"U.S. Special Operations Forces Deploy to 138 Nations," Topic

… 70% of the World's Countries

"Don't think the fad for "draining the swamp" began on the campaign trail with Donald Trump. It didn't, although the "swamp" to be drained in the days after the 9/11 attacks wasn't in Washington; it was a global one. Of course, that's ancient history, more than 15 years old. Who even remembers that moment, though we still live with its fallout -- with the hundreds of thousands dead and the millions of refugees, with Islamophobia and ISIS, with President-elect Trump, retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, and so much more?

In the never-ending wake of one of the most disastrous wars in American history, the 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq, it's hard to imagine any world but the one we have, which makes it easy to forget what the top officials of the Bush administration thought they would accomplish with their "Global War on Terror." Who remembers now just how quickly and enthusiastically they leapt into the project of draining that global swamp of terror groups (while taking out the Taliban and then "decapitating" the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein)? Their grandiose goal: an American imperium in the Greater Middle East (and later assumedly a global Pax Americana). They were, in other words, geopolitical dreamers of the first order…"

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Ammicalement
Armand

Those are only the countries they've admitted to.

I suspect there are even more.

Yes, there probably are more, but it's classified. And one of SF's duty is to train with/or train other nations' forces. So in many of those areas that is what they are probably doing. Along with "assisting" in some cases …

Their grandiose goal: an American imperium in the Greater Middle East (and later assumedly a global Pax Americana). They were, in other words, geopolitical dreamers of the first order…"

Sounds a bit to me …

It was a surprice to me that they work in Argentina… never hear of them…

Amicalement
Armand

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Interesting articles, Rod, thanks!

It's the nature of Spec ops to function and remain "in the dark" …

Legion 4 wrote:

It's the nature of Spec ops to function and remain "in the dark" …

Humans have been around in their present form for at least 50,000 years. Recorded human history has a 5000 year span. The USA has been around for only 240 years. US government special forces have been around for less than 80 years. The motto of the US Army special forces is 'De Oppresso Liber' – to free the oppressed. The dark is a new development.

So, the nature of special forces has been for most of human existence to not exist at all. For the nearly eight decades which they have existed they were supposed to serve the interests of the oppressed. Only in the last thirty years have the SF's generally abandoned that motto and now serve unaccountable power as spies, agent provocateurs, saboteurs, kidnappers and assassins who infiltrate into foreign states which are not at war with the USA to do what is illegal by both US national law and international law. This malfeasance is by no means limited to the USA. Now these SF ninjas serve corrupt and unaccountable power and oppress those who they once promised to free. The 'dark' serves to hide the crimes and abuses they commit and allows the perpetuation of their abuses. Now, the cancer is metastasising as more SF are training other state sponsored forces for use against their own people. The oppression grows.

It is high time to shine some much needed sunshine on this septic perversion of legitimate military force and to burn away the moral and legal corruption which has entrenched itself at the highest levels of both the civilian and military infrastructures, before this profane ethos becomes too well rooted to remove. The US government SF may now number over 100,000 and their methods and abuses are being adopted by even less accountable non-state institutions like mercenary corporations and PMSC's who can hide behind the corporate veil to avoid liability for their actions.

So, Legion 4, I don't accept your premise that SF forces or their ops deserve to operate in the cover of darkness. They are in my opinion the greatest threat to transparency, accountability and thus liberty which the modern USA faces today and they are far more dangerous to your republic than the extremists they fight in far off lands.

Rod Robertson.

Yes, I know Rod, we've covered this ground many times before. And yes, I know very well about the US SF/Spec ops history, etc. I knew and served along with a number of them. They were some of the best soldiers I have had the honor to know.

I also know based on my past training and experience, etc., that secrecy and security is a very important part of all military operations. Now that does mean that I agree with some methods Spec Ops may use, etc., at times. And a few will go over-the-top during ops. But something I also have learned that since I was not there, I may not know all that has occurred. You ?

Along with the fact we are fighting a very dirty insurgent conflict with some very bad "people (?)" whose policy is to kill non-combatants. That fact is undeniable, even to you. I'd think ?

And many journalists like to publish sensational pieces, etc., so they can be the next Woodward & Bernstein.
And if keeping some Spec ops in the dark means that saves our lives and eliminates enemy lives. I have no problem with that. And if the "mercs" or PMCS type, who in many cases are former SF/Spec Ops types actions do the same to eliminate the enemy, again, I have no problem with that either.

