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The Command: Deep Inside The President's Secret Army
The U.S. Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) has proven to be the most lethal weapon in the president's arsenal. Shrouded in secrecy, the Command has done more to degrade the capacity of terrorists to attack the United States than any other single entity. And counter-terrorism is only one of its many missions. Because of such high profile missions as Operation Neptune's Spear, which resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden, JSOC has attracted the public's attention. But Americans only know a fraction of the real story. In The Command , Ambinder and Grady provide readers with a concise and comprehensive recent history of the special missions units that comprise the most effective weapon against terrorism ever conceived. For the first time, they reveal JSOC's organizational chart and describe some of the secret technologies and methods that catalyze their intelligence and kinetic activities. They describe how JSOC migrated to the center of U.S. military operations, and how they fused intelligence and operations in such a way that proved crucial to beating back the Iraq insurgency. They also disclose previously unreported instances where JSOC's activities may have skirted the law, and question the ability of Congress to oversee units that, by design, must operate with minimum interference. With unprecedented access to senior commanders and team leaders, the authors
71 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 7, 2012
I cowrote this book so my five stars are deeply suspect.
October 1, 2012
Oh man. Oh man. Oh man. Why do I read books like this? This one was about JSOC. A full history, and how it got to be what it is today. I suppose as citizens we need to read things like this so we know what our government is doing in our name. And I am glad to read things like this. But man, is it messed up. Here read this: "Operators from Delta Force and SEAL Team Six infiltrated China with the CIA and mapped the locations of Chinese satellite transmission facilities in the event that the United States ever needed to disable them. On more than one occasion, they’ve engaged Iranian troops on Iranian soil. They’ve fought in Lebanon, in Peru, in the Palestinian territories, and in Syria."
Or read this: "Some Democratic senators on the Armed Services Committee believe that Flynn’s championing of bulk data analysis provided a brutally efficient way to kill too many innocent Afghans and may not have been as effective as the military suggests. By this, they mean that instead of targeting people, infantry and special forces units targeted telephone numbers—they would target gatherings of people who had been surreptitiously tagged with chemicals or RFID chips, even if they didn’t precisely know who these targets were"
Depressing, right? RIGHT?
Or read this: "Some Democratic senators on the Armed Services Committee believe that Flynn’s championing of bulk data analysis provided a brutally efficient way to kill too many innocent Afghans and may not have been as effective as the military suggests. By this, they mean that instead of targeting people, infantry and special forces units targeted telephone numbers—they would target gatherings of people who had been surreptitiously tagged with chemicals or RFID chips, even if they didn’t precisely know who these targets were"
Depressing, right? RIGHT?
February 22, 2012
If you're looking for thrilling tales of bravery and action, this is not your book. If you want a sober, factual account of one of the most secretive and significant elements in the US government today and the Global War on Terror, read on.
Ambinder uses his unparalleled access to JSOC personnel to explain how JSOC pioneered a fast and lethal combination of intelligence and action that broke the back of the insurgency in Iraq and lead to the death of Osama bin Laden. Delta Force and the Navy SEALS are one of the success stories, adapting quickly to collect intelligence, share it across agencies and units, and use it to roll up terrorist networks. But beyond the Middle East, JSOC operators have conducted missions in China, Peru, and Africa.
Ambinder is perhaps a little too favorable to JSOC, and minimizes the contributions of conventional forces and the CIA. He also believes that JSOC operations are legal, and that the peopel responsible for torturing detainees in 2003 and 2004 have been appropriately punished (yeah, right). But that aside, this is about as objective as anybody is going to get on America's shadow military force.
Ambinder uses his unparalleled access to JSOC personnel to explain how JSOC pioneered a fast and lethal combination of intelligence and action that broke the back of the insurgency in Iraq and lead to the death of Osama bin Laden. Delta Force and the Navy SEALS are one of the success stories, adapting quickly to collect intelligence, share it across agencies and units, and use it to roll up terrorist networks. But beyond the Middle East, JSOC operators have conducted missions in China, Peru, and Africa.
Ambinder is perhaps a little too favorable to JSOC, and minimizes the contributions of conventional forces and the CIA. He also believes that JSOC operations are legal, and that the peopel responsible for torturing detainees in 2003 and 2004 have been appropriately punished (yeah, right). But that aside, this is about as objective as anybody is going to get on America's shadow military force.
