile to U.S. interests.  It's very existence is neither officially
denied or acknowledged by the U.S. government.  An individual belonging to
this force is referred to as an "operative".  While each operative is
extremely capable in all phases of guerilla warefare, each also brings
unusual skills to bear that you would not normally think of as being used on
the battlefield.  For example, some operators are surgeons, some are
linguists, engineers the list is seemingly endless.

Delta was formed during the Carter administration and modelled after the
West German and Isreali Special Operations forces who attempted rescues of
the Israeli athletes taken hostage by PLO guerillas during the 1972 Munich
Olympics.

The first operational use of Delta forces came in 1980 during a failed
rescue attempt of the American embassy workers held hostage by extremist,
right-wing Iranian college students (you might remember this--a couple
helicopters and a troop plane collided in the desert in a two-phase
accident.  It was only after the second crash that the operation was
cancelled).

Hostage rescue being its primary mission, Delta is also used to extricate
and arrest individuals who are wanted by the U.S. (and sometime U.N.) for
various reasons.

The group is so clandestine that, supposedly, family members of the force's
members are not even aware of their mission.  Some defense strategists
("Jane's"--A British military 'think tank'--for example) beleive that Delta
operations are in motion almost constantly around the world.  No one outside
the Executive Branch really knows for sure.

Many folks "in the know" say that the book/movie "Blackhawk Down" is
probably the most realistic dramatic representation of Delta operatives.
The movie's plot details the 1993 attempt by the Clinton admin. to force the
hand of Somali warlord Farah Adid into allowing uninterrupted food aid into
Mogadishu, Somalia.  You might remember the graphic video of the body of a
U.S. serviceman being dragged through the streets of that city.  The time
frame of the movie was one month after that event.

So, mag, that's a 'delta operative'. ;-)

-Kyle

-----Original Message-----
From: Magenta Raine [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 2:05 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: another shooting


What is a delta operative?

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