A recent book, The CIA War in Kurdistan, details the activities of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in northern Iraq before and during the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in early 2003. The main ground effort of OIF would take place in the south of Iraq from countries along the southern Iraqi border. However, the overall conquest of Iraq would be aided by military action that would take place in northern Iraq.

Small contingents of the Central Intelligence Agency and U.S. Army Special Forces were sent in to northern Iraq before the ground war began to link up with the Kurds that lived in that region. The CIA and SF elements were to liaison with the Kurds, assess the situation, gather intelligence, train the Peshmerga, and later assist and advise them during combat operations. In addition, plans included providing assistance to the 4th Infantry Division (ID) as it rolled from Turkey into northern Iraq. This would open up a second front that the Iraqi army would have to contend with – tying down Iraqi ground troops in northern Iraq and preventing them from reinforcing the Baghdad area of operations.

The plan to assist the 4th ID went up in smoke when Turkey refused access to the unit. The 10th Special Forces did manage to get the bulk of its forces into the region via a high-risk air movement. Eventually the 173rd Airborne Brigade (based in Italy) also deployed to the region. The CIA and SF teams, linked up with formations of the Peshmerga, began operations to liberate the towns and cities of northern Iraq.

Sam Faddis, the author of The CIA War in Kurdistan, was named to head a CIA team that would enter Iraq, prepare the battlefield, work with US Special Forces teams, and assist with the entry of the 4th ID and other military units. He details the preparation of his team prior to deployment, the difficulties his team encountered in working with the Turks, and the initial reception and ultimate acceptance by the Peshmerga. His CIA team would be on the ground in Iraq for almost a year.

Much of his book is about working with the Kurds. He provides insight into the rivalry between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). A brief history of Kurdistan and its relationship with the central Iraqi government is provided. He also includes information about the past relationship between the Kurds and the US. There was some initial hesitation on the part of the Kurds to work with the CIA and SF teams – which he and others had to overcome.

Faddis details some of the significant mistakes made by the U.S. in the first year of the war. He believes that the Iraqi ground troops were ready to surrender its forces in northern Iraq but U.S. military officers spurned the offer. He also mentions the disastrous effects of de-Baathification and dismantling of the police and military units of the Iraqi security forces – decisions made by the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad. Faddis doesn’t pull any punches and is very blunt in his comments about the CIA bureaucracy back in Langley.

The 10th Special Force Group had established the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – North (CJSOTF-N). The SF group was augmented with the 173rd and other conventional and unconventional organizations – totaling over 5,000 personnel. The unit, also referred to as Task Force Viking, conducted artillery observation, direct action, special reconnaissance, unconventional warfare missions, and other missions. Faddis provides his perspective on the activities and accomplishments of the 10th Special Forces Group in northern Iraq during this time. This includes comments on the working relationship between the CIA teams and the SF detachments and SF command structure.

The book is chronological in nature following the timeline of major events taking place in northern Iraq in 2002 and 2003. Faddis manages to cover most of the important aspects of those two years in his book. He recounts the hunt for weapons of mass destruction, difficulties in working with the Turks, the use of propaganda, promises made and not kept, the battle to defeat Ansar al-Islam, training the Kurdish forces, some intelligence activities conducted, the air war, and the taking of Kirkuk and Mosul.

The CIA War in Kurdistan is a good read. A conflict as large as Operation Iraqi Freedom will get a lot of media and book coverage over the course of time. However, thus far, the war that took place in northern Iraq during OIF has not received much print. Faddis provides an account of that aspect of OIF.

About the Author. Sam Faddis is a retired CIA officer and former US Army combat arms officer. He spent decades undercover in the Middle East and South Asia. He retired from the CIA in 2008 as head of the CIA’s WMD anti-terrorism unit.

The CIA War in Kurdistan: The Untold Story of the Northern Front in the Iraq War, by Sam Faddis, Casemate, Philadelphia & Oxford, 2020. Available in hardcover and audio.

This article was first published by SOF News on January 26, 2021.

By Thomas G. Pledger.

Current United States counterterrorism strategy concentrates on retribution over network targeting. These different lines of effort, retribution and network targeting, compete for limited resources on an ever-expanding battlefield. Not only do these lines of effort compete for resources from each other, but they also compete for resources from all other military operations globally.

Retribution is the direct targeting of a group’s senior leaders for a kill or capture mission. Retribution operations are often seen as the delivery of justice for attacks against civilians. Retribution satisfies the emotional desire to directly target those who inspired and directed violent attacks (i.e., Osama bin Laden) and the American public’s desire for a personal response.

