Dark5 | 5 Most Secretive Government Military Agencies You Should Know About @dark5tv | Uploaded 3 years ago | Updated 1 day ago
The United States Special Operations Command, or SOCOM, is a unified combatant command in charge of orchestrating all special operations involving the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force. If an operation involves several military branches, SOCOM acts as the common operational link. But their power has grown with barely any accountability, and recent scandals have put their culture and ethics into question...
The US Special Operations Command was set up after the disastrous Operation Eagle Claw, a failed 1980 rescue mission in Iran in which a helicopter crash took the lives of 8 servicemen before their planned arrival at the US embassy in Tehran.
SOCOM coordinates the distinct branches within the military. When different special operations forces are involved in an operation, SOCOM is the joint component command.
Since its activation in April of 1987, SOCOM has orchestrated many pivotal operations, from the Invasion of Panama in 1989 to the war on terrorism launched after the 9/11 attacks.
SOCOM is allowed to undertake actions such as combat, special recon, counter-terrorism, foreign internal defense, unconventional warfare, civil affairs, counter-narcotics operations, and even psychological warfare.
By 2019, there were special operations members in 141 countries, a 135% rise from the late 2000s, when America's commandos were operating in only 60 nations.
This record global deployment happened as inquiries came to light on alleged malfeasance by some of America's most elite troops over possible ethical failings and criminal behavior among troops.
In recent years, US special operators have faced serious misconduct allegations, including war crimes, substance abuse, and a wide array of violent acts. In the missions they currently oversee, SOCOM has a lot of power and minimal accountability at home and abroad.
In the wake of such high-profile scandals, General Richard Clarke, commander of US Special Operations Command, ordered a comprehensive culture and ethics review of the special operations community in 2019.
As he wrote in a memo [QUOTE]: "Recent incidents have called our culture and ethics into question and threaten the trust placed in us. The American people must trust those who protect them."
The United States Special Operations Command, or SOCOM, is a unified combatant command in charge of orchestrating all special operations involving the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force. If an operation involves several military branches, SOCOM acts as the common operational link. But their power has grown with barely any accountability, and recent scandals have put their culture and ethics into question...
The US Special Operations Command was set up after the disastrous Operation Eagle Claw, a failed 1980 rescue mission in Iran in which a helicopter crash took the lives of 8 servicemen before their planned arrival at the US embassy in Tehran.
SOCOM coordinates the distinct branches within the military. When different special operations forces are involved in an operation, SOCOM is the joint component command.
Since its activation in April of 1987, SOCOM has orchestrated many pivotal operations, from the Invasion of Panama in 1989 to the war on terrorism launched after the 9/11 attacks.
SOCOM is allowed to undertake actions such as combat, special recon, counter-terrorism, foreign internal defense, unconventional warfare, civil affairs, counter-narcotics operations, and even psychological warfare.
By 2019, there were special operations members in 141 countries, a 135% rise from the late 2000s, when America's commandos were operating in only 60 nations.
This record global deployment happened as inquiries came to light on alleged malfeasance by some of America's most elite troops over possible ethical failings and criminal behavior among troops.
In recent years, US special operators have faced serious misconduct allegations, including war crimes, substance abuse, and a wide array of violent acts. In the missions they currently oversee, SOCOM has a lot of power and minimal accountability at home and abroad.
In the wake of such high-profile scandals, General Richard Clarke, commander of US Special Operations Command, ordered a comprehensive culture and ethics review of the special operations community in 2019.
As he wrote in a memo [QUOTE]: "Recent incidents have called our culture and ethics into question and threaten the trust placed in us. The American people must trust those who protect them."