I don't accept your premise that SF/Spec Ops are the root of all evil. They in most cases are very effective troops doing the job they have been trained to do, etc. Based on the legal orders of the freely elected civilian leadership. And at no time were those orders were to commit war crimes. However, at the pointy end of the spear, sometimes things get very cloudy and grey. And bad things happen. It is not just the nature of war but a sad fact that those things occur regardless.

I'd rather have assets fight and kill the enemy over there than here. But of course we have covered this topic very many times before. Which will not change the POV from either of us. Do you really want to go around and around again ? I'd rather not.

Legion 4:

I am not going to comment upon the linked article below because it's way too political, but it does shed some light on the deep state's abuse of power. The same folks implicated in this article are the ones controlling more and more of the SF ops being taken around the globe. The mixing of military and covert ops is a very dangerous trend which threatens your republic to the core. My apologies for the political nature of the document linked below, but it does shed some needed light on the present day machinations of the deep state and how dangerous its agenda is. Read it with care and sceptism please but also consider its warnings.

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Rod Robertson

The mixing of military and covert ops is a very dangerous trend which threatens your republic to the core.

With wide spread insurgencies, etc., since after WWII, Military and Covert ops go hand in hand.

but also consider its warnings.

I'm very much more concerned about local radicalized islamists killing non-combatants in our streets, or some of them getting a hold of nucs or other WMDs. Part of the way to stop that is military covert ops. So I'll take my chances with Spec ops threatening the Republic.

Legion 4:

Did you read the articles I linked above? The last one is a scathing indictment of the deep state and its methods. I would not be so sanguine about the threat from within after reading it. Yes, lone wolf and self-radicalized terrorists are a problem but they are not an existential threat to your republic. The deep state pulling the strings of power from behind the curtain of secrecy is a real existential threat. Of course, if you prefer fascist/statist servitude to liberty, then go right ahead and ignore the elephant-donkey chimera in the room. It's your future, not mine.

Rod Robertson.

We have been over this many times before … should I look up the older posts ? You should know my response by now.

The deep state pulling the strings of power from behind the curtain of secrecy is a real existential threat. Of course, if you prefer fascist/statist servitude to liberty, then go right ahead and ignore the elephant-donkey chimera in the room

If one thing I've learn with the web and news media in general … don't believe everything you read or hear, IMO. When I hear terms like "deep state" … I can only think … , IMO.

It's your future, not mine.

I only have at the very best 20 years of life left. So after that you may have to contact me on those ghost hunter reality shows. And I'll be dead either way … So while you may continue to post comments as you do here. It won't matter … I'll be dead …

Here's a good question for you: How many foreign countries have military personnel in the USA? Does that make them imperialist?

I know in many military schools I have attended we had military personnel for many countries.

Murvhill asked:

Here's a good question for you: How many foreign countries have military personnel in the USA? Does that make them imperialist?

There is a big difference between the military exchanges, training schools or embassy military liaison officers and guards at diplomatic missions on US soil on the one hand and foreign military bases from which military operations are launched within the hosting country or against the host's neighbour's on the other. How many foreign nations have been permitted to conduct military operations against the US population or its neighbours from American soil? I can't think of any off the top of my head.

Rod Robertson.

. How many foreign nations have been permitted to conduct military operations against the US population or its neighbours from American soil? I can't think of any off the top of my head.

None and it won't happen in the future or ever, AFAIK … For all the reasons I have mentioned before when this type of topic comes up …

It may not happen in the short future , But easily see it happening in the future . Remember ALL "empires" crash at some time . US slides to 2nd tier power and other countries send in SF to protect their citizens. or for any other reason .
Also America has set the precedent for pursuit of terrorists into another sovereign nation .Whether by ground troops or Drone.

We may be long dead, before that happens, I'd think …

Long dead ? maybe ,
But the exercise dates that the US government has used for feasibility & eventuality planning is 2051+ .
but that was early last year ,not sure what time-frame they are using now (or if that project is still active )

I'll be dead … by then. And as we know long term planning can come to a quick end. Based on current events, etc.

Of course the US military always has done OPLAN, long range planning, etc. That should be expected from any highly functioning, efficient military organization.