Network targeting, however, is the daily grind of defeating the logistics and communications networks that violent extremist organizations build in order to enable and conduct operations. Targeting these networks can be conducted via direct military operations, and / or the use of interagency, or partner nation assets. Understanding the effects retribution or network targeting have on a violent extremist organization long-term capability is crucial to understanding which type of operations should receive the priority of limited resources.

Over the past 30 years, multiple countries have conducted retribution operations around the world. Most notably, the US mission against Osama Bin Laden in 2011. Other recent US operations include Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi (AQ-I, 2006) and Abu Ayyub Al-Masri (Daesh, 2010). Israel and other countries have conducted retribution operations against violent extremist organizations around the world. A shortlist of high valued individuals targeted by Israel includes: Khalil al-Wazir (PLO, 1988), Fathi Shaqaqi (PIJ, 1995), Ahmed Ismail Yassin (Hamas, 2004) and Ahmed Jabari (Hamas, 2012). Even while suffering successful retribution operations, Hamas’s operational reach and capability have increased. Equally, Daesh continued to spread after the targeting of Zarqawi and Masri and went onto create a safe haven in Iraq and Syria.

During major combat operations, conventional forces target logistics and communication networks in an effort to prevent, delay, and limit effective adversary military actions. Destroying these nodes breaks the links, which allow communication and movement of supplies to opposition military forces. Looking at the historic aspects of attacking an adversary’s logistic networks, multiple effective examples stand out, using both lethal and non-lethal effects. The shock and awe of the first Gulf War against the Iraqi Army was the ultimate recent example of network targeting. Thirty-nine days of airstrikes, against networks, enabled a 100-hour ground campaign.

Similarly, targeting the networks of violent extremist organizations has proven effective at limiting violent extremist organization operations. Operation Christmas and Operation Rivers of Light are examples of non-lethal operations against a violent extremist organization. Conducted in 2010 and 2011 against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People’s Army (FARC), specifically FARC transportation networks. Operation Christmas and Operation Rivers of Light effectively removed over 500 guerrillas from the battlefield without firing a shot, including a FARC Commander, a key bomb-maker, and a large cache of weapons. Driving the FARC to the negotiation table in 2012.

The key then becomes finding which Nodes to attack, individuals, physical locations, infrastructure, or some other target or combination thereof. Much research has been conducted on social network analysis and link analysis. Research coming from the University of Maryland illustrated the effectiveness of nodal network targeting to decrease the lethality of violent extremist organizations. This research has shown statistically that retribution operations can create more aggressive or effective violent extremist organizations. In contrast, operations against mid to upper level “staff” will reduce the effectiveness of these same violent extremist organizations. [1] Moving beyond this research, the removal of these mid-level staff by capture operations provides an additional information source for future operations against all levels of the violent extremist organization.

Network targeting is not meant to replace the retribution targeting of high valued individuals. Targeting of the facilitation networks is designed to augment high valued individual targeting by placing indirect pressure on the high valued individuals and reducing the ability of both centralized and decentralized violent extremist organizations to conduct effective operations. Reducing or stopping the number and frequency of violent actions is the goal of any counterterrorism policy.

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[1] Spezzano, Francesca, V. S. Subrahmanian, and Aaron Mannes. “Reshaping Terrorist Networks.” Communications of the ACM 57, no. 8 (2014): 60-69. Accessed February 20, 2019. doi:10.1145/2632661.2632664

Photo: AMQ-9 Reaper armed with GBU-12 Paveway II laser guided munitions and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles flies a combat mission over southern Afghanistan. (USAF photo / Lt. Col. Leslie Pratt).

**********

Thomas G. Pledger is an Army Infantry Officer currently serving at the Army National Guard Directorate in Washington, DC.  Tom has deployed to multiple combat zones supporting both the Conventional and Special Operations Forces.  Tom holds a Master in Public Service and Administration from the Bush School of Public Administration at Texas A&M University and a Master of Humanities in Organizational Dynamics, Group Think, and Communication from Tiffin University, and three Graduate Certificates from Texas A&M University in Intelligence, Counterterrorism, and Military Policy and Defense Affairs.  Tom has been a guest lecturer at the Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute.  Tom’s current academic and professional research is focused on a holistic approach to counter-facilitation/network, stability operations, and unconventional warfare.

