Steven Emerson

Excellent historical overview of the birth-pains of today's formidable US special ops/shadow commands.
After a debacle that was Iran hostage rescue military was rather angry at both itself (inability to promptly field units to execute action, inadequate technology (planes, choppers, ships) and inadequate training) and existing intelligence apparatus (CIA) that they decided to create their own deep-cover-black-ops command(s) to execute this type of operations in the future. And Reagan's government was more than willing to support them in any way possible.

And thus organizations like ISA, Seaspray, Special Operations Division and JSOC were born.

Please keep in mind that this book is not action story - author aims at showing what it takes to create new command (especially unconventional one), provide it with manpower, training and support and keep it under tight wraps so that no-one can find about them at all in order to let them do highly sensitive work in a best possible way for which they are adequately equipped and trained.

Work of the new commands is shown very well, from ability to perform ELINT missions to troops on the ground conducting direct action and intelligence missions. Were they always successful? Of course not, at time they drew ire from the highest Army ranks and even State Department (evaluation of premises in Lebanon before the terrorist strikes in 1980's) but they proved their worth when required.

But what happens when you have highly capable force deep-undercover, under no supervision, actin on high-level of self-initiative and with seemingly unlimited funds?

Very soon other agencies start to play on patriotic card and willingness of force to prove itself (and I mean if you are a spy any contact from CIA must be like being contacted by a celebrity).
It is uncanny how CIA worked on subverting the force to bring it (and it's unlimited access to funds) under its own control.

Also rather lax control from the top allowed for personnel working in commands to abuse their position and start siphoning money to their own whims.

Coup de grace was Iran-Contra affair started by over-zealous politicians in Reagan's government and CIA that sucked in covert Special Operations Division and finally [in attempt to cover their own tracks] pushed it to media front-line to be beaten up and finally dismantled in disgrace.
In my opinion this was most humiliating time for US military spec ops community. But they handled it with dignity, cleaned up the ranks and pushed on to finally grow and develop what is today known as US SOCOM and JSOC.

Excellent book on early days of today's premiere special operations forces.

Recommended to all fans of military, black ops and special ops in general.… (more)