No Friends But The Mountains
Once again the Kurds are cast aside. This is nothing new. Over the span of the past 100 years they have been used as proxy forces and then kicked to the side of the curb once their usefulness has run […]
2nd SFAB – Security Force Assistance Brigade
The 2nd SFAB or Security Force Assistance Brigade is scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan in early 2019. The unit was formed up in early 2018 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. It has been moving into its new compound, receiving personnel […]
Special Operations News Update 20181219
SOF News Update – unrest in Mali continues, catch and release of detainees, MND-NE is ready – says NATO, CTF in Africa, focusing on SOF ‘core values’, more airstrikes in Somalia, Bolduc on Niger mission, Saudi Arabia and militarization, helping […]
Afghanistan Conflict Update – Dec 2018
The month of December 2018 has brought news of significant events in Afghanistan. Significant in the sense that they are developments worth noting in the course of 30 days; but not so noteworthy when considered the conflict has been in […]
Special Operations News Update 20181217
SOF News Update 20181217 – A cult of lethality, review of intel processes at combatant commands, DoS back in Somalia, Mitchell (SO/LIC) on SOF, progress against jihadists in Mali, Bolton on moving AFRICOM, new SEL for USACAPOC, SF officer charged […]
Special Operations News Update 20181214
SOF News Update 20181214 – CT in Maghreb, India’s SOF, Middle East purgatory, China and Russia in Africa, LAAs for AFSOC (?), USSOCOM and ethics, Somalia piracy, CT in the Maghreb, CRS report on Syria, regional ME arms race, Mali […]
1st SFAB in Afghanistan – A Successful Deployment?
The 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade or 1st SFAB has completed its Afghanistan tour. It was in Afghanistan for much of 2018 with the mission to train, advise, and assist (TAA) the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF). The […]
Special Operations News Update 20181212
SOF News Update 20121212 – the cost of the Yemen war, future of SOF, Assad – gaining friends, IS in Iraq, Myanmar and the ARSA, UW in Syria, 1st SFGA and Menton Week, ‘good ALP’, NAVSCIATTS and LCBI, NSHQ changeover […]
Fighting the Fight We Are In
By Ajit Maan “Narratives are essential in mobilizing local actions to defeat violent extremists. Some leaders laugh nervously at this concept, and dismiss it with arrogant waves of the hand. Misperceptions about narrative and story as somehow being a squishy […]
Special Operations News Update 20181210
SOF News Update 20181210 – Afghan SOF are busy, SEAL / Raider hearing in GB death postponed, learning from our enemies, 919th SOMSG CoC, Hollywood and military movies, UDT-SEAL museum, SOF ethics review, SOCEUR’s ‘Jackal Stone’ exercise, AFSOC’s bobsledders, G5 […]
General Milley – Next Chairman of JCS
President Trump announced on Saturday, December 8, 2018 that General Mark Milley will be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Milley will replace General Joe Dunford at some point in the fall of 2019. General Milley […]
Military and National Security News – 20181208
Middle East ISIS in Iraq. Attacks by the Islamic State have increased significantly in Kirkuk and Salah ad-Dine provinces. Apparently there are some ‘security gaps’ between Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and Peshmerga units in some areas of these two provinces. […]
Special Operations News Update 20181207
SOF News Update 20181207 – SASC hearing for SOCOM nominee, job hunting for SF NCOs, ISIS in Iraq, ISIS in Syria, Yemen update, dirty bombs in SE Asia, radicalization in Central Asia, ‘remote warfare’, discontent grows in Chap, perils of […]
NLD SOCOM – Netherlands Special Operations Command
NLD SOCOM – Netherlands Special Operations Command was inaugurated on December 5, 2018 at Gilze Rijen AFB. The NLD SOCOM will enable the Netherlands to effectively plan and execute special operations whenever they are called upon. NLD SOCOM reports directly […]
Special Operations News Update 20181205
SOF News Update 20181205 – Maritime aspects of the Yemen conflict, IS in Iraq, contractor fraud at BAF, podcast on TJ18, US cyber strategy, a CIA historian, true origins of ISIS, botched IDF mission in Gaza, Iraq’s Islam, report on […]