SOF News Update 20180409 – Philippine’s AFP Socom is back, new cdr for 193rd SOSFS, pilots killed in Ft Campbell chopper crash, SOCOM’s WMD mission, how the assassins got their name, Marine Raider receives Silver Star, French SOF, GMV 1.1 for U.S. SOF, DoS to participate in Flintlock 2018, 1st Special Service Force – 75 years, British SOE, SOG vet recounts his time in Vietnam, HC-130J to CA ANG, film “Beirut”, “Ballad of the Green Beret” (by Cheers), and more.

Philippine’s AFP Socom is back. The Armed Forces of the Philippines Special Operations Command (AFP Socom) has been reactivated. The Philippines has unified all of its elite special units under one command. The intent is a strategy aimed at ensuring the cohesiveness of its specialized units and to improve interoperability and coordination. The United States has had special operations forces in the Philippines advising and training Philippine SOF for years. The Philippine Army’s Special Forces Regiment, Scout Ranger Regiment, and the Light Reaction Regiment will become part of the AFP Socom. Read more in “The Special Operations Command is Back“, Business Mirror (PH), April 8, 2018.

Pilots Killed in Ft Campbell Chopper Crash. Two warrant officers from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade were killed when their AH-64E Apache went down during a routine training mission at Fort Campbell. (Stars and Stripes, Apr 8, 2018).

DoS in Flintlock 2018. The U.S. Department of State will participate in the AFRICOM Flintlock exercise. This annual special operations forces exercise has taken place regularly since 2005 in Africa. Approximately 1,900 service members from 20 African and Western partner nations will participate in multiple locations in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Senegal during April 2018. Read “Department of State Participation in Flintlock 2018”,  Department of State, April 6, 2018.

Film “Beirut”. In 1985 William Buckley was the CIA station chief in Beirut. He was kidnapped by Hezbollah and tortured to death. Buckley was also a Green Beret who served in Vietnam. A new movie is being released entitled Beirut about a CIA operative from Boston who is ‘retrieved’ by the Central Intelligence Agency to rescue a CIA station chief who was kidnapped in Beirut. The film is set in the 1980s and stars Jon Hamm a former CIA negotiator. Read “Tony Gilroy’s CIA kidnap thriller ‘Beirut’ comes to screen after a long wait”, Boston Herald, April 8, 2018.

SOCOM’s WMD Mission. DoD transferred the counter WMD mission from the U.S. Strategic Command to the U.S. Special Operations Command. This is a positive step according to two writers but it may not be quite enough to face the myriad challenges ahead. Read more in “The risks, and rewards, for giving the counter WMD mission to SOCOM”, Defense News, April 6, 2018.

SOG Vet Recounts His Time in Vietnam. A former Green Beret tells his story of his assignment to Command and Control South (CCS) Reconnaissance Team Auger. (Waco Tribune-Herald, April 8, 2018).

GMV 1.1 for U.S. SOF. The Ground Mobility Vehicle 1.1 is currently undergoing airborne drop testing. The GMV 1.1 is to a be an airdrop-capable, light off-road vehicle for special operations. It is designed to be internally transportable via CH-47 helicopters as well as on Air Force C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. Read “Army tests new tactical vehicle by throwing it out of a perfectly fine aircraft”, Army Times, April 6, 2018.

HC-130J to CA ANG. The California Air National Guard’s 129th Rescue Wing (RQW) has received a Combat King II combat search and rescue aircraft.  (Cision PR Newswire, Apr 6, 2018).

1st Special Service Force – 75 Years. In 1943 the First Special Service Force marched through Helena, Montana on their way to Europe to fight in the Italian campaign during World War II. The FSSF was one of the units that U.S. Army Special Forces draws on for its historical origins. Read more in “Helena’s Fearsome Force”,  Independent Record, April 6, 2018.

Marine Raider Receives Silver Star. A Marine was awarded the Silver Star for heroic actions that led to the rescue of dozens of hostages during the November 2015 terrorist attack on the Raddison Blu hotel in Bamako, Mali. (Marine Times, April 7, 2018).

Story on British SOE. During World War II a secret army of men and women were recruited for special operations and intelligence missions to fight against the German forces on the European continent. The Special Operations Executive was formed after the evacuation of British Expeditionary Forces from Dunkirk and the fall of France. (The Sun, April 6, 2018).

More SOE. The “Baker Street Irregulars” are featured in a new five-part BBC series called Secret Agent Selection: WWII. It is about 14 modern volunteers who undergo the same training that the original SOE recruits endured. (News.com.au, April 9, 2018).

