Mosul Endgame?
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 […]
SOF
SOF in Libya – Providing Direct Support
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?
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 […]
28th Annual SO/LIC Symposium & Exhibition
The 28th Annual SO/LIC Symposium & Exhibition will be held February 14-16, 2017 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. The event is hosted by the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA). SO/LIC, for those new to the SOF […]
Paper – “Assessing SOF Transparency and Accountability”
Jon Moran has penned a 25-page paper entitled Assessing SOF Transparency and Accountability. The report examines the type of military intervention that takes place behind the scenes or at a distance rather than on the traditional battlefield. The author, Dr Jon […]
Special Opns News Update – 20160803
Contents: Video of Rangers doing water jump & helicast, Summer Games security, Marines training with Israeli SF, Paratrooper energy bar, Afghan SF, book review, USSOCOM support contract, “Little Green Men”, iPhone Tactical Assault Kit, SEAL Delivery Vehicles, new AFSOC cdr, and […]
U.S. SOF Once again in Middle of Yemen Conflict
U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) are once again operating in Yemen. The country has seen its share of turmoil recently and in the last few years has been in the midst of a civil war. The Iranians have been supporting […]
SOF News Update – August 2, 2016
A lot a special operations forces (SOF) news today. British SAS selection, combat divers, book by a Ranger sniper, SOF vehicles, Ranger Hall of Fame, and some neat videos. Seahawks Spend Day with Combat Divers. A few players from the […]
Afghan Local Police – Assessing Afghan MoI Support for ALP
The Afghan Local Police or ALP was established by U.S. special operations forces (SOF) in 2011 in an attempt to provide local defense forces in key districts of Afghanistan. The ALP program has had limited support from the U.S. military […]
Five U.S. SOF Wounded in Afghanistan
According to recent news reports five United States Special Operations troops were wounded during combat in eastern Afghanistan. The combat casualties occurred in engagements with the Islamic State militants who have recently emerged in Afghanistan not far from the Pakistan […]
Book Review – “Ashley’s War” – CSTs in Afghanistan
A recently published book is about the Cultural Support Teams (CSTs) that supported U.S. special operations forces (SOF) in Afghanistan. The CSTs were an innovative attempt to bridge the divide between the U.S. forces combating the Taliban and the female population […]