Special Operations Versus the C.I.A.

The lead story in today’s New York Times, titled “U.S. Said to Order an Expanded Use of Secret Action,” describes an order issued by General Petraeus in September to expand the use of special operations forces from the Pentagon for operations beyond combat zones into a number of countries in the Middle East region including Iran.

The order seemingly bypasses the C.I.A., traditionally in charge of clandestine activities, despite the attempts by sources in the article to vow cooperation and stating that “there’s enough work to go around.” More significantly, this expansion of Pentagon activities is largely shielded from oversight by the Congress and impacts relations among traditionally friendly countries in the region such as Saudi Arabia.

The directive still seems largely mysterious, and it largely seems to give the Pentagon a free hand to do whatever it wants, wherever it wants. Military sources seem to be cloaking it in the context of 9/11 and the need to combat militants around the globe, but the article reflects on a possible boomerang effect on the safety of U.S. soldiers.

The idea seems to be that spies are not shielded by the Geneva Convention, and if American military forces are blended with spies, their protection will evaporate also. It certainly does not do wonders in combating the image of an American empire promulgated by our adversaries.

This story has legs, and I expect to see follow up articles in the future.