SOG groups are now broken down into tiers. Tier 2 is units like SEALs, US Army Special Forces, and the Ranger Bats. For a mission to kill or capture bin laden, this would be reserved for a tier one unit. In the US that is DEVGRU (used to be Seal team 6) or SFOD-D(Delta Force). Either one of them could have performed the mission, it likely came down to who was available at the time.
Devgru, Delta, UK/AU/NZ SAS, GSG-9, etc all cross train with each other. They are the elite of the elite. The relationship between the AU/UK SAS and US SOG has really gotten a lot closer since the GWOT started. All of these guys have been working together closely for the last 10 years tracking down these HVTs. Really, it could have been anyone.
Ok, you are a US service member and opened the door on this discussion so I assume it is fair game.
The Tier system has been blurred on several occations with the colorcoding of units.(Esp with regards to the DA Teams in USSF organized into SMU,s.)
This to the point that I doubt it is still in use today.
Old time Tier two units were also AF PJ,s and CCT Teams and RRD from the Ranger Reg´t were also classified as a Tier 2 unit.
Your list of allied SOF/SF/SOG is also alittle incomplete and/or faulty.
One example, in The Stan germany sent down KSK who sat in their compound working on their tan for 15 months because of VERY strict ROE,s imposed on them by their goverment.
Where alot smaller players in the international arena has been pulling more of the weight then usual.
One such example are Jaegerkorpset from Denmark that has proven their usefulness over and over in the rough mountainous terrain of eastern AFG.
TF K-Bar out of "TG Ferret" launched out of Kandahar.
mmarsh:
" I know the decision to maintain secrecy eliminated Special Forces from other countries like the British SAS."
Can you elaborate on this please?
How do you KNOW this?
In fact HAD twentytwo been available at the time the decision not to use them would have been a purely political one and would have NOTHING to do with OPSEC.
Infact 22 found Uday and Kusay, wanted to go in and grab them but were turned down by the american Command and Control.
The rest of that story all of us know since it were televised and included TOW missiles and gunships..A tad overkill for two guys if you ask most in the community.
But I guess it made good TV.
Edit to add:
The SMU definatly launched out of AFGH, as it turns out from exactly the same base that was the Swedish home during OP Snövind. (Operation Snowwind) back in 2002 and I for one will be very interested to hear the Pakistani and US officials explain the sat dishes (not directed at TV satelites) clearly visable on the raided house on pictures since according to officials from both nations the compound had no communications equipment..
The 4 meter wide dish is directed at aprox 12 degrees west...We all know what that means..
KJ sends...