Cheers and the Ballad of the Green Beret. Watch a five-minute clip of the popular show Cheers – a TV series about a bar in Boston – that features a version of the Ballad of the Green Beret. (YouTube.com).

French SOF. An recent article provides information about the special operations forces of France. Read “Special Forces: badly needed or imperious obligation?”, La Tribune, March 23, 2018.

How the Assassins Got Their Name. Read a short history about the assassins – a mix of fact and myth. (Warfare History Network, Jan 22, 2016).

New Cdr for 193rd SOSFS. The Special Operations Security Force Squadron has a new commander. (DVIDS, Apr 8, 2018).

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Photo Credit: A 10th Special Forces Group is on patrol during a raid in Alingar district, Laghman province, Afghanistan. By SGT Connor Mendez, 10th SFGA, February 17, 2018.

]]> 5751 https://sof.news/intelligence/intel-20180315/ Thu, 15 Mar 2018 05:00:29 +0000 http://www.sof.news/?p=4717 Intel Update 20180315 – importance of OSINT, Amazon’s ‘Secret Region’, new CIA director nominated, first sighting of AK-47 (CIA), DIA Director’s reading list, language training, UK’s spy poisoning drama, Virginia Hall – OSS agent, Navy sailor pardoned by Trump, Hayden [...]]]>

Intel Update 20180315 – importance of OSINT, Amazon’s ‘Secret Region’, new CIA director nominated, first sighting of AK-47 (CIA), DIA Director’s reading list, language training, UK’s spy poisoning drama, Virginia Hall – OSS agent, Navy sailor pardoned by Trump, Hayden endorses Haspel, and more.

DIA Director’s Reading List. The director’s professional reading list has three categories: leadership and professional development, history, and global analysis. See “DIA Director 2018 Professional Reading List”, Defense Intelligence Agency, March 2018.

Russia Killing Spies in the UK. So the fall out continues over the recent episode (there have been past instances of course) of Russia killing folks on Britain’s soil. As of March 14th the UK has retaliated by expelling over 23 Russian diplomats. The UK Foreign Office said that the use of a nerve agent to kill a person in Salisbury follows a well-established pattern of Russian state aggression. This is the biggest expulsion since the Cold War (the first one). And President Trump’s reaction to Russia killing folks on the soil of a NATO ally?

Navy Sailor Pardoned by Trump. A Navy sailor who had taken photos of the interior of a U.S. Navy nuclear sub was convicted and sent to prison. President Trump recently pardoned him. Read “Trump Pardoned Sailor Who Left Nuclear Sub Secrets in a Dumpster”, Code and Dagger, March 12, 2018.

Article about Virginia Hall. Hall was a Office of Strategic Services agent who infiltrated France while it was occupied by the Germans in World War II. Read her incredible story in USSOCOM’s Tip of the Spear, February 2017.

British Army Language Training. The British Army needs to revamp its language training program. Currently it is too little for the mission sets the Army has – COIN, peacekeeping operations, etc. “Using Language”, Wavell Room, May 12, 2017.

First CIA Sighting of AK-47. The legendary assault rifle of the Soviet bloc first came to the attention of the CIA in 1953. Read “A CIA Agent’s Drawing of the First A-47 Sighting”, Popular Mechanics, March 13, 2018.

New CIA Head. With CIA Director Mike Pompeo heading to lead the Department of State (after Rex Tillerson got the boot) the new CIA Director will likely be Gina Haspel. Read some comments on the new head spy by some national security observers in “Haspel Nominated to Lead CIA, Pompeo to Replace Tillerson”, The Cipher Brief, March 13, 2018. Read an older news story on Haspel by Kimberly Dozier – “New CIA Deputy Beloved by Colleagues & Attacked by Interrogation Critics”, The Daily Beast, February 2, 2017.

Pompeo’s Accomplishments. The White House is high on Pompeo – read a ‘fact sheet’ posted by the White House entitled “Mike Pompeo’s Distinguished Career as CIA Director”, White House, March 14, 2018.

Hayden Endorses Haspel. General Michael Hayden, a former director of the CIA and of the NA, speaks highly of Trump’s nominee to head up the Central Intelligence Agency. Read his article (The Hill, March 14,2018).

CIA’s ‘Black Site’ in Thailand. Some background on Gina Haspel’s involvement in a facility where GWOT detainees were subjected to “enhanced interrogation” in Thailand. “What Happened at the Thailand ‘Black Site’ Run by Trump’s CIA Pick”, GOVEXEC.com, March 14, 2018.