June 16, 2013
The Command gives us a glimpse into the world of special forces in the US in general and JSOC specifically. JSOC was the group responsible for tracking down and assassinating (or "targeted killing" as the politically correct term supposedly is) Osama bin Laden.
The book is riddled with military/intelligence jargon and it feels like it is written by (and for) people within the intelligence community. For the rest of us, I would only recommend picking it up if you have a burning interest in the US intelligence community and special forces. If you do, you will probably enjoy this book quite a lot.
The book is riddled with military/intelligence jargon and it feels like it is written by (and for) people within the intelligence community. For the rest of us, I would only recommend picking it up if you have a burning interest in the US intelligence community and special forces. If you do, you will probably enjoy this book quite a lot.
June 22, 2012
No great revelations, and a little pedantic. Does give some insight into the infighting and lack of coordination between federal government agencies.
March 18, 2017
Meh. Nothing new here if you're a frequent reader of recent military history.
November 26, 2021
In this incredibly small book author managed to put as many information about JSOC as possible. We follow JSOC from the very start of War on Terror and its evolution to deadly and highly capable military command that it is today.
It is always interesting how basic tenets of combat get re-invented and then lost, and so on in cycles. This is what happened with JSOC - in a move very much like one taken by Israel, steps were made to make a nimble and deadly corps capable of striking wherever it is necessary. I mention Israel here because this country is in almost constant war footing with its neighbors from the very beginning and to be able to cope with it, Israel had to create force able to match the more numerous enemies. And this happened by combining all the intelligence and combat resources at the disposal of relatively small security force.
It takes a very capable commanders (generals Flynn and McChrystal) to break the inter-agency barriers and pursue the goal of creating small and versatile strike force. When they finally enabled the forces to share information and participate in combined operations JSOC started to grow and its special operations capabilities grew almost exponentially. They pretty soon became force multiplier and enabled the rest of deployed forces to fight more efficiently.
Author shows how rivalry remained but (hah, could not guess) on management level while on operational level things continued to flourish.
Final few chapters tackle the question of where is JSOC aiming for in the future. Heavy utilization in CT operations seem to be a sole focuse of the entire command. But in light of events after the book was published it is visible that JSOC certainly has place in the modern world. But with such a capable force extra level of care is required to avoid issues that happened in the past (1980's events described in excellent book "Secret Warriors", especially Iran Contra affair that blemished US SOCOM for decades).
I have to admit that I am slightly surprised by some of the comments where people are shocked by covert JSOC operations outside of Middle East (namely China). It is like being surprised by India's role in Sri Lanka conflict with Tamil's, or constant Pakistan's paramilitary operations in Punjab, or both Pakistan's and India's secret war with China, China's covert wars especially against ROC, or North/South Korea infiltrations, European stand behind armies, or [not so] secret war against narco cartels in Central and South America....... and so on and so on. I like it when people decide to think that nations love each other. There are only and there will be only alliances and these are always temporary (remember the CIA industrial espionage affair in France at the start of 90's). And forces used to combat these silent wars are forces exactly like JSOC.
Excellent book, highly recommended to everyone interested in military and special operations in particular.
It is always interesting how basic tenets of combat get re-invented and then lost, and so on in cycles. This is what happened with JSOC - in a move very much like one taken by Israel, steps were made to make a nimble and deadly corps capable of striking wherever it is necessary. I mention Israel here because this country is in almost constant war footing with its neighbors from the very beginning and to be able to cope with it, Israel had to create force able to match the more numerous enemies. And this happened by combining all the intelligence and combat resources at the disposal of relatively small security force.
It takes a very capable commanders (generals Flynn and McChrystal) to break the inter-agency barriers and pursue the goal of creating small and versatile strike force. When they finally enabled the forces to share information and participate in combined operations JSOC started to grow and its special operations capabilities grew almost exponentially. They pretty soon became force multiplier and enabled the rest of deployed forces to fight more efficiently.
Author shows how rivalry remained but (hah, could not guess) on management level while on operational level things continued to flourish.
Final few chapters tackle the question of where is JSOC aiming for in the future. Heavy utilization in CT operations seem to be a sole focuse of the entire command. But in light of events after the book was published it is visible that JSOC certainly has place in the modern world. But with such a capable force extra level of care is required to avoid issues that happened in the past (1980's events described in excellent book "Secret Warriors", especially Iran Contra affair that blemished US SOCOM for decades).
