Category: Expert Analysis

This is a tough pill to swallow. Since 2003 we’ve seen the troubled city of Mosul in northern Iraq change hands numerous times.  From Saddam, to the coalition, to the government of Iraq (GOI), to ISIS, and now the city appears to be back under the nominal control of GOI, at least on paper.  Many […]

The Marine Corps hadn’t had a Special Operations unit since World War II, but all of that changed in 2003 when on June of that year, the Marine Corps and USSOCOM formed Marine Corps Special Operations Command Detachment One (MCSOCOM Det 1) to explore unit level Marine Corps participation in USSOCOM. Prior to this, Marine […]

If you want to be a proficient in long-range shooting, understanding the concept of dynamic stability is very important if you want to place accurate shots at the farthest distance possible, especially if you are shooting close to the maximum effective distance of your rifle. In this article, we’ll see how dynamic stabilization affects bullet […]

I get asked all the time “what should I do if I’m caught up in a terror attack?” There are many ways to increase your chances of survival, and one thing we can all do is incorporate appropriate kit in our everyday carry. I now have a complete set of items which will help me […]

North Korea’s progress toward developing a nuclear arsenal capable of targeting opponents as far away as the United States has long been a subject of concern for American defense officials.  Few weapons in history can illicit such a sense of dread and foreboding, but with the potential for conflict on the Korean Peninsula reaching new […]

With relatively cheap and available night vision devices, the military and police have quickly become dependent on technology.  Heck, you can’t even break into a hardware store without some day/night surveillance camera filming the whole thing.  We have even forgotten some of the things routinely taught in the Army as late as the 80’s. Even […]

China’s military is amidst a period of expansion and reorganization, which has drawn quite a bit of attention in areas like the South China Sea, but less focus has been placed on China’s growing propaganda efforts, particularly in the realm of cinema. China has rapidly become the second, or arguably even the first, most important […]

Humanity has a knack for storytelling.  Even before the invention of the written word, oral traditions, often passed down from parent to child, told stories about historical events of the past, or shaped narratives around important lessons to impart.  With the advent of written language, these stories had the opportunity to grow in complexity and […]

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are strictly those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SOFREP.com nor any of the writers and editors that work for it. I had an interesting conversation the other day with someone I know and it broached the uncomfortable […]

Despite claims coming from Russia and China about American aggression surrounding the Korean peninsula, the United States has continued to push for diplomacy after the North Korean test launch of what U.S. intelligence agencies have confirmed was a true ICBM. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson issued a statement on Tuesday calling for global support […]

I’ve been getting messaged again lately and once more, many of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) candidates’ questions center around rucking and being able to tote the big pain pill. Several have made mention that they are a bit shorter than the average candidate and they have issues with maintaining their speed without running. So, […]

Being the ‘new guy’ — or woman — in any profession, on any team, or at a new school, can be a stressful undertaking.  We all know it.  We have all been there at least once in our lives.  Take for example your trusty author, who grew up a Navy brat and attended five schools […]