Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Strong Memo To Follow - Updated

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear." Mark Twain.

Several months ago, at morning coffee, a teammate recounted training he had recently received. The conversation was chilling, illuminating.  It related directly to how we might prepare for a coordinated, military-style attack by terrorists. An attack like the one in Paris.

Mayhem would ensue. 

Watching the video, seeing them first wound and then execute a French cop, several things are obvious. Each is chilling.

They didn't just spray and pray. They could shoot. One guy took a long, freehand shot. I assume he hit what he was aiming at, because they approached the downed officer and finished him off without resistance.

They expected to escape. Otherwise, they would not have bothered with masks.

They aren't amateurs, but they aren't elite operators, either. In a photo one of the assholes is "covering" his partner - pointing his rifle at his buddy. They get target lock. They find a lone victim, dismounting their vehicle to hunt him down, both focusing on the cop. Meanwhile.... Who stood vehicle security? Who's checking six? These guys are dangerous as hell, but they can be had.

Finally, my late father had a favorite expression for situations like this.

"Fuck you. Strong memo to follow."

Jihadists like the ones in Paris will eventually use these tactics here, on us. American law enforcement needs to be up to this challenge. It begins by taking our heads out of...the sand and recognizing that advanced training and equipment are necessary to survive combat with a well-armed, purposeful adversary. Leadership among law enforcement professionals must reject passing fads, embracing techniques that work when the bullets start flying. Officers need to prepare for the day that the thin-skinned fanatics arrive in their town, enraged over some petty slight.

As for thugs who would kill cartoonists for what they draw....

Fuck you. Strong memo to follow.

Update: From Breach-Bang-Clear.

Once commenter: "Leeeeroy Jenkins."

Three terrorists down - that's the strong memo to follow.

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