Some Older Intel Reports Of Interest

OSINT, The Importance Of. A former director of the Central Intelligence Agency’s Open Source Center writes on the need to increase the CIA’s (and intelligence community at large) ability to mine open source media for intelligence nuggets. Read “Open Source Information: Info Ops’ Untapped Weapon”, The Cipher Brief, November 17, 2017.

Amazon’s ‘Secret Region’. Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched a cloud service for the federal government’s intelligence community that can host software and data classified at the ‘secret’ level. Amazon is the leader in providing cloud services for the U.S. intelligence community. Read “AWS launches ‘Secret Region’ for intel customers”, Washington Business Journal, November 20, 2017.

SOF News Update 20180305 -PSYOP and Consumption Theory, SFABs, OSS Gold Medal, CT strategy, Confederate SF, OSS X-2, spies in Boston, Niger SF mission, and more.

PSYOP, TAs, and Theories. A member of the 5th PSYOP Battalion at Fort Bragg, NC discusses the role of brand loyalty with target audiences (TA) by analyzing the relationship between Consumption Theory and TA behavior. (Small Wars Journal, March 3, 2018).

SFABs and SF. The 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade is now deployed to Afghanistan. It will field about 36 combat advisor teams to brigade and kandak level for the “Train, Advise, Assist, Accompany, and Enable” (TA3E) mission. Read more on the relationship between the SFABs and Special Forces in “On the Security Force Assistance Brigade”, Partisan Source, March 2, 2018.

Book on Confederate SF. A new book available on March 5th highlights a Confederate Special Forces unit that operated behind lines (in Union Army-held areas) during the Civil War. Author D. Michael Thomas has penned Wade Hampton’s Iron Scouts. (Fairfax County Times, Mar 2, 2018).

Trump’s CT Strategy. A former senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council (2015-2017) – Joshua Geltzer – examines the President’s counterterrorism strategy. “Whatever Happened to Trump’s Counterterrorism Strategy?”, The Atlantic, March 1, 2018.

OSS X-2. On March 1, 1943 the director of the Office of Strategic Services created the Counterintelligence Division. Read the history of this secretive organization in “OSS Creates First CI Division”, Central Intelligence Agency, March 1, 2018.

North Korea’s Infiltration Subs. An interesting story about two submarines dispatched by North Korea to land commandos on South Korea territory. Both missions ended in tragedy. See “Iron Coffin: Inside North Korea’s infiltration submarine”, Asia Times, March 4, 2018.

Testimony on Niger SF Mission. A U.S. general who led the investigation into the ISIS-linked ambush of four Special Forces Soldiers in Niger will be testifying before the U.S. House on Tuesday, March 6th. See “General faces questions over Niger ambush that killed four US soldiers”, Washington Examiner, March 3, 2018.

FBNC Combatives Tournament Invitational. Fort Bragg held a combatives championship for Army members from across the United States. Several of the fight categories were won by SF Soldiers. Ft Campbell did well. Some of the events were held in the 3rd Special Forces Group Close Quarter Combatives Facility. Read “Fort Campbell prevails in Fort Bragg Combatives Tournament Invitational”, The Fayetteville Observer, March 3, 2018.

SF Soldier Remembered. A Special Forces soldier who died more than 20 years ago in a training accident is remembered by his daughter. “Fallen Fort Bragg soldier’s legacy lives on”, The Fayetteville Observer.

Spies in the Boston AO. A Professor of International Relations at Boston University and retired intelligence officer has written an article entitled “A Spy’s Guide to BU”. Some interesting history of noteworthy people in the Boston area with an intriguing intelligence background. (BU.edu, Mar 1, 2018).

Gold Medal for OSS. On Wednesday, March 21, 2018, leaders of the U.S. House and Senate will present a Congressional Gold Medal in honor of the members of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) for their historic contributions during World War II. (Speaker Paul Ryan Press Office, Mar 1, 2018).

Rev. Billy Graham’s Funeral. Donald Trump was greeted at Billy Graham’s funeral by the grandson of the religious leader – who is currently a major in the U.S. Army. (The Daily Caller, Mar 2, 2018).

Intel Update 20170726 – Book review on Dulles and WW II, Russian mafia and spies, CIA program to arm the Syrian rebels, forget James Bond – there are better spies, CIA anniversary, CIA’s “Acoustic Kitty”, Agent 110, ‘Five Eyes’ and intel sharing, and more.

