Chapter 30: Old Enemies, New Challenges

1 In the very early … fly them to Djibouti. A Team 6 source; “U.S. Swoops In to Free 2 from Pirates in Somalia Raid,” by Jeffrey Gettleman, Eric Schmitt, and Thom Shanker, The New York Times, January 25, 2012, accessed at: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/world/africa/us-raid-frees-2-hostages-from-somali-pirates.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0; Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six, by Jessica Buchanan and Erik Landemalm with Anthony Flacco (New York: Atria, 2013), pp. 231–68.

2 To achieve that … specific missions. A SOCOM staff officer; a special mission unit officer; a retired Special Forces colonel; a military intelligence source; a Delta operator; a special operations source familiar with the JRTF; a JRTF source; a Ranger officer; a U.S. special operations source; a JSOC staffer.

3 In late 2008 … intelligence capabilities. The Command, an e-book by Marc Ambinder and D. B. Grady (Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, 2012); a former senior JSOC officer; a Team 6 officer; a JSOC staff officer.

4 Meanwhile, in the wake … and left. A U.S. special operations source; Team 6 sources; “U.S. Raids in Libya and Somalia Strike Terror Targets,” by David D. Kirkpatrick, Nicholas Kulish, and Eric Schmitt, The New York Times, October 5, 2013, accessed at: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/world/africa/Al-Qaeda-Suspect-Wanted-in-US-Said-to-Be-Taken-in-Libya.html?_r=0&hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1400609295-883WHxhUdMWvSh5QaKFkpg; “Inside America’s Shadow War on Terror—And Why It Will Never End,” by James Kitfield, Defense One, May 18, 2014, accessed at: http://www.defenseone.com/threats/2014/05/inside-americas-shadow-war-terrorand-why-it-will-never-end/84685/print/.… military had surpassed the Agency’s ability … The Human Factor, by Ishmael Jones (New York: Encounter, 2008), p. 357.… at least sixty-seven people … “Terror in Westgate Mall: The Full Story of the Attacks That Devastated Kenya,” by Daniel Howden, The Guardian, October 4, 2013, accessed at: http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/oct/04/westgate-mall-attacks-kenya-terror.… a new Al Qaeda cell … “US Flying Blind to Looming Terror Plots,” by James Kitfield, breakingdefense.com, July 17, 2014, accessed at: http://breakingdefense.com/2014/07/us-flying-blind-to-looming-terror-plots/.

5 JSOC had had … West Africa. A Ranger source; a Special Forces officer.

6 When Islamist … success of the mission.” “Two U.S. Commandos Fought in Benghazi Rescue, Privately Honored for Valor,” by Rowan Scarborough, The Washington Times, October 30, 2013, accessed at: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/30/us-military-commandos-made-it-to-benghazi/?page=all; “Delta Force Marine Awarded Navy Cross for Fight at CIA Annex in Benghazi,” by Rowan Scarborough, The Washington Times, November 16, 2013, accessed at: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/16/delta-force-marine-awarded-navy-cross-fight-cia-an/?page=all; “Delta Force Commando Who Saved ‘Numerous Lives’ in Benghazi Seige [sic] Honored,” by Rowan Scarborough, The Washington Times, January 25, 2014, accessed at: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jan/25/delta-force-commando-awarded-second-highest-milita/; a SOCOM staffer.

7 Within hours … permission to.” A SOCOM staffer.

8 That account … to face trial. “First on CNN: US Commandos Were Poised for Raid to Capture Benghazi Suspect,” by Barbara Starr, CNN, accessed at: http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2013/10/29/first-on-cnn-us-commandos-were-poised-for-raid-to-capture-benghazi-suspect/; “Why Delta Force Waited So Long to Grab a Benghazi Ringleader,” by Eli Lake and Kimberly Dozier, The Daily Beast, June 17, 2014, accessed at: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/17/why-delta-force-waited-so-long-to-grab-a-benghazi-ringleader.html; “U.S. Captures Benghazi Suspect in Secret Raid,” by Karen DeYoung, Adam Goldman, and Julie Tate, The Washington Post, June 17, 2014, accessed at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-captured-benghazi-suspect-in-secret-raid/2014/06/17/7ef8746e-f5cf-11e3-a3a5-42be35962a52_story.html.

9 These sorts … long-term cover. Three Team 6 sources; a U.S. special operations source; a JSOC staffer.

10 Both Black … around 2009. A Team 6 source.

11 The challenge of … operational details.” “WMDs and Terrorists Among Top Concerns for New Special Ops Pick,” by Alex Quade, The Washington Times, July 1, 2014, accessed at: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/1/keeping-wmds-from-terrorists-is-top-priority-for-v/?page=all; “JSOC Commander Speaks, Buckhorn ‘Captured’ During Exercise,” by Howard Altman, The Tampa Tribune, May 21, 2014, accessed at: http://tbo.com/list/military-news/jsoc-commander-looks-to-industry-for-new-technologies-20140521/.

12 In the early … by dawn. A special operations source familiar with the mission; a former 160th SOAR aviator; “Inside the Failed Raid to Save Foley and Sotloff,” by Nicholas Schmidle, The New Yorker, September 5, 2014, accessed at: http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/inside-failed-raid-free-foley-sotloff.

13 In response … counterterrorism forces.) A U.S. special operations source; “Statement by the President on ISIL,” accessed at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/09/10/statement-president-isil-1.

14 On July 29 … Operations Command. “New Commander Takes Over Joint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg,” by Drew Brooks, The Fayetteville Observer, July 29, 2014, accessed at: http://www.fayobserver.com/military/new-commander-takes-over-joint-special-operations-command-at-fort/article_9382286c-3b36-5cfa-8e50-a983182a770d.html.

15 Thomas’s career … on the JSOC staff. Thomas’s official Army résumé.

16 A little over … died in the attack. “US Strike Against al-Shabab Leader Reflects Obama’s Counterterrorism Strategy,” by Stephanie Gaskell, Defense One, September 2, 2014, accessed at: http://www.defenseone.com/threats/2014/09/us-strike-against-al-shabab-leader-reflects-obamas-counterterrorism-strategy/92966/; “Al-Shabaab Confirms Airstrike Hit Leader,” by Abdalle Ahmed Mumim, The Wall Street Journal, September 4, 2014; “Attack on Somali Islamist Leader Seen Triggering Power Struggle,” by Edmund Blair and Drazen Jorgic, Reuters, September 4, 2014; “U.S. Drone Base in Ethiopia Is Operational,” by Craig Whitlock, The Washington Post, October 27, 2011, accessed at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-drone-base-in-ethiopia-is-operational/2011/10/27/gIQAznKwMM_story.html; “U.S. Drone Strike in Somalia Targets al-Shabaab Leader,” by Craig Whitlock, The Washington Post, September 2, 2014, accessed at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-drone-strike-in-somalia-targets-al-shabab-leader/2014/09/02/2c833104-32a3-11e4-9e92-0899b306bbea_story.html; “Statement by the Press Secretary on the Death of Ahmed Godane,” a press release from the Office of the Press Secretary, The White House, accessed at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/09/05/statement-press-secretary-death-ahmed-godane.