This is his bio: http://cmarshall.com/miscellaneous/MikeMarshall.htm
Your father was a fascinating person, what an incredible life of making difference in so many places! Did he (or you) end up writing about his experiences post CIA? I’d love to read those.
No. One of my brothers might write something up, sooner or later, but that's speculation, on my part.
There's a lot of writers in my family.
We didn't even know he'd been in the CIA, until just a few years before his death. I think at least one of his brothers may also have been in the CIA.
Interesting how quick the squad was able to deploy, clearly bypassed any diplomatic decision making
They were able to do so because of diplomatic decision making. They landed a transport plane on an airport. That's not a feat of military might. It's one of having the same blue/yellow emblem somewhere on your plane as on the 10.5 million cartons of infant nutrition you distributed the year before. Some "shots over their heads" may have been useful in discouraging individual idiots. But the only reason there was anyb…
Wow commentators on Hacker News will even dismiss the work of the Special Air Service as 'not being that big a deal when you think about'.
They were able to do so because of diplomatic decision making. They landed a transport plane on an airport. That's not a feat of military might. It's one of having the same blue/yellow emblem somewhere on your plane as on the 10.5 million cartons of infant nutrition you distributed the year before. Some "shots over their heads" may have been useful in discouraging individual idiots. But the only reason there was anyb…
Wow commentators on Hacker News will even dismiss the work of the Special Air Service as 'not being that big a deal when you think about'.
Going into any hot zone as a small squad is always a big deal. There are always rouge actors and self interested individuals, that will exploit the lawlessness of a hot zone. Knowing how to deal with them can mean the difference between life and death. Most are like any other predator, looking for a easy meal without the risk of harm. These higher level soldiers (SAS, Seals, Delta Force, KSK, KSM) guys are trained in this type of psychology and know most secondary actors will disperse in the presence of a creditable threat of resistance. While the embassies where certainly not the target of the primary actors, they are a rich target for secondary actors so it certainly was not a walk in the park for these guys, but I am sure to them it was business as usual.
I spent a week in Albania last year and my experience couldn't be more opposite (obviously there's no civil war on at the moment). I love the place and it's mostly because of the people. Never have I met more friendly laid back and helpful people. For example, my airbnb host that I stayed with, for all of 2 nights, kept my large suitcase so I could spend the week in the south with just my carry-on bag. When I got bac…
It's pretty comical to compare your tourist visit to Albania last year against a Special Air Service operation during a civil war 23 years ago.
I spent a week in Albania last year and my experience couldn't be more opposite (obviously there's no civil war on at the moment). I love the place and it's mostly because of the people. Never have I met more friendly laid back and helpful people. For example, my airbnb host that I stayed with, for all of 2 nights, kept my large suitcase so I could spend the week in the south with just my carry-on bag. When I got bac…
It's pretty comical to compare your tourist visit to Albania last year against a Special Air Service operation during a civil war 23 years ago.
I was in Albania and Kosovo in '99.
Been back since, can't wait to go again.
Op's observations still hold true.
For info, back then, the 17km (sounds easy) from airport to Tirana was a bunker nightmare.
A real coup would have not let even the SAS pass quite so easily. However, SAS? I bet they had each bunker mapped.
Never mind the SAS, who are sauntering around with flak jackets and armed to the teeth, it's Benny the driver, who volunteered to go on patrol with them, who is the coolest character in this story!