'Black Hawk Down' Vets Hit Back at Ilhan Omar Over Vilifying US Troops

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'Black Hawk Down' Vets Hit Back at Ilhan Omar Over Vilifying US Troops
By: Sputniknews 4-27-19
RE: https://sputniknews.com/us/201904271...veterans-omar/

The Battle of Mogadishu in 1993 is considered to be one of the most disastrous US military operations since the end of the Vietnam War, claiming the lives of 18 US soldiers. It led to the subsequent withdrawal of both American and UN forces from civil war-ravaged Somalia.

Ranger Colonel Danny McKnight and Delta Force operator Kyle Lamb, both veterans of the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, widely known due to its depiction in the movie "Black Hawk Down", have slammed statements by Democratic lawmaker Ilhan Omar on the US' actions in Somalia. During her time as a state representative in Minnesota, Omar, who was born in Somalia, tweeted in 2017 that US forces had killed "thousands" of Somalis in the 1993 operation.

McKnight, who commanded some US troops and was seriously injured during the op, told the Washington Examiner that he was offended by Omar's words and said that claims of "thousands" of Somalis having been killed were "not true".

"Somalis [were] not very good war fighters. I saw so many of them shoot their own people while trying to shoot us", he said.

Kyle Lamb pointed out that the UN mission, which was partially made up of US forces, was deployed to Somalia to protect people, including Omar's own tribe. He added that the American troops were fighting militants, as civilians had mostly fled the city by the time of the operation.

Another veteran, Mike Durant, a pilot of one of the downed Black Hawks and who was captured and beaten by locals, argued that US forces went there to help people who were starving, referring to the severe famine that struck Somalia during the civil war.

"In return, my friends' remains and those of my comrades were dragged through the streets. I do not hold all Somalis accountable for the actions of a few, but I certainly take issue with the remarks of Congresswoman Omar", Durant said.

The Battle of Mogadishu took place after US troops attempted to capture lieutenants serving the leader of the Habr Gidr clan, Mohamed Farrah Aidid. The latter reportedly organised several attacks on US forces stationed in Somalia, killing 11 servicemen.

The operation turned into disaster after a soldier fell from an MH60 Black Hawk helicopter and two other choppers were downed. The US forces attempted to rescue the survivors, but were overwhelmed by Aidid's militants. The fighting lasted almost an entire day before the US managed to extract all of its troops, but still lost 18 servicemen. Estimates of the number of militants killed during the operation range from 200 to around 800 — not "thousands", as Omar suggested.

The US troops were part of a UN effort to deal with the famine in the war-torn country and reach a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Washington withdrew its forces half a year after the Battle of Mogadishu, with the UN following suit a year after that.

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9/11 World Trade Center Attack'She Owes Us an Apology': Father of 9/11 Victim Blasts Ilhan Omar, NY Democrats
RE: https://sputniknews.com/us/201904171...-omar-apology/

The former firefighter also expressed his approval of Trump’s “We Will Never Forget” tweet which featured Omar making her controversial statement about the terrorist attack. He also panned the Democrats who either defended the congresswoman or kept quiet about her remarks.

Jim Riches, a retired firefighter from New York City whose son was killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, has slammed Rep. Ilhan Omar over her controversial remarks about the tragedy, and demanded an apology from her, The Daily Caller reports.

"My son Jimmy was murdered by Islamic terrorists. Three thousand people were murdered that day. And Rep. Ilhan Omar said some people did something. That’s ridiculous. It’s outrageous. It’s a disgrace. She’s in the Congress of the United States", Riches said at the New York State Republican Party dinner at the Grand Hyatt, as quoted by the media outlet.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump tweeted footage of Omar describing the 9/11 terrorist attacks as "some people did something" during her speech at a function hosted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
The congresswoman later complained that she has allegedly "experienced an increase in direct threats on my life — many directly referencing or replying to the President's video", while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi claimed that Trump’s “hateful and inflammatory rhetoric creates real danger” and he “must take down his disrespectful and dangerous video".

Riches, however, approved of the president’s tweet, arguing that Trump simply "told like it was. That’s what happened that day".

he former firefighter also criticised New York Democratic politicians who either sought to defend Omar and her remarks or kept quiet when news about her controversial statements spread.

"Donald Trump is 100 per cent right. They can’t deal with reality. [Sen. Chuck] Schumer, Nadler — all the New York politicians were quiet. They didn’t say one thing to [Rep. Rashida] Tlaib and them. They called us racists. I’m not a racist. My son got murdered. I did nothing wrong. I’m not a racist. Don’t call me a racist, because I criticised you, but she owes us an apology, and we’re gonna get it", Riches stated.

In response to Riches' statements, a number of people stepped forward to express their sympathy to the grieving father via social media, and to slam Omar.