I have to admit that I am slightly surprised by some of the comments where people are shocked by covert JSOC operations outside of Middle East (namely China). It is like being surprised by India's role in Sri Lanka conflict with Tamil's, or constant Pakistan's paramilitary operations in Punjab, or both Pakistan's and India's secret war with China, China's covert wars especially against ROC, or North/South Korea infiltrations, European stand behind armies, or [not so] secret war against narco cartels in Central and South America....... and so on and so on. I like it when people decide to think that nations love each other. There are only and there will be only alliances and these are always temporary (remember the CIA industrial espionage affair in France at the start of 90's). And forces used to combat these silent wars are forces exactly like JSOC.
Excellent book, highly recommended to everyone interested in military and special operations in particular.
May 5, 2023
Remarkably below average.
This work reflects the authors complete lack ,of SOF particularly JSOC knowledge.His is a few past CAG or DEVGROUP operator interviews. N othing Here that is new to print.
Operator
This work reflects the authors complete lack ,of SOF particularly JSOC knowledge.His is a few past CAG or DEVGROUP operator interviews. N othing Here that is new to print.
Operator
July 6, 2012
NOTE: I received a copy of the book from the publisher.
If you are looking for a Tom Clancy type of book with all kinds of action with Seal Team Six or Delta Force then this is not the book for you, but if you are interested in the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) this is a good book.
While this book does have how Seal Team Six killed OBL it mainly was about what equipment, units and the political decisions about it. It also has some accounts about other actions taken by JSOC forces but again little to no action but what was used, why the actions was taken and things like that. It also details how JSOC forces went from being considered a wild cowboy unit which no one wanted to work with yo being considered one of the best units out there.
It also talks about how JSOC is organized, what units are in it, what civilian forces and agencies are in it or associated with it. Who the commanders have been and what problems they are starting to have after so many deployments. All in all a good study of JSOC.
The main problem I had with the book and what kept it from getting 5 stars is the fact it is so short. It feels like it is a condensed study of JSOC, written for some government entity. Of course the fact that so much of what JSOC does and who and what is in it is classified, this may have been all he could publish.
If you are looking for a Tom Clancy type of book with all kinds of action with Seal Team Six or Delta Force then this is not the book for you, but if you are interested in the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) this is a good book.
While this book does have how Seal Team Six killed OBL it mainly was about what equipment, units and the political decisions about it. It also has some accounts about other actions taken by JSOC forces but again little to no action but what was used, why the actions was taken and things like that. It also details how JSOC forces went from being considered a wild cowboy unit which no one wanted to work with yo being considered one of the best units out there.
It also talks about how JSOC is organized, what units are in it, what civilian forces and agencies are in it or associated with it. Who the commanders have been and what problems they are starting to have after so many deployments. All in all a good study of JSOC.
The main problem I had with the book and what kept it from getting 5 stars is the fact it is so short. It feels like it is a condensed study of JSOC, written for some government entity. Of course the fact that so much of what JSOC does and who and what is in it is classified, this may have been all he could publish.
February 18, 2012
If you've ever wondered what JSOC/SOCOM get up to then this is a good introduction. Not as scary as many media reports will make them and the juicy bits that will get most of the wasted ink (sneaking into China and Pakistan) are obvious attention grabbers.
The really interesting bits are in the way improving "blink" times have driven changes; integrating services, technologies and disciplines across the board.
It's a well-written and fast read. Four stars because it's descriptive of the service rather than interrogative of the mission. For that I recommend checking out Jeremy Scahill's work as a complement.
The really interesting bits are in the way improving "blink" times have driven changes; integrating services, technologies and disciplines across the board.
It's a well-written and fast read. Four stars because it's descriptive of the service rather than interrogative of the mission. For that I recommend checking out Jeremy Scahill's work as a complement.
February 28, 2012
A short and sweet account of what exactly JSOC is, how they operate (in great detail), and how the organization fits into the overall military operational structure. The authors have done an excellent job of sticking to facts and giving credit where it's due to the people who have built JSOC into an agile and responsive fighting and intelligence-gathering force. I respect authors who write with candor on a sensitive issue such as this, but retain the decency and maturity to consider operational security issues, as most of the content here is extremely current.
Highly recommended to anyone interested in COIN, intelligence strategy, or military history.
Highly recommended to anyone interested in COIN, intelligence strategy, or military history.
