SADAT: The Turkish mercenaries who support Islamist groups

Editor’s note: This article was written by Eren Ersozoglu and originally published on Grey Dynamics.  This Grey Dynamics African Intelligence Article analyses the SADAT paramilitary group, and the political de facto implications placed on Turkish-African relations and security amid an increase in cooperation between Turkey and African states. Turkey’s private military contractor, SADAT, has been conducting military […]

Right-wing extremists in German SOF? Here’s how individual extremism looks in the US

In light of recent reporting addressing the prevalence of right-wing extremism in Germany’s top special operations unit, the Kommando Spezialkrafte (KSK), it is useful to examine the radicalization profiles of individuals in the United States. While not framed for comparison here, the discussion of individual extremism in the U.S. does offer value as various online-derived […]

The Immortals: Iran’s elite cyberwarfare unit

This article was written by Jeremy Walker and originally published on Grey Dynamics. The threat posed by Iranian cyber actors has been a growing concern for the past decade, yet people have yet to see the destructive capabilities these actors could produce. Iran can affect global infrastructure, drag out and disrupt a potential Middle East […]

Strategic mindfulness for operational success

Mindfulness is all the rage right now. Yet, the idea of being mindful — the ability to be fully present — is not a new concept in the warrior culture. As Togo Shigekata, who was a samurai from the Satsuma domain, noted, “One finds life through conquering the fear of death within one’s mind. Empty […]

The top 4 things you need to know about intelligence gathering and use

Inscribed on the CIA’s original headquarters in Langley is a passage from the Gospel of St. John: “And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” This unofficial Agency motto alludes to the truth and clarity that intelligence provides to decision-makers, similar to the “knowledge is power” mantra. But what happens […]

Reducing global poverty is difficult but doable

Global poverty is a complex issue that has long plagued the world. There exists no interchangeable template to fix poverty throughout the world. Strategies that work in the U.S. will not necessarily work in places like Africa or the Middle East. One could argue that the principles to combat poverty are more or less the […]

Russia in West Africa: Trying to replace the West?

Editor’s note: This article was written by Ana Maria Baloi and originally published on Grey Dynamics. This report examines the likelihood of a Russian power projection in West Africa, based on the country’s ambitions, military doctrine and previous and current actions in other parts of the continent Key Judgements KJ-1: Russia’s interest in Africa is […]

The Russian bounties and the danger of politicizing intelligence

SOFREP recently identified the problems surrounding the bombshell New York Times piece claiming a secret Russian military intelligence unit was offering Afghan militants bounties to kill US troops. Namely, if the intelligence is true and accurate, why was no action taken to hold Russia accountable? This damning intelligence report was allegedly briefed to President Trump […]

Why defunding the police won’t work

With all of the turmoil in the country regarding police violence and police’s relationship with citizens, it has become clear that there are many issues contributing to the underlying problem — some of which may not be as apparent to those not serving in law enforcement. I propose several thoughts and solutions to this problem. […]

India vs China, who would the US support in a conflict?

Following a savage clash in the Sino-Indian border, thousands of Chinese and Indian troops have been in a standoff within the Ladakh region, high within the Himalayas. On June 6, the two countries reached an agreement to de-escalate by the mutual withdrawal of troops from the Galwan Valley. That agreement went dramatically wrong on June […]