“Kill the Enemy, But Please…Don’t Hurt His Feelings”

If this sounds strange, ludicrous and outright ridiculous…then congratulations! Welcome to our politically correct world where our leaders who send our troops into harm’s way to kill our enemies are more worried about hurting those said enemies’ feelings than they are about ensuring that our troops have everything they need to accomplish their mission and […]

Proxy warfare: The strategic dilemma of relying on proxy counterterrorism forces

Proxy warfare isn’t a new concept. It has been used since ancient times. More recently, the British used it quite successfully during the Dhofar War in Oman in the early 1970s. Special Air Service (SAS) operators trained, advised, and, perhaps, accompanied Yemeni dissenters in cross-border operations deep inside Yemen. Another example—this time of active proxy […]

“Death to America:” We finally know what Iran means by it

Since the Iranian Revolution began in 1978, the United States is known among protestors as the “Great Satan.” “Death to America” is the favorite chant of pretty much anyone who wishes to display his or her anti-American credentials, whether it’s an al-Qaeda terrorist or an Iranian politician. Now, the Iranian supreme leader finally offers some […]

Talos “Iron Man” Was Always A Pie in the Sky Option For SOCOM

Opinion: Coming back to reality was the first order of business for USSOCOM this winter. The command finally admitted that the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit or TALOS project was not even close to being a reality, which we reported after attending the SOFIC Conference in Tampa two years ago. The entire concept was flawed […]

Op-Ed: The Special Air Service, the Punisher, and political correctness

British media reports state that Special Air Service (SAS) operators were ordered to remove all Punisher patches and other similar insignias from their kits. SAS received the removal order after military VIPs visited the unit’s headquarters in Hereford, saw the skull-like emblems on troopers’ combat kits, and considered them controversial. The rationale behind the decision […]

The politics behind Navy SEAL Gallagher’s war crimes trial

Two U.S. congressmen penned a letter to President Trump on behalf of Special Warfare Operator Chief Officer Edward Gallagher, asking that he directly intervene in the court-martial proceedings of the Navy SEAL. U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-FL sent the request in an obvious attempt to turn a military trial into […]

UK Special Forces perfect their maritime counter-terrorism skills with elite aviation units

With the terrorism danger perpetually high in both the United States and Europe, Special Operations Forces (SOF) are always honing their counter-terrorism (CT) capabilities, whether in a ground or maritime environment. To respond to a terrorist incident, however, SOF units need to get there first. And that’s where elite aviation units come in. American SOF […]

UK Special Forces perfect their maritime counter-terrorism skills with elite aviation units

With the terrorism danger perpetually high in both the United States and Europe, Special Operations Forces (SOF) are always honing their counter-terrorism (CT) capabilities, whether in a ground or maritime environment. To respond to a terrorist incident, however, SOF units need to get there first. And that’s where elite aviation units come in. American SOF units […]

Navy SEALs air dirty laundry during war crimes trial

The ongoing trial of Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher over alleged war crimes is shedding light on the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) community and its cultural practices. With the trial in full swing, more details are emerging about SEAL Team 7’s Alpha Platoon deployment in Iraq in 2017. Chief Gallagher’s arrest seems to have originated by […]

From special operations to the boardroom: General McChrystal’s leadership advice

Retired General Stanley McChrystal, a former head of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and commander of all forces in Afghanistan, recently co-wrote a book on leadership, exploring what makes an effective leader. The book, “Leaders: Myth and Reality,” explores a wide range of leaders across centuries of human history. The authors’ selection of leaders […]

Prosecutors Grant Immunity to Seven SEALs in Gallagher Case

The military court-martial trial of Navy SEAL Edward Gallager took a surprising turn on Friday during the motion hearing phase. The Navy’s prosecutors have granted seven Navy SEALs immunity to testify for the prosecution at the upcoming trial Gallagher, a chief special warfare operator alleged to have murdered a wounded teenage ISIS combatant by stabbing […]