Spies Better than Bond? James Jay Carafano says that the current Bond (actor Daniel Craig) is less than thrilling. He provides us with six spies who are better than the current Bond. Read “6 Spies Better Than Bond”, PJMedia.com, July 24, 2017.

CIA Anniversary. On July 26, 1947 President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947 creating the Central Intelligence Agency.

‘Five Eyes’ Intel Sharing – Needs Improvement. The intelligence sharing agreement between the U.S., UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand needs to adapt to meet the evolving threats of the 21st century. Read “The Spies of the ‘Five Eyes’ Need to Speed Up Intel-Sharing”, Defense One, June 7, 2017.

CIA’s Spy Cats – “Acoustic Kitty”. The CIA once had an idea to bug cats in order to listen in to conversations. Read more in “That Time the CIA Tried to Train Cats to be Spies”, Time.com, July 26, 2017.

CIA Director Outlines Threats and Priorities. CIA Director Mike Pompeo says that the CIA is giving more authority to field operatives and cutting excessive bureaucracy in an effort to boost intelligence operations. Read “CIA Gives More Power to Spies to Bolster Intelligence Operations”, Free Beacon, July 26, 2017.

Book Review – Agent 110. Scott Miller has written a history book on Allen Dulles and his work with Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II in Switzerland. Dulles is more famous in his role as head of the Central Intelligence Agency but he certainly made his mark with the OSS. Read a book review of Agent 110: An American Spymaster and the German Resistance in WWII,  Simon & Schuster, March 2017 in “The real spy story that is more interesting than a spy novel”, The Washington Book Review, July 21, 2017.

How Russian Operatives Work. In testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee Bill Browder gives a detailed account of how Russian agents use ‘U.S. enablers’ to accomplish their nefarious deeds. Read “Bill Browder’s Testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee”, The Atlantic, July 25, 2017.

CIA Arms to Syrian Rebels – A Secret? Almost everyone is talking about the covert (not so secret) Central Intelligence Agency program to arm ‘moderate’ Syrian rebels in their fight against the Assad regime. Prominent people like President Trump are tweeting about it and military leaders and Congress members are chatting about it with the media. Yet others – mostly Democrats and members of the left – are lamenting that these people are chatting about a secret program. The trouble with their complaints is these are usually the same folks looking for ‘transparency’ in intelligence operations. Politics. Kind of discouraging, isn’t it? Read more in “Is the covert CIA program to arm Syrian rebels still secret?”, Military Times, July 25, 2017.

Syria Update 20170721 – CIA to halt support to Syrian rebels, armored vehicles continue to move into Syria, Turkey unhappy, Russian air campaign, offensive to take Raqqa, and more.

Raqqa. The Islamic State continues to hold on to the city of Raqqa, Syria. The Kurdish-led forces – Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) – have closed on the city but resistance by ISIS has stiffened. So this may turn out to be a long, hard slog. The U.S. is assisting with the establishment of local security forces – Raqqa Internal Security Force – to take charge of the city’s security. In addition, it is working with civilian leaders to establish a local governance to fill the vacuum that will exist once ISIS is defeated.

Up-Armored Vehicles Move to Syria. Multiple reports in social media posted lately have shown convoys of flatbeds carrying armored vehicles heading from Iraq and moving into Syria. The U.S. is supplying vehicles to the Syrian Defense Forces (SDF); but it is also moving vehicles into Syria for its own forces. See “Armored US Combat Vehicles Have Been Spotted Pouring Into Syria”, Task & Purpose, July 20, 2017.

Turks Unhappy. The Turks are not pleased with the progress that the Kurds are making. They believe the YPG is aligned with Kurdish terrorist groups operating in Turkey. However, the U.S. seems to be steadfast in backing the Kurds (we shall see how long this lasts).

Russian Air Campaign. Russia continues to expand its influence in Syria. Putin (according to some critics) has co-opted the Trump administration and that appears to be yielding results. Although it says it is hitting ISIS in Syria hard with air support most of the air strikes are against anti-Assad forces. The Institute for the Study of War has provided an analysis of the recent Russian airstrikes (July 20, 2017).

FSA Loses CIA Support. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) is now on the short end of the stick. The Trump administration has decided to (bowing to pressure from Russia perhaps?) end the spy agency’s semi-covert support of the Syria rebel forces fighting the Assad regime. The program started in 2013 but never got big enough to make a difference – a case of too little, too late. Many critics of the CIA’s program say that the ‘moderate’ rebel movement has been fractured and is closely aligned with Islamic extremist and terrorist groups.

