Buh-Bye Jihadi's

It could not happen to a nicer (and I mean that sincerely) group of people. Meet your new bestest friends -- SignOn San Diego has the story:

Marines are signing up for another special role
Corps becomes part of militarywide team

A Camp Pendleton veteran is ready to lead the Marine Corps' inaugural band of "snake eaters."

Fresh from a tour there as deputy commander of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Brig. Gen. Dennis Hejlik is forming the Marine Corps' first-ever special forces command.

Hejlik was at the San Diego Convention Center yesterday to speak at the Naval Institute's West 2006 conference, which was expected to draw at least 10,000 visitors.

The Marines, who consider all in the Corps to be elite, long have resisted joining forces with commando teams such as the Navy SEALs and the Army's Green Berets.

But today, special forces get the first call in the fight against terrorists. They toppled the Taliban in Afghanistan and struck the first blows against Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

A little bit more:

"We are a very conservative organization," said retired Gen. Joe Hoar of Del Mar, who served in the Marines from 1957 to 1994. "We're not prepared to make changes just because it's fashionable. But I think the time has come."

When the Marine Corps Special Operations Command unfurls its flag next month at Camp Lejeune, N.C., only Hejlik and a few staff members will wear the unit's patch. Hejlik expects to have two companies ready for combat by year's end.

One last little bit:

Unlike traditional units, which deploy en masse and rely on brute strength, special forces are small and stealthy. They typically work in teams of about 12, often behind enemy lines. They typically speak the local language.

I am almost starting to feel sorry for those poor sons of pigs and monkeys. Get ready to greet your 72 white raisins. Heh... Here is the photo of Brig. Gen. Hejlik that accompanied the news article. Somehow, I don't picture him as being very much into appeasement and multi-culturalism: