Pics of Gen. Osman with bodyguards

[papabear]

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Henry P. Osman, left, adjusts his hat as he escorted by unidentified bodyguards before a news conference in Salahuddin, Iraq (news - web sites) which is controlled by Kurdistan Democratic Party KDP, Monday, March. 24, 2003. Osman said U.S. forces have arrived in northern in Iraq and he will oversee coordination of humanitarian and military operations in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. (AP Photo/Hasan Sarbakhshian) credits same for all photos

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030324/capt.1048522166.iraq_war_us_xhs103.jpg

I'm not going to add the captions for the rest--it is said that the bodyguards are US Marines.

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030324/capt.1048521457.iraq_war_us_xhs102.jpg

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030324/capt.1048520115.iraq_war_us_xhs101.jpg

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030326/capt.1048692088.iraq_us_war_xhs102.jpg

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030326/capt.1048692522.iraq_war_us_xhs101.jpg

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030326/capt.1048692586.iraq_war_us_xhs104.jpg

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030326/capt.1048693611.iraq_war_us_xhs106.jpg

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030326/capt.1048692236.iraq_us_war_xhs105.jpg

[JTFazz]

I know there has been some conjecture about these guys. I was looking through some of the new spec ops photos today and ran across what appeared to be spec ops personnel at a news conference of some sort.

I spotted what I think are these two guys in the photos... you judge for yourselves. And be kind, this is my first post to these discussion forums.
http://pto4.com/specops.jpg

[papabear]

Sharp eyes!

[Piccolo]

Just speculation (As I have nothing solid to go on) but I think those CP guys might just be door kickers. If these guys were Marines, especially SOC/SOF guys, couldn't they get MARPAT? Any idea on that pistol in the holster btw? Looks kinda like a M9, not sure though.

[JTFazz]

Just speculation (As I have nothing solid to go on) but I think those CP guys might just be door kickers. If these guys were Marines, especially SOC/SOF guys, couldn't they get MARPAT? Any idea on that pistol in the holster btw? Looks kinda like a M9, not sure though.
Well, in the photos section, it was a pretty solid consensus these guys are Delta or SEALS. My guess is Delta as they were tasked in Gulf War I and in Afghanistan as body guards for key coalition commanders. Thier body armor, eye wear, sleeve patch pockets and other things suggest they are Delta or other SOF.

[robwarrior]

they look delta to me.. what made me notice was the condition of their hair.. im not in the marines but i know active duty marines are suppose to get marine crop buzz cuts right?? (hope we could get a marine to confirm this) and if they are marines this would be the first time i see em carrying m4's wd all that attachments to em. whenever i see a picture of a marine in Iraq or Afghnistan i usually see em cradelling (spelling??)their A2s or M203s :roll: ???

[robwarrior]

and caps too shouldt they be wearing the marine cap like the that guy theyre protecting is wearing??

[globe]

Are those harris bipods or something hanging under the foregrip?

[...]

What makes everyone so sure they are military? Supposedly Delta is not that big don't you think they have more important things to be doing? I personally think they are something along the lines of State Department or Secret Service.

[budanski]

Deltas are probably preoccupied with operations inside Baghdad.

[virtualpender]

DEVGRU probably. Their sidearms look like SIG Mk 24. Definitely not DSS - those guys wouldn't be assigned to protect a US military officer in a combat zone.

[PSYWAR1-0]

I have confirmed thru buds still on AD that these guys part of the Centcom CINCIEF Company.

[MK133]

Skoal or Kodiak?

"I wish I was in DEVGRU!"
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030326/capt.1048692522.iraq_war_us_xhs101.jpg


Are they with CNN? I mean an AK 47 chest pouch with AR's? Matching hats? Harris bipods for a carbine? LOL!

[Merik]

I think they are Green Berets.Task Force Dagger was ordered as a security force after they succeeded thier missions in Afghanistan.

[JTFazz]

In response to ... . I will say again that it is fairly well known that Delta operatives provided "executive" type protection for key commanders in the last two major conflicts, Gulf I and Afghanistan. To say they are state department or secret service is pretty ridiculous. CIA perhaps...

Secondly, I have said elsewhere that DEVGRU is also a distinct possibility. But they, too, are farily small and would be available for similar tasking as Delta. SFOD-Delta has around 450 total men in its three "squadrons" and could certainly spare a handful for this task.

Although I have been out for 12 years now, USACIDC was typically tasked with "executive protection." It is a fair possibility that these guys could also be CID SAs part of a special protection detachment.

But, I will stick with my original assertions in other posts that they are mostly likely Delta or DEVGRU.

[Chops]

Yeah I agree with Virtual- Mk 24 (P226) usually means DEVGRU. Plus check out some of the similar images of CAG/DEVGRU- the bipods aren't that unusual.

Rgds

Chops

[papabear]

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20030411/capt.sge.uhg04.110403085527.photo00.default-384x257.jpg

If it is the same guy, I think he needs to shave his mustache. :D --He's being too easy to recognize. If it's not him... :oops:

Caption reads:

US special forces patrol in the city of Kirkuk after US and Kurdish forces seized northern Iraq (news - web sites)'s key oil city(AFP/Joseph Barrak)

[Duke]

MK yeah..."A little pinch between my cheek and gums....

[JTFazz]

Saw what had to be a Delta operator in a video clip today providing protection for the commander of the 3ID. He was wearing a "Protec" type half-head helmet with a 3-color desert cover. First time I had seen that in the war coverage.