Special Operations’ Secret Intelligence Program
Killer Elite: Completely Revised and Updated: The Inside Story of America’s Most Secret Special Operations Team by Michael Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Two things: this was a dry read, and it wasn’t truly about the hunting down of Osama Bin Laden. I anticipated the book being a dry read, but I was using it as a reference book for another project. So that really was a moot point for me. As for critics who bought the book expecting adventure and violence, I think you should take their negative reviews with a grain of salt because they’re attacking the book’s positioning more so than the content. They read into the title and made an assumption as to the content.
This book talks about the history of a covert military organization, referred to as the Activity. The Activity has had a ton of different names over the years, but it was basically a military intelligence department that was formed as a compliment to Delta and other Special Operations groups. It was founded by an SAS exchange program grad, like Charlie Beckwith, who saw a need for a group that focused on the intelligence gathering capabilities of the SAS.
The book goes into the history of the Activity from inception up to its contributions to the war on terror. In my opinion part of the negative feedback that the book has gotten results from the glamorous perception of intelligence portrayed by Hollywood. This book gives you the reality of the intelligence community not the romanticized James Bond version.
There were two important, but seldom talked about facts I did take from Killer Elite. First, the level of animosity, sabotage and territoriality between different branches of the military, different departments within the service branches and complimentary organizations like the CIA can lead to mission failure. This book is filled with stories of pissing contests that display leadership’s unwillingness to compromise, communicate and collaborate for the greater good. This is a terrifying notion considering the scope of duties entrusted to the military and intelligence community.
Second, I’m aghast at the misuse and abuse of such specialized assets, and the creative ways in which they can be organized to obscure oversight and accountability. I understand the need for discretion when it comes to national security, but this book leads me to question the practice of black programs. I also look at how higher ups in the chain of command don’t really understand the tools that they have at their disposal and as a result groups like SEALS, Delta, and the Activity are at risk of being burdened with assignments that they were never designed or intended to undertake.
I found this to be a slow, but interesting read. I think if you read between the lines and in conjunction with other books on special operations you will have a more complete picture of the subject matter.
© Christopher L. Hedges and AverageJoesStory.com, 2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Christopher L. Hedges and AverageJoesStory.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
