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January 20, 2007

Deeds not Words

Filed under: War in Afghanistan — Moderator @ 5:23 pm

One of the differences Iâ€™ve noticed between military heroes and the anti-war crowd is the military person understands honor and duty. Many people hide behind liberal mantras, accusations the war was/is mismanaged (how do you â€œmanageâ€ a war?), while some Christians hide behind Just War rhetoric, and many politically correct General Officers refused to say anything while on active duty, they waited until their pensions were secure before joining in the attacks on the Commander in Chief of the United States Armed Forces. Yet, despite all the protestors, despite the confused people who do not understand a nationâ€™s right to defend itself, despite the outright cowards that exist in America (and elsewhere), despite those who voice opposition to the task set before the Soldier (while refusing to don boots and a helmet themselves), and despite those who refuse to listen to the overwhelming majority of Iraqis and Afghanis, there are men who not only listen, they act. Todayâ€™s Ultimate Truth is this: There are men in our countryâ€™s Army, as well as the Armies of our allies who live by the axiom Deeds not Words. I can only think of one phrase to describe the actions of these honorable men (in their own words): â€œNo drama.â€ If you donâ€™t know what this means, then you probably need to don a uniform and hang out with some SAS types.

Sergeant McGough, we salute you. Well done.

Sergeant Paul â€œScruffâ€ Mcgough, who has died aged 41, was a member of the Special Boat Service unit which took part in the siege of Qala-i-Janghi, Afghanistan, one of the most highly decorated missions in the recent history of the British special forces.

In November 2001 McGough was with C Company, SBS, when it flew unannounced into the former Soviet airbase at Bagram. A key strategic objective in north-east Afghanistan, it was disputed by thousands of Afghan government fighters, and the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance, led by the Uzbek warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum.

Though vastly outnumbered, the SBS held the huge airbase for a day and a night, to the fury of both armies, and to the chagrin of the Americans, who had expected to be first there.
Once relieved by the much larger US 10th Mountain Division and Delta Force (the American equivalent of the SAS) McGough, in local dress, undertook intelligence-gathering patrols in the mountains.

On November 25, as his team returned to the Anglo-American special forces base in the newly captured town of Mazar-i-Sharif, McGough heard the sound of battle at Dostumâ€™s sprawling headquarters in the mud-built prison-fortress of Qala-i-Jangi, known as the â€œFort of Warâ€.
Several hundred prisoners had revolted while being interrogated by the CIA, and, overpowering their Northern Alliance guards, armed themselves with AK47s, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades from Dostumâ€™s huge armoury.

They killed Captain â€œMikeâ€ Spann, a former member of the US Marine Corps with the CIA, and cornered another agent, Dave Dawson, in a blockhouse.

McGough was one of eight SBS men in two armed Land Rovers under a British commander, and nine US special forces, led by Major Mark Mitchell, who raced to prevent the Taliban from breaking out of the jail to retake Mazar-i-Sharif.

Using only Leatherman handtools, McGough and a comrade stripped two general purpose machine-guns (known as â€œjimpiesâ€) from their vehicle mountings and carried them with ammunition to the ramparts. McGough stood silhouetted against the sky firing his heavy jimpy from the hip to halt a determined charge by scores of screaming warriors, despite a hail of bullets which tore up the battlements under his feet.

Next he and another SBS man set alight three pick-up trucks. As the guns in the fort fell silent for first time since the battle had started, Dawson made his escape.

McGoughâ€™s action marked a turning point, and for two days he and the other seven SBS men displayed extraordinary heroism in the face of hundreds of fanatical Taliban. A man of few words, he chain-smoked while repelling charges by the tribesmen for several days until the US Special Forces called in air strikes.

Chief Petty Officer Stephen Bass (USN), who was attached to the SBS, received the Navy Cross from the American President and the Military Cross from the Queen.

Mitchell received the US Distinguished Service Cross from his government, and two SBS men received the British Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.

Despite reports to the contrary no Britons received any foreign awards, and McGough, though rumoured to have been recommended for the award of the Military Cross and the Congressional Medal of Honor, received a mention in dispatches.

True to the cloak of secrecy which surrounds all operations of the SBS, whose motto is â€œBy Strength and Guileâ€, little else is known about Paul McGough.

He was one of the most respected men to serve with the SBS and fought in Operation Barras during September 2000, when 11 members of the Royal Irish Regiment and a Sierra Leonean soldier were being held hostage by â€œthe West Side Boysâ€, former members of the Sierra Leone Army.

Some of McGoughâ€™s exploits were described in Damien Lewisâ€™s Bloody Heroes, published earlier this month.

He was killed in a hang gliding accident on Cyprus on June 1, and leaves a widow and children.

(For comments on this story, see Americaâ€™s North Shore Journal.)

2 Comments »

All this discourse on combat actions and reactions seems to ignore a basic truth. That violence begets violence. That even when “wars” are lost or won there is still the Human spirit, which will never be extinguished as it is endemic to our specie. The plight of slaves all over the world throughout history seem to suggest that eventually they will be free. So the question is not really about the business of individuals in a war condition but the futility of humankind not socially evolving towards complete civility. This civility can bring community and peaceful, creative coexistence. I wonder if we could agree that an individuals’ peace is most wholesome when based on a collective sense of justice? …The complete involvement in a sense of justice among all human beings.
Although the United nations has a mixed result, there is hope in finding ways for all people to be represented and given respect and consideration. It starts in our relationship to the Creator, is best reinforced in a loving family environment and extends out to our communities, states, regions, country and international entities.
I also wonder to what extent all government function should look at this concern for justice consensus as a priority. Or if a department of PEACE in each level of government would better support the developlment of personal and worldwide Peace with justice.

Thank you for the opportunity to express my thoughts.

Comment by charles perretti — February 24, 2007 @ 1:20 pm
Mr. Perretti,

I find myself wondering why you use terms such as “socially evolving” and “Creator” in the same comment. If you believe in a “Creator,” then you must accept His Special Revelation (the Bible) and what it says about mankind: Man/men (including women and children) are inherently sinful. Given this foundational concept in the Bible and the required mediation between a holy God and sinful man, mankind will never stop killing his own until the Lord returns.

If, on the other hand, you reject the biblical account of man’s condition, we are left with the historical behavior of men. To what behaviors in men do you find qualitative improvement with respect to their murderous nature? I cannot locate anything in the historical record that one could identify as “improvement” (evolution?).

Thus, we are left with this horrible reality: Men will continue to kill men as long as we exist in these bodies of flesh.

The Moderator

Comment by Moderator — February 24, 2007 @ 4:16 pm

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January 20, 2007

Deeds not Words

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