Map of Middle East - Middle East News Update

Middle East News Update – SOF News

August 20, 2016 SOF News 0

Middle East News Update. A combination of news reports over the past week about the Middle East, Syria, Libya, Yemen, State Department failure in Iraq, Russia bombing Syria from Iranian air bases, and (not so smart) recruits for the Islamic […]

Map of Afghanistan (CIA) - Afghanistan News

Afghanistan News Update – SOF News

August 19, 2016 SOF News 0

Afghanistan news – Topics include SOF burning the candle at both ends, contractors in Afghanistan, National ID card, Afghan documentary on Helmand province, and Afghan mental health issues. US SOF Burning Both Ends of Candle in Afghanistan. Phillip Lohaus, a […]

Special Operations Command (SOCPAC). Photo from 2016 USSOCOM Factbook

SOF News Update for 20160816

August 16, 2016 SOF News 0

SOF News Update for August 16, 2016: India’s special forces, WWII female spy passes away, Taliban gaining ground in northern Afghanistan, and more. Info on India’s Special Forces. India has a number of elite forces – one of which is […]

Map Northern Iraq

Mosul Reconstruction? What Role for USAID?

August 15, 2016 John Friberg 0

With the re-capture of Ramadi and Fallujah, Iraq it was discovered that there was a lot of humanitarian assistance and reconstruction required. Whether this aid is being delivered effectively is still in doubt. The re-capture of Mosul, Iraq’s second largest […]

Map Estonia

SOF News Update – August 15, 2016

August 15, 2016 SOF News 0

SOF News Update: Gen Dunford interview, how Afghans flee to Europe, Helmand province threatened, book review of “Tribes”, Russia and Political Warfare, Afghan interpreters punished yet again, 1st Special Service Force honoured, and Russian aggression in Estonia. Russian Aggression in […]

Map of Afghanistan (CIA) - Afghanistan News

Special Operations News Update – 20160814

August 14, 2016 SOF News 0

Leader of ISIS in Afghanistan Killed by U.S. An airstrike in July by the United States killed Hafiz Sayed Khan, the head of the Islamic State’s branch in Afghanistan. Read more in a news report by USA Today, August 12, 2016. […]

Special Operations Warrior Foundation SOWF

Special Operations Update for 20160813

August 13, 2016 SOF News 0

SOF News Update: Ventura pursuing suit to Supreme Court, who founded the Islamic State, who is the Syrian Opposition, GWOT, new cdr for SOCSOUTH, generals in politics, and Air Force pilot shortage. Operation EPIC 2016. Learn how the Special Operations […]

Map Middle East North Africa

Special Operations News Update – 20160812

August 12, 2016 SOF News 0

SOF News Update. The fracturing of the Arab world, US asks India for military assistance in Afghanistan, the grinding fight against ISIS in Libya, and more. How the Arab World Came Apart. Scott Anderson has provided us with a very […]

Leapfest 2016. Photo by SSG Quentin Davis, Army NG

Special Operations News Update – 20160811

August 11, 2016 SOF News 0

SOF News Update: Kidnappings in Kabul, DoDIG report on SOCAfrica, new Intel manual, Afghanistan, Libya, and . . . of course, SEALs. Two Westerners Kidnapped in Kabul. Two American University of Afghanistan faculty members were kidnapped at gunpoint. The American and […]

Map Northern Iraq

Mosul Endgame?

August 10, 2016 John Friberg 0

So  . . . the Iraqi forces (might as well say the ‘Golden Division’) will soon capture Mosul – Iraq’s second largest city now controlled by ISIS. So what happens after the capture? We know that the Iraqi forces (spearheaded […]

CIA's 'Elephant Counter' Used in Vietnam War

SOF News Update for 20160810

August 10, 2016 SOF News 0

SOF News Update Topics: We like football, they like soccer; airborne & SOF books, CIA’s ‘Elephant Counter’, Paratrooper Leapfest competition, endgame in Libya, SAS in Syria, DoD IG report on JIDA, TV documentary on India’s paratroopers, CENTCOM ‘cooked the books’ […]

Libya Maps and Flag

SOF in Libya – Providing Direct Support

August 9, 2016 John Friberg 0

Recent news reports from major news outlets (New York Times, Washington Post, and others) are reporting that U.S. SOF in Libya is providing direct support to Libyan militia groups fighting the Islamic State. The area of the fighting is in the […]

NATO SOF: CT Capability Needed?

August 8, 2016 John Friberg 0

Does the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Special Operations Forces (SOF) need a Counterterrorism (CT) capability? Currently the three mission sets for NATO SOF are Direct Action (DA), Special Reconnaissance (SR), and Military Assistance (MA). For many years NATO SOF has […]

SOF News Update – 20160808

August 8, 2016 SOF News 0

Islamic State Showcase Captured ID Card & Equipment. It appears that (somehow) the Islamic State have managed to come into the possession of some U.S. combat equipment (rucksack, bullets, radio, etc.) and two I.D. cards belonging to a U.S. Army SP4. […]

SOF Soldier in Afghanistan

SOF News Update – 20160807

August 7, 2016 SOF News 0

Top Ten Special Forces Groups in World. The SpecOps website has rated the “Top 10 Most Dangerous Special Forces Around the World”. In the mix are the Irish Army Ranger Wing, SAS, Delta, MJK, and six others. View the list […]