U.S. arrests former Green Beret, son, in connection with Ghosn escape from Japan • Hacker News Board

Re: U.S. arrests former Green Beret, son, in connection with Ghosn escape from Japan

#111

Post by blaser-waffle » Wed, May 20, 2020, 4:49 PM UTC

ggamecrazy wrote: post #83

blantonl wrote: post #63

It's been extremely disturbing to see how much the culture of special operations military has changed in the past 20 years. Previously, Navy Seal and Green Berets operated in silent, keeping the sausage making of military special operations quiet and secret, just doing their duty. Now, it seems like every Navy SEAL now publically writes a book, sponsors a coffee line, or slaps their name, likeness and story all over…

I believe inside the special operations community, Navy Seals, especially Team 6, gets a lot of flak for the amount of insider content that comes out [1]. Perhaps some of the lessons may apply to the tech community as well. I found this quote resonating well even for myself and tech, specifically for the adoration of tech leaders: "It’s easy to fall in love with oneself, but this is not about us...It cannot be about…

The SEALs have, in general, earned a negative reputation in the past few years. Mostly centered around the leaks (mentioned by others) as well as their reputation as cowboys who don't do a lot of fallback planning and due diligence.

Re: U.S. arrests former Green Beret, son, in connection with Ghosn escape from Japan

#112

Post by wh-uws » Wed, May 20, 2020, 4:49 PM UTC

blaser-waffle wrote: post #105

arkades wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't make any claim to expertise, as I've only known a handful of these folks in the US, but from what I've heard, they don't make pennies. They just make a lot less than what private industry is willing to pay for mercenaries. There is, in fairness, a difference.

As true with code as with pulling triggers. Work for the Feds and pull 150k around DC and a security clearance. Some of the seniors at big contractors pull big $$$. Meanwhile, you can get a total comp of 400k or more working for a FAANGM out west while smoking weed everyday and banging foreigners. My understanding is that the SOF and SEALs get paid well, even as enlisted folks (who get paid less than officers), but w…

Its frustrating when people trot out FAANGM as if thats a standard take just anyone can get.

Its great if you can get through the interview process at some place decent (I did for the record).

But that's like saying "I'll just go play for the NBA".

Competition is stiff

Re: U.S. arrests former Green Beret, son, in connection with Ghosn escape from Japan

#113

Post by pnw_hazor » Wed, May 20, 2020, 4:50 PM UTC

braythwayt wrote: post #64

pnw_hazor wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Japanese criminal justice system is not up to first world standards. "The litany of violations that commonly take place while the detainee is in daiyou kangoku would befit places such as China, Turkey, or the Israeli occupied West Bank. Detainees are subject to extremely long (e.g. over twelve hours) questioning sessions, designed to wear them down. Sleep deprivation is common, as is the deprivation of adequate f…

Hello, have you met the US Criminal Justice System? No, not that one. I mean the system used for the poor and/or coloured and/or from a "shithole country." The one that cages children and has decided that prisoners do not need soap or disinfectant in the middle of a deadly pandemic. The one that shoots first and asks questions later. The one that systemically plants evidence. The one that takes performs "parallel con…

No system is perfect.

Re illegal immigration in Japan:

"Many of the [Japan's] detention practices—including indefinite detention, lack of transparency regarding detention at ports of entry, and the detention of asylum seekers—have been repeatedly criticized by the international community as well as national civil society."

https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/countries/asia-pacifi...

"Japanese TV program turns migrant raids and deportations into entertainment" https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-10-26/japanese-tv-program-t...

Re: U.S. arrests former Green Beret, son, in connection with Ghosn escape from Japan

#114

Post by ciarannolan » Wed, May 20, 2020, 4:50 PM UTC

braythwayt wrote: post #64

pnw_hazor wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Japanese criminal justice system is not up to first world standards. "The litany of violations that commonly take place while the detainee is in daiyou kangoku would befit places such as China, Turkey, or the Israeli occupied West Bank. Detainees are subject to extremely long (e.g. over twelve hours) questioning sessions, designed to wear them down. Sleep deprivation is common, as is the deprivation of adequate f…

Hello, have you met the US Criminal Justice System? No, not that one. I mean the system used for the poor and/or coloured and/or from a "shithole country." The one that cages children and has decided that prisoners do not need soap or disinfectant in the middle of a deadly pandemic. The one that shoots first and asks questions later. The one that systemically plants evidence. The one that takes performs "parallel con…

> Hello, have you met the US Criminal Justice System?

Curious why you felt the need to inject this "but America" argument into this thread?

The two men arrested aren't charged with any crimes in America. They will be dealing with the Japanese justice system once extradited. Fighting extradition from the US has nothing to do with "poor and/or coloured" people or whatever bizarre argument you're trying to make.

Re: U.S. arrests former Green Beret, son, in connection with Ghosn escape from Japan

#115

Post by tomjakubowski » Wed, May 20, 2020, 4:51 PM UTC

0culus wrote: post #98

ggamecrazy wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe inside the special operations community, Navy Seals, especially Team 6, gets a lot of flak for the amount of insider content that comes out [1]. Perhaps some of the lessons may apply to the tech community as well. I found this quote resonating well even for myself and tech, specifically for the adoration of tech leaders: "It’s easy to fall in love with oneself, but this is not about us...It cannot be about…

Just to be certain, you realize that Duffel Blog is a satire site, right?

The article is an example of the flak Seals get for publishing and embellishing their stories.

