Grey Wars. N. W. Collins

An analysis of U.S. Special Operations, at the center of America’s twenty-first-century wars

“Grey Wars is for anyone who wants to understand today’s fights. Collins has done a great service by providing a well-sourced, clear, and insightful look into the missions and activities of U.S. special operators. Highly recommend.”—Mike Thornton, USN Seal (ret.), Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, and coauthor, By Honor Bound

“Fascinating and deeply researched, covering the defining moments in modern special operations; Grey Wars is a must-read for anyone interested in the post 9/11 world.”—Admiral William H. McRaven, USN (ret.), Ninth Commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command

This original and accessible book is a comprehensive, authoritative analysis of U.S. Special Operations. U.S. Special Operations Command trains and equips units to undertake select military activities, frequently high-risk missions, often for the purposes of counterterrorism and counterinsurgency.

Since 9/11, impelled by an attack on U.S. soil, these forces have been a central instrument of America’s military campaign—operating in about one hundred countries on any given day. This fight—neither hot war nor cold peace—was launched and executed as a new type of global war in 2001 and has since splintered into a spectrum of regional conflicts. The result is our nation’s grey wars: hazy and lethal.

This contemporary history, incorporating extensive interviews and archival research by security studies expert N. W. Collins, delves deeply into the transformation of these forces since 9/11.