June 24, 2012
This is the author's very first published book, but do not take him for just another grad out of literature class. He was the White House correspondent at National Journal, chief political consultant to CBS News, political editor at the Atlantic, and a producer for ABC News. Cannot underestimate how well connected the author must be to have such deep insight & material into the inner working of America's national security network. Starting with the undiluted sequence of behind the scenes events that occurred at Abbottabad, the book paints a sober perspective of the life from the Special Ops' view and the factual account of how it has evolved as the center of the war on terror.
March 8, 2012
Really short read about JSOC. For those who have read Bob Woodard's books about the Bush admin and the scale up for the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, this is a great addendum. The interesting thing is how the two wars have actually forced JSOC to fill the void created by the failures of Blackwater. Additionally, the strain of continued use of JSOC teams is beginning to show inside the group as a whole. Also the rise of JSOC leadership to the upper levels of the Pentagon shows the ever shifting sands of JSOC and intelligence.
March 16, 2012
The Command:Deep Inside the President's Secret Army is a very detailed account of the evolution of the United States' Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and of U.S. Special Forces over the last 30 years. Being a huge fan of techno-thrillers, military history and international affairs, this selection will fit well in my library. I highly recommend this if you're interested in learning some of the details behind Operation Neptune Spear, the Navy SEAL raid which resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden.
June 4, 2012
I purchased this thinking it would be yet another sexy behind the scenes political pop-non-fiction book. I happen to enjoy them. However, this is not one of those books. And it is fantastic. A detail oriented account of JSOC/SOCOM, what they do, how they do it and some of their recent accomplishments. This books is well researched, well sourced and the well connected author was privy to dozens of high ranking officials who speak off the record.
February 18, 2013
Short but interesting read that will take 2-3 hours to finish at maximum. Chapters 6, 7, and 10 are particularly interesting, and chapter 8 is worth a close read as well. Not very in-depth, but full of fascinating information about JSOC structure and past activities. Definitely worth a read given the short time commitment and low price.
April 1, 2012
This is about the men of military who keep us and our country safe. The secret groups, who work together to accomplish the downing of Osama bin Laden. JSOC, Joint Special Operations Command is the group that is described in the book and how it works. This book helps you understand some of the details involved to work together, the Delta Force and the Navy Seals are some examples.
April 17, 2014
Not a lot on their history.
disappointed that this was just another modern war novel and not much on the history of havoc before everyone was a navy seal sniper. no disrespect to the real navy seal snipers but back in the day seals, snipers, and spec ops people kept their mouths shut.
disappointed that this was just another modern war novel and not much on the history of havoc before everyone was a navy seal sniper. no disrespect to the real navy seal snipers but back in the day seals, snipers, and spec ops people kept their mouths shut.
September 18, 2015
This is actually a book that should be required reading for every OCS basic training school.
I'm actually more pleased by the specific examples of numerous " flexible using " of the English language for " political " purposes than anything. else that was detailed in the book.
I'm actually more pleased by the specific examples of numerous " flexible using " of the English language for " political " purposes than anything. else that was detailed in the book.
April 3, 2012
An interesting book. The thing that I came away with is a sense that the military and intelligence world is very complex. I am grateful for all of those that can and do devote their lives to this career.
July 16, 2012
This very brief e-book was an interesting look inside the world of so-called "black SOF" {special operations forces). Being so brief, there's a lot that is glossed over, but it's still worth the short amount of time it takes to read if this topic suits your fancy. Very current information.
May 3, 2015
Incredible
Very Informative It's good for the citizens of the United States to see where and how some of their best have been used in protecting and the sacrifice of blood and treasure
Very Informative It's good for the citizens of the United States to see where and how some of their best have been used in protecting and the sacrifice of blood and treasure
April 21, 2012
A thorough read into the short history of JSOC. A must-read for anyone who wants a true understanding of how the elite classes of the U.S. military, intelligence and government work together.
March 8, 2012
Interesting view of JSOC and the carelessness that this administration has with our special forces teams.
March 27, 2012
http://www.goodreads.com/images/layou...
Extremely informative & packed full with facts, but somehow I still had trouble putting it down. I'm in awe!
Extremely informative & packed full with facts, but somehow I still had trouble putting it down. I'm in awe!
September 9, 2012
Interesting and factual. The rebuild of our armed forces.
A must read for military buffs.
A must read for military buffs.
October 10, 2012
Forgettable.
December 27, 2012
Acronyms. Acronyms everywhere. More about org.chart than acttion.
December 8, 2012
Short fast read but fascinating insight to the US Special Forces
January 10, 2013
At 60 pages it was a brief read about Delta Force. Not a lot of new information, but an ok read for a hour.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews