The Crossroads of Special Operations
Special Finds
Worst Fears of Iranian Dissidents in Afghanistan Realized After Arrests, Killing | Radio Free Europe
The Afghan government, supported by the Taliban, has detained two Iranian dissidents.
On 14 May, the Taliban purportedly captured two Iranian dissidents in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, according to sources. After the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, a limited number...
Special Finds
How Strong Is Al-Qaeda? A Debate | War on the Rocks
The nucleus of al-Qaeda has not conducted a single successful strike.
September 11, 2001, Al-Qaeda attacks resulted in substantial policy changes and dominated U.S. politics. The United States initiated various harsh anti-terrorism initiatives, including the deployment of armed drones to...
Special Finds
Lasers, water landings, crewless ops: Upgrades are coming for the C-130 family | Air Force Times
The Special Operations Command of the United States evaluates high-energy lasers' efficacy.
KC130J Super Hercules and MC-130J Commando II are testing with high-energy lasers, amphibious landing, and takeoff. If successful, the effort of the U.S. Special Operations Command might lead...
Special Finds
Sailors are deserting the Navy at a ‘staggering’ rate | Task and Purpose
Navy authorities analyze the unprecedented number of sailors leaving the military to understand this anomalous occurrence.
The Navy lost 157 sailors in 2018, compared to 98 in 2020 and 63 in 2019. Navy authorities could not explain the rise of...
Special Finds
Strike Devastates Palace of Culture in Ukrainian City of Lozova | NT News
After a significant bombing, refugees were evacuated, and seven people were wounded.
According to emergency services, seven individuals, including a youngster of 11 years old, were hurt in the attack on May 20. The 1977-built Palace of Culture in Lozova...
Special Finds
UN: 18 million people facing severe hunger in Sahel region | Al Jazeera
Eighteen million people in Africa are threatened by the worst food catastrophe in a decade.
In the next three months, 18 million people in the Sahel area of Africa risk acute starvation, according to the United Nations. Since 2014, a...
Special Finds
New rounds, new small arms make special operators’ firepower wish list | Military Times
Details on a proposal to replace handguns and modern machine guns are forthcoming.
The next machine gun should have the power, range, and accuracy of a.50 caliber machine gun in the size of an M240 machine gun for a platoon....
Special Finds
Ukrainian defenders destroy large Russian ammunition depot in Izium – General Staff | Ukrayinska Pravda
Ukrainian Forces have been recapturing towns and halting Russian expansion.
Russia is attempting to halt the Defense Forces' onslaught north of the city of Kharkiv and prevent them from reaching the Ukrainian state boundary. The Russians have primarily focused on...
Special Finds
Foreboding Army PSYOPS recruitment video shows ‘who’s pulling the strings’ | Army Times
The Army unveiled a new recruitment video for its psychological operations career sector this month. The video has a somewhat unsettling, weird atmosphere. It shifts from a video of contemporary cities, a forest, and a black-and-white cartoon to a...
Special Finds
A Ukrainian unit had to retreat under Russian fire. Its captain stayed and died protecting his troops | Globe and Mail
May 7 saw the passing of Volodymyr Kiselov somewhere in the Kharkiv region. His troop of elite soldiers, members of the Security Service of Ukraine's (SBU) renowned Alpha Group, successfully retreated to a more secure location. However the retreat...
Latest News
How Taiwan’s Special Forces Would Fight China (Thanks To America) | 1945
The Naval Special Warfare Command is reevaluating to establish a new combat force and is soliciting feedback.
The Naval Special...