Special Warfare, Special Operations and SOF (US) before Trump

[davidbfpo]

Hopefully the right thread for this.

Hat tip to al Sahwa blog for this reflective commentary on continuing US and Iraqi SOF actions - when an Iraqi warrant is required before action.

At the onset of the new year (January 2009), units deployed in Iraq could no longer capture and detain insurgents without a signed warrant from an Iraqi judge. The transition was a painful but necessary process. Collectively, we put our heads together to develop ways to prolong our pressure on the terror network under this new system. Prior to Jan 2009, if we had actionable intelligence on any insurgent, we simply put together a plan and executed it. The exploitation from the detained individual would usually lead us to our next operation. This targeting model became unsustainable post Jan. 2009.

Link:http://al-sahwa.blogspot.com/2010/04...raq-model.html

[Bob's World]

Bill,

Good comments. Often what is sold as "decaptitation" is really much more "kneecapitation" if one really looks at what is going on, targets, effects, etc.

As to debates of if policy types, Battle Space owners, or SOF leadership should have control of these target lists, the answer is probably all of the above, in a very open targeting forum that is constantly looking at the picture from many levels and perspectives and adjusting accordingly.