Re: U.S. arrests former Green Beret, son, in connection with Ghosn escape from Japan

#116

Post by tomjakubowski » Wed, May 20, 2020, 4:53 PM UTC

cosmodisk wrote: post #66

blantonl wrote: post #63

It's been extremely disturbing to see how much the culture of special operations military has changed in the past 20 years. Previously, Navy Seal and Green Berets operated in silent, keeping the sausage making of military special operations quiet and secret, just doing their duty. Now, it seems like every Navy SEAL now publically writes a book, sponsors a coffee line, or slaps their name, likeness and story all over…

Because they are fed up with making pennies. It's the case in pretty much every country,only in the US they tend to have a little bit more so called opportunities because of mass obsession about anything military related. In my own country the guys from special forces take unpaid holidays and go abroad for some lucrative private contracts because the government pays peanuts.

Why don't they just learn to code?

Re: U.S. arrests former Green Beret, son, in connection with Ghosn escape from Japan

#117

Post by ciarannolan » Wed, May 20, 2020, 4:54 PM UTC

_jal wrote: post #39

smcl wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I haven't read a great deal about them in the papers, but what I have read is that they have a frighteningly high conviction rate - meaning that either - the police are really good at finding the perpetrators of crimes - the state are really careful about only taking cases to trial they are extremely confident they can win - ... or that simply being tried in court sufficient for convince everyone judges and/or juries…

The US Federal conviction rate is only a few percentage points lower. And as a US citizen, I can assure you it is not the first in our case.

No, it's actually not even close. [1]

>In the United States federal court system, the conviction rate rose from approximately 75 percent to approximately 85% between 1972 and 1992.[13] For 2012, the US Department of Justice reported a 93% conviction rate.[14] In 2000, the conviction rate was also high in U.S. state courts. Coughlan, writing in 2000, stated, "In recent years, the conviction rate has averaged approximately 84% in Texas, 82% in California, 72% in New York, 67% in North Carolina, and 59% in Florida."[15]

>In 2018, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that among defendants charged with a felony, 68% were convicted (59% of a felony and the remainder of a misdemeanor) with felony conviction rates highest for defendants originally charged with motor vehicle theft (74%), driving-related offenses (73%), murder (70%), burglary (69%), and drug trafficking (67%); and lowest for defendants originally charged with assault (45%).[16]

Compare this to:

> The criminal justice system of Japan has been referred to as a form of "hostage justice" (hitojichi-shiho), including in an appeal by 1010 Japanese professors, lawyers, and other legal professionals.[8] Collin Jones, a professor at Doshisha Law School in Kyoto, notes that the system has a conviction rate commonly described as 99.9%, but that the rate is, in fact, closer to 99.4%.[9][10][verification needed] Jones agrees with the group of legal professionals petitioning for change that practices such as interrogating suspects without counsel or charge for up to 23 days, not requiring the disclosure of exculpatory evidence, or of relationships between prosecutors and the courts increases the likelihood of convictions;[9][8] these professionals are unequivocal in their belief in the issue continues despite reforms, and that the system contributes to wrongful conviction:

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conviction_rate

Re: U.S. arrests former Green Beret, son, in connection with Ghosn escape from Japan

#118

Post by samdamsamm » Wed, May 20, 2020, 4:54 PM UTC

godzillabrennus wrote: post #99

pmoriarty wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

" It's made a complete mockery of what has always been a silent service and honorable job" Killing people and enabling the mass murder machine that is the military is not and has never been honorable.

John Brown’s zeal in the cause of freedom was infinitely superior to mine. Mine was as the taper light; his was as the burning sun. I could live for the slave; John Brown could die for him. The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against s…

Second to the slaves who produced this country, John Brown is probably the greatest American hero.

Re: U.S. arrests former Green Beret, son, in connection with Ghosn escape from Japan

#119

Post by demosthenes14 » Wed, May 20, 2020, 4:56 PM UTC

Mirioron wrote: post #107

eloisius wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is also how Los Zetas formed. A bunch of elite soldiers figured out they could make a lot more money as enforcers for drug cartels.

If you think about it, it's a bit odd that there are so few mercenaries in this day and age. When you look back on history then from what I can tell, mercenaries were much more common.

What makes you think there are so few? Mercenaries are basically representing both America and Russia in Syria right now.

Re: U.S. arrests former Green Beret, son, in connection with Ghosn escape from Japan

#120

Post by poof131 » Wed, May 20, 2020, 4:56 PM UTC

blantonl wrote: post #63

It's been extremely disturbing to see how much the culture of special operations military has changed in the past 20 years. Previously, Navy Seal and Green Berets operated in silent, keeping the sausage making of military special operations quiet and secret, just doing their duty. Now, it seems like every Navy SEAL now publically writes a book, sponsors a coffee line, or slaps their name, likeness and story all over…

The privatization of the military is one of the most corrupt and corrosive things our country has done in a while. I flew F-18s for the Navy and did a ground tour in Iraq with Special Forces. Look at the pay grades in 2020.[1] E3-E6 are making about $25-40k in salary. With some hazard pay and Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and Subsistence (BAS), depending on where you live (if not in the barracks) maybe you are making $50k. A decade ago, the contractors who took none of the risks of going on ops and were just training Iraqis were clearing $1k a day. I also saw contract pilots clearing $20k+ a month. This pay differential is morale destroying and trains people to think in market terms regarding skills that shouldn’t have a market outside of government. Now we have private armies going on offensive operations (Venezuela). But this is what the owners of the contracting firms always wanted. Privatizing a military is dumb but I guess so is outsourcing your medical supply chain, an overabundance of short-term bottomlinism the past few decades.

1. https://militarybenefits.info/2020-military-pay-charts/