Implications of Discontinuing CIA Program. The abandonment of the FSA by the United States will force the movement to further align itself with Gulf states and Turkey. Senator John McCain and others think that Putin and Iran are big winners in this decision. Many believe that this will be the death of the anti-Assad movement. See articles below:

“Syrian Rebels Say Jihadists Likely Beneficiaries of US Halt to Arms Supply“, Voice of America, July 20, 2017

“McCain: Cutting Syria train-and-equip ‘irresponsible'”, Military Times, July 20, 2017

“In Syria, the U.S. Reversed Course”, STRATFOR, July 20, 2017

“Trump’s CIA Decision Dooms Syrian Rebels”, by Paul D. Shinkman, U.S. News & World Report, July 20, 2017.

Could the CIA Program Have Gotten Good Results? Some critics say the CIA’s program could have been successful in building up moderate rebel forces before the extremist groups took hold if started earlier – as in 2012. Anti-aircraft missles were never delivered to the rebels (probably a good thing as who knows where those would end up). In addition, the U.S. has been avoiding confrontations with Russia and Iran in Syria – so that has limited the effectiveness of the CIA’s support. Read more in “What the demise of the CIA’s anti-Assad program means”, by David Ignatius, The Washington Post, July 20, 2017.

SOF News Update 20170720 – Iraq’s CTS, Taliban have SOF FN SCAR, Australian SAS and war crimes, Wahlberg and Luttrell team up in video, CIA program in Syria halted, SWOWF Golf Tournament, Turkey reveals SF locations in Syria, Australia’s SAS in Afghanistan, female SEAL candidate, and more.

Article on Iraq’s CTS – Michael Knights and Alex Mello write up on the history and exploits of the Iraq SOF. They lay out the achievements of the special operations forces of the Iraqi army and provide recommendations for sustaining and employing the force in the future. See “The Best Thing America Built in Iraq: Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service and the Long War Against Militancy”, War on the Rocks, July 19, 2017.

SOF Locations in Syria Revealed. A Turkish state-run news agency (Anadolu Agency) published a map of 10 locations where U.S. military forces were based in Syria. Read “Turkey reveals secret US military locations in Syria”, The Hill, July 19, 2017.

Female SEAL Candidate. A female midshipman in her junior year at the Naval Academy has applied for a spot in the SEAL officer selection process for 2018. She is in the very early steps in the pipeline for special operations assessment and selection. Read more in “Navy Has First Female Applicants for SEAL Officer, Special Boat Units”, Military.com, July 19, 2017.

SOWF Golf Tournament. K2 Solutions, Inc. will be hosting the 8th Annual Special Operations Warrior Foundation Golf Tournament. The event will be held on Friday, September 8th, 2017 at the Country Club of North Carolina. Read more in a web site posting by K2 Solutions.

Task Force Dagger Recieves Award. USSOCOM has awarded the Patriot Award to the Task Force Dagger Foundation for its support to the command. Read a news release dated March 23, 2017.

Video – Taliban w/ SOF FN SCAR. A recent video posted on the Interet shows a Taliban fighter holding a FN SCAR commonly used by U.S. SOF in Afghanistan. See “How Did Taliban Fighters Get Their Hands on US Special Operations Gear”, Task and Purpose, July 18, 2017.

CIA Program in Syria Comes to an End. There were two programs (that we know of) that the United States had running to support rebels in Syria. One – backed by U.S. SOF (and conventional forces) – supported the Syrian Democratic Front (SDF) composed of Kurds (with some Arabs). The second – was a covert program run by the CIA to support rebel forces fighting the Assad regime. Russia has been pushing Trump to end the CIA program. And . . . it appears that has happened. Read “Trump ends covert CIA program to arm anti-Assad rebels in Syria, a move sought by Moscow”, The Washington Post, July 19, 2017

Aussie SAS & War Crimes? Not so Much. The Australian SAS recently came under attack by part of the Aussie press corps. But . . . one observer pushes back. Read “Australia’s Special Forces Deserve Respect – Not Cheap Shots“, Small Wars Journal, July 17, 2017.

Video on Veterans Benefit. Former-SEAL Marcus Luttrell (Lone Survivor) and actor Mark Wahlberg have joined forces in a 30-second video to spread the word about a new exchange benefit allowing active duty, retired, reserve, and Guard veterans and family members to shop online. Read more in a news report by Task and Purpose, July 18, 2017.

