Re: WHAT?!
<... aside from their flashy clothing that just doesn't fit in the snake-eater world ...
Of course it does, Larry. Infantry loves flash. It's cool. And nothing is cooler than an SF-dude with flash.
I agree, though. The military would have been more low-keyed -- and I have no doubt these Bond-wannabes were actually trying to be low-key. Looking at the pix, I don't see any "flashy dressers".
"... their Afghan interpreter claimed they spoke Spanish ..."
True of false? Unknown.
Anyway, as SOP, a true covert mission from the U.S. would have included covering the aircraft's ID, and the approach to the observers and their translator would have been blocked.
Dan