# Abbottabad is inland. Why send the Navy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 4, 2011, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679 "2011-05-04T11:38:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/1 "2011-05-04T11:38:12Z")
I just trying to understand how the military chooses which branch to use for any given mission. Granted that the SEALs are trained for operations on the SEa, Air, and Land - and that’s where the acronym comes from - but still, being part of the Navy, I would expect the Air and Land portions of their task to be associated with a Sea portion. I looked at a map of Abbottabad, and although there are some small rivers nearby, the Arabian Sea looks to be over 500 miles away. Sending the Navy to attack Abbottabad makes as much sense to me as sending the Navy to protect Kansas City. And granted that the SEALs are an elite force and very good at what they do, but there are other elite forces too. How did this assignment go to the Navy SEALs instead of the Army’s Green Berets or Delta Force or some other group? Mods, this does NOT belong in GD. I’m not debating the wisdom of the decision. I’m sure they had good reasons for it, and I’m _certainly_ not complaining about the results. I’m just wondering what factors go into these things. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/2 "2011-05-04T11:54:18Z")
This is SEAL Team Six’s bread and butter. If you need a beach secured, send the Marines, If you need an air strip secured, send the Rangers. If you need a bunch of hostages in a hijacked airplane rescued, send Delta Force. If you need a whole city secured, send the Army. If you need a munitions plant bombed, send the Air Force. If you need one man in a walled compound killed, send SEAL Team Six. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/3 "2011-05-04T11:55:39Z")
Because they are supposedly the elite of the US special forces. Also contingency. What if Bin Laden had been hiding in a jacuzzi? Only the SEALs are trained for amphibious operations. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/4 "2011-05-04T12:07:43Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > Because they are supposedly the elite of the US special forces. I presume that what you mean is “the elite of the elite”. If so, then I guess that’s the answer I’m looking for. Thanks > [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > Also contingency. What if Bin Laden had been hiding in a jacuzzi? Only the SEALs are trained for amphibious operations. Yeah, but if he was exercising, doing his jumping jacks, then we would’ve needed the Air Force, right? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/5 "2011-05-04T12:13:27Z")
Wasn’t the attack launched from a carrier group? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/6 "2011-05-04T12:14:28Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > Wasn’t the attack launched from a carrier group? From Carl Vinson. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/7 "2011-05-04T12:26:07Z")
In Joint Commands (such as Special Operations) who gets a specific mission is not tied up to the “home environment” of the various services that lend units to the command, but rather on the training, capabilities, specialization and availability of the unit and personnel vs. the needs of the specific operation - so there’s a division of labor independent of the “mother service” as **UncleRojelio** mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/8 "2011-05-04T13:36:08Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > Wasn’t the attack launched from a carrier group? > [@UncleRojelio](#): > > From Carl Vinson. This is all I need for an explanation. Their local support, command and base of operations was apparently all on a Navy ship. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/9 "2011-05-04T13:44:20Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > Because they are supposedly the elite of the US special forces. > > Also contingency. What if Bin Laden had been hiding in a jacuzzi? Only the SEALs are trained for amphibious operations. I am trying very hard not to laugh. ---
**Author:** ![dmatsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@dmatsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dmatsch)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/10 "2011-05-04T14:20:59Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > I presume that what you mean is “the elite of the elite”. If so, then I guess that’s the answer I’m looking for. ThanksYeah, but if he was exercising, doing his jumping jacks, then we would’ve needed the Air Force, right? 😃 HEY! We had to double-time somewhere once at Lackland. Although they used to regularly cancel PTO because it was too hot (or too cold). They even made us look at a _ **real** _ M-16 once too! I loved the USAF! ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/11 "2011-05-04T14:52:17Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > I presume that what you mean is “the elite of the elite”. If so, then I guess that’s the answer I’m looking for. ThanksYeah, but if he was exercising, doing his jumping jacks, then we would’ve needed the Air Force, right? 😃 No, the SEALs know how to take down aircraft with Stinger missiles. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/12 "2011-05-04T14:59:13Z")
Seal Team Six is part of [JSOC](http://www.nationaljournal.com/whitehouse/the-secret-team-that-killed-bin-laden-20110502), which, interestingly, is the group that Seymour Hersh [referred to](http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/sy-hersh-cheney-ran-assassin-ring) as “an executive assassination ring.” ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/13 "2011-05-04T15:20:15Z")
'Cause the Marines would have let OBL get away while pink-misting the security detail and securing the living fuck out of the perimeter. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/14 "2011-05-04T15:51:48Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > 'Cause the Marines would have let OBL get away while pink-misting the security detail and securing the living fuck out of the perimeter. “Pink-misting”? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/15 "2011-05-04T15:54:58Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > “Pink-misting”? Heavy weapon + meatsack = Pink-Mist. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAlecCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SmartAlecCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAlecCat)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/16 "2011-05-04T15:57:05Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > “Pink-misting”? > **[Urban Dictionary: Pink mist](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Pink%2Bmist)** > > Pink mist: army \[language\] for a \[headshot\] cause by a \[sniper\]. > [@](#): > > _pink mist:_ > Military - The blood that comes out of a snipers target when he/she is hit. the blood appears pinkish over the distance and the quick burst of blood that comes out makes a misty effect. ---
**Author:** ![Sandra\_Battye](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sandra_battye/32/552_2.png) [@Sandra\_Battye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sandra_Battye)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/17 "2011-05-04T16:00:23Z")
I heard on CNN this morning that it was because of the size of the unit. One of the others (didn’t pay attention to specifics) was too small, another was too big. Seal Team Six was exactly the right size and was perfectly trained for this type of mission. ---
**Author:** ![Profound\_Gibberish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Profound\_Gibberish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profound_Gibberish)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/18 "2011-05-04T16:06:25Z")
I was suprised that it was not a Delta Force operation, but at this level of expertise DF & SEAL are pretty much the same thing. Depends on who has the best resources in the area to carry out the mission. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/19 "2011-05-04T16:18:03Z")
> [@](#): > > The battlegrounds of Iraq and Afghanistan had been [informally divided](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_bin_laden_seals), with the SEALs running Afghanistan and Delta Force conducting the bulk of the operations in Iraq, though there was overlap of each organization. “Informal” but may have had some play in a logistical appropriateness. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679/20 "2011-05-04T17:04:09Z")
More on the USS _Carl Vinson_ Strike Group: [Carrier Strike Group 1 - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrier_Strike_Group_One) > [@dmatsch](#): > > …They even made us look at a _ **real** _ M-16 once too!.. There, there. As long as you didn’t have to actually, y’know, _touch_ it. Eww. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbottabad-is-inland-why-send-the-navy/580679.md?page=2)