The battle was supposed to be a quick snatch and grab of Aidid's top men, including his foreign minister and top political advisor. From beginning to end, it wasn't supposed to take more than an hour. It ended up being a day and night of close-quarters fighting with two helicopters being shot down and the convoy being re-routed by road blocks, leaving men stranded in different areas. Tactically, the UN lost 20 troops and killed ~1000+, so you could say that was a victory. But, since nothing went according to plan, the groups of Rangers and Delta Force found themselves desperately battling their way out of a city full of militia trying to kill them. Considering it was supposed to be a 30 min mission that stretched into 18 hours with 20 KIA, it was deemed a failure.