In assessing the danger of an attack on the Gaza port, you should always figure on capability. Don't assume intent. pic.twitter.com/svCaFDUDhK

— wretchardthecat (@wretchardthecat) March 12, 2024

This post from CTH this morning comes from a guy whose credentials sound like he is an expert.

"First of all, please know that I have a ton of lifetime experience with expeditionary military logistics, in terms of establishing lodgments as part of 82nd Airborne operations, establishing sea ports of debarkation for moving heavy US equipment into areas of operations and linking them up with their soldiers, and working with the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) through various operations (although I never served in that unit directly). I rarely call myself an expert on anything, but I am an expert on Army and Joint expeditionary logistics, so I speak here with some authority."

"Despite their incredible skill at building floating ports and bringing supplies ashore, they lack the organic capability to defend themselves against high intensity attacks by enemies. They need and rely on external security elements, both in the form of Navy or Coast Guard patrol boats, but also in the form of ground combat arms forces (Army or USMC) securing the beachhead across which supplies will be delivered....

The port that 7th Trans will develop has a doctrinal name: Joint Logistics Over the Shore, or “JLOTS.” JLOTS has its own doctrinal publication for all services, called Joint Publication 4-01.6, the cover of which is shown below.
3. JLOTS potentially brings all of the military services into play depending on the scenario. Joint Pub 4-01.6 does a good job of highlighting each service’s role, and if you are really interested in this, the pub is available online.
4. Alarmingly, the news coming out of the White House and the Pentagon suggests that no U.S. beach security will be present. Today, the Pentagon Press Spokesman, USAF Maj. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder, stated that the current U.S. plan will "avoid U.S. forces from having to be on the coast” and that "partners will be on the shore to receive the causeway and anchor it.”
5. Having read that, I want to point out a section of Joint Pub: 4-01.6, from Appendix J, Section 3: "Beach Security: The provision and execution of beach area security is completely scenario-dependent. In the early post-assault phase of an amphibious operation, security of the beach reception area may be carried out by air, ground, and naval combat forces. At the other end of the spectrum, as would normally be expected in a JLOTS operation, security in a nonhostile overseas environment may be provided largely by the host nation.”

"IMO, the only way to do this AND protect American lives is to deploy an Army or USMC infantry battalion task force to secure the beachhead, equipped with robust air defense, military intelligence, indirect fire, combat engineer and medical capabilities. Anything less puts American lives at grossly unnecessary risk, but POTUS won’t do this as he needs to pretend there are “no boots on the ground.”"

"
-Biden is doing this solely to win 100,000 Muslim votes in Michigan, and the troops are purely political pawns in this wretched game. This is despicable.
-The idea of minimizing combat unit footprint for political reasons in what is ostensibly a “humanitarian aid” mission is exactly what happened in Somalia, with disastrous results.
-7th Trans is a unique, one-of-a-kind, strategic combat capability of the U.S. military. Why are we squandering this essential unit in a mission that does nothing to promote U.S. national security? "

"
I encourage you to call your Senator or Congressperson and tell them you are against spilling more American blood in this hapless, witless, half-brained, purely political boondoggle, and offer the solutions (a) or (b) above.

Thank you."



https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/1766622447112016233?