Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan

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Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan
Author: Leigh Neville
Softcover - 96 pages
Publisher: Osprey
Series: Elite 163
Price: £11.99
ISBN: 9781846033100

Introduction

Having a avid interest in modern warfare and its various aspects, I was extremely pleased to receive this book to review and comment on. Published under its 'Elite' series, the Author, Leigh Neville has collated what can only be described superb information relating to the response, insertion and continued presence of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the US and other Allied (Coalition) forces committed to the 'War on Terror' in Afghanistan since 2001.

On the Author and following further digging, Leigh Neville is an Australian intelligence specialist who has published a number of articles on the subject and has excellent contacts in the US, UK and Australian special forces. The author lives in New South Wales, Australia. Leigh has also covered Special Forces in Iraq.

The Book

The book is typical of Ospreys offerings, laid out in an A4 Format and is nicely illustrated throughout by Ramiro Bujeiro with the inclusion of both b &w and colour photographs. This book, as would be expected is laid out in chronological order of Operations, but what is nice is an introduction including the Countries state following the Soviets invasion and the aftermath the vacuum of power left on the Afghans and surrounding countries. Afghanistan is a land that has rarely known peace. From the 19th Century with bloody defeats on British and Indian Army in the Anglo-Afghan wars to the 1979-89 Soviet forces attempt to shore up Communist regime ,Afghanistan has been fought over by rival Governments, factions tribes and Warlords.

The author explains that the major turning point in Afghanistan was this invasion and subsequent withdrawal of Soviet troops over a 10 year period, with the Soviets attempts to install a puppet Government thwarted by US backed Mujahideen Freedom Fighters who, fuelled by the Koranic imperative to Jihad and recruiting the now infamous Osama Bin Laden, defeated the Soviets with Soviets losses standing at 35000 deaths. Of course the irony now is a lot of equipment supplied by the US in this period has been turned against the coalition forces. From this Soviet defeat Bin Laden through tribal power struggles formed the Al-Qaeda Army which would eventually carry out the atrocities in September 2001.

Jawbreaker: One element that did surprise me (given conspiracy and counter conspiracy) was the speed at which US Troops first stepped foot in Afghanistan - a mere 15 days after 9/11. This small team was code named Jawbreaker and consisted 8 CIA agents briefed to facilitate the planned insertions of the first wave of Special Forces. This paragraph neatly explains the operations required (and there were numerous) including the contact with Northern Alliance forces who were bitterly opposed to Al-Qaeda to facilitate the next phase in Operations - Operation Enduring Freedom.

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Operation Enduring Freedom: Officially (like I say, a lot of conspiracy and counter conspiracy has been written about this) beginning 6th October 2001 with the destruction of SAM sites and a small fleet of MIG fighters, the book neatly covers the various actions (by mainly US SF but also includes the other countries involved in this operation including Britain, New Zealand, Germany and Australia) each country played in regions assigned in the task of removing Al-Qaeda from Afghanistan. This chapter also highlights the various 'infamous' battles played out in this operation including Tora Bora - the SF battle to control and annihilate the Afghan Taliban within a series of cave systems, (but as good progress was being made by multi task force , a cease fire was called which enabled key figures, including its reported Bin Laden to opportunity to escape into Pakistan - again theories are a bound as to this decision).

The British SAS and SBS had and still have a very active role in Afghanistan, and the Author covers a lengthy section on this role - including Operation Trent with the biggest deployment of 22 SAS in history that included a HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) jump into enemy positions. All chapters on the various Operations are written in a clearly written, pacey and exciting way whilst giving a clear account of the sequence of events and a 'flow' that keeps you wanting to read more which is a great inclusion in what most my view as reference book.

Coalition Forces: As most coalition conflicts within the 21st Century being US led, the majority of this book concentrates on US Special Forces. Within this chapter though the author does attempt to even up the odds and provides individual paragraphs covering the other Special Force teams involved. These include (and I am surprised as most don't get acknowledgement in the Press etc) Canada, Australia, Italy, Germany, France, Czech Republic, Norway, Denmark, The Netherlands and Romania and included are some great colour plates showing the troops various options for Load Outs carried by troopers in the field. This chapter concludes with progress of deployment from 2002 up to late 2007, which is pretty impressive without compromising current objectives.

To conclude the book Leigh Neville has allowed for a section on weapons and equipment used. Again colour plates and photographs enhance this section and show the various load outs and vehicle configurations deployed by Special Forces in this conflict. A section is also include on PSC (Private Security Contractor) and there role and introduction into the country to enable reconstruction.

Conclusion

As always Osprey and Leigh Neville have provided a well written (and addictive) read which has been illustrated to a high standard on a subject that is not so well documented and reported , but involves a conflict that is reported on daily basis, be it for its sad losses or acts of courage endured by coalition troops on the ground. Any book on Special Forces holds an air of mystery, and the author has retained this element whilst still providing what is a well source element of reference and information.

I recommend this book to both modellers of Modern Warfare and passive readers of conflicts in the 21st Century, I for one will be getting Leigh's book on the Iraq conflict.

My thanks to Osprey for providing the review sample.

For full information on all Osprey Publishing titles, please see their website: Osprey Publishing