The 75th OSS anniversary was observed this month – on June 13th, 1942. The Office of Strategic Services was created in the early days of World War II to provide an intelligence service to the United States. Prior to World War II the business of collecting and disseminating intelligence was in the hands of elements of the armed services and foreign policy experts. The OSS was America’s first true intelligence service and would be the forerunner for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and U.S. Army Special Forces.

The OSS was established under the jurisdiction of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff. President Roosevelt appointed William Dovovan as the director of the OSS. Donovan organized the OSS so it could perform a variety of missions to include research and analysis, counterintelligence, espionage, covert operations, and paramilitary operations. Paramilitary operations were conducted by “Operational Groups” or OGs. They conducted military operations in remote areas and behind enemy lines. Jedburgh teams were formed up to operate in the European theater – many of the teams parachuted into France to support the Normandy landings in June of 1944. There were many other units and elements of the OSS that conducted a variety of mission around the world such as Detachment 101 that operated in Burma area of operations.

At the conclusion of World War II the Office of Strategic Services was disbanded. Many of its members went into civilian life while some remained in the U.S. military. Some former OSS members would soon find themselves in the U.S. Army Special Forces or the Central Intelligence Agency.

Some additional reading on the OSS anniversary:

The Glorious Amateurs: OSS Turns 75! CIA, June 18, 2017.

Director Pompeo Delivers Remarks at OSS 75th Anniversary, CIA, June 16, 2017.

Some History of the OSS in Albania during WWII, SOF News, November 14, 2016.

World War II UW – Marquis, SOE, OSS, and . . . Present UW. SOF News, November 11, 2016.

Operation CARPETBAGGER – Supporting the OSS in WWII, SOF News, August 15, 2106.

Order Establishing the Office of Strategic Services, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, June 13, 1942. Posted on The American Presidency Project, University of California Santa Barbara.

Intel Update 20170109 – gadgets that spies use, questions to be posed during CIA confirmation hearings, Trump to revamp Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), a CIA contract aircraft’s final flight, a partisan CIA, Trump and Intel, and more.

“Earthquake’s Final Flight”. The painting above by Jeffrey W. Bass was done in 2006. It was donated to the Central Intelligence Agency’s art museum (no, you can’t visit it) by the Fairchild Corporation. The painting is of the final flight of two American pilots (contracted by the CIA) and two French paratroopers who dropped resupply bundles to French fighters under siege at Dien Bien Phu, Vietnam. The day after the flight the French garrison fell to Communist Vietnamese forces. The Fairchild C-119 (with US Air Force markings painted over with French Air Force markings) was struck by anti-aircraft fire and finally crashed just over the Laotian border. Read more in a CIA description of the painting in Earthquake’s Final Flight.

Spy Gadgets. A transmitter in a shoe, camera on a pigeon, rectal storage capsule to hold ten different types of espionage tools, glasses that hold cyanide pills, and more. Check out some creative ways spies plied their trade in an article posted in The Irish Sun, January 2, 2017.

A Partisan CIA? Trumps statements of distrust about the CIA have troubled some but there are a few critics out there that say there should be concerns about the spy agency. Read “Is the CIA partisan?”, by Michael Rubin, American Enterprise Institute, December 14, 2016.

Trump’s Intelligence Feud. The Donald is getting off to a rough start with the intelligence community. He recently cited Julian Assange of Wikileaks fame as a credible source on Russian social media and cyber attacks. Hmmmm. I am not sure if the ‘tweets’ denigrating the U.S. intelligence agencies are helpful. Read “Trump Knocks U.S. Intelligence Agencies Over Russia Hacking Review”, The Wall Street Journal, January 3, 2017. See also “Trump Gives Intelligence Agencies Their Daily Briefing”, The Onion, January 3, 2017.

Re-Org of ODNI? It appears that President-Elect Donald Trump might want to change up a lead intel organization – the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Could this have something to do with LTG Mike Flynn? Read “Donald Trump Plans Revamp of Top U.S. Spy Agency”, The Wall Street Journal, January 4, 2017. (Paywall).

CIA Confirmation. The nominee, Congressman Pompeo, faces questioning on five hot topics. Interrogation, surveillance, Russian hacking, morale at the CIA, and his actions while on the Benghazi Committee. Read more in “Five hot issues for the CIA confirmation hearings”, The Hill Blog, January 1, 2017.