Overseas Contingency Operation
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Jeremy Scahill, the National Security correspondent for The Nation magazine, testified before the House Judiciary Committee, December 9, 2010, "Under the Bush administration, US Special Forces were operating in 60 countries. Under President Obama, they are now in 75 nations. The Obama administration's expansion of Special Forces activities globally stems from a classified order dating back to the Bush administration. Originally signed in early 2004 by then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, it is known as the “AQN ExOrd," or Al Qaeda Network Execute Order. The AQN ExOrd was intended to cut through bureaucratic and legal processes, allowing US Special Forces to move into “denied” areas or countries beyond the official battle zones of Iraq and Afghanistan. As a Special Operations veteran told me, "The ExOrd spells out that we reserve the right to unilaterally act against al Qaeda and its affiliates anywhere in the world that they operate." The current mindset in the White House, he told me, is that "the Pentagon is already empowered to do these things, so let the Joint Special Operations Command off the leash. And that's what this White House has done." He added: "JSOC has been more empowered more under this administration than any other in recent history. No question." "The Obama administration took the [Bush-era] order and went above and beyond," he said. "The world is the battlefield, we've returned to that."" |
During the week of 25 March 2009, the government agency that reviews the public statements of administration officials before they're disseminated sent an e-mail to employees of the U.S. Defense Department. The e-mail read: "This administration prefers to avoid using the term 'long war' or 'global war on terror.' Please use 'Overseas Contingency Operation.'" | |||
Locale |
Dates |
US Forces |
||
US Order of Battle
CJTF-HOA Orbat |
||||
Yukon Journey | Yemen | Feb 2018 | ||
Noble Lance | Syria | mid-Sep 2016 | ||
Determined Storm | Yemen | 25 Mar 2015 | ||
Freedom's Sentinel | Afghanistan | 01 Jan 2015 | ||
Resolute Support [NATO] | Afghanistan | 01 Jan 2015 | ||
INHERENT RESOLVE | Iraq / Syria | 08 Aug 2014 | 30 Apr 2018 | |
JUNIPER SHIELD | Trans Sahara Africa | 2013 | ||
Octave Fusion | Somalia | 23 Jan 2012 | ||
Observant Compass | Uganda, Central African Republic the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan |
? Oct 2011 | ongoing | |
OBSERVANT COMPASS | Uganda / LRA | 24 May 2010 | 24 Mar 2017 | |
Copper Dune | Yemen | 2010? | ongoing | |
Objective Voice | North Africa / Sahel Region of Africa | 2009 | ongoing | |
FREEDOM’S SENTINEL-Horn of Africa | Somalia | 2008 ?? | ||
Enduring Freedom - Caribbean, Central America (OEF-CCA) | Caribbean / Central America | 2008 | ongoing | |
Nomad Shadow | Turkey-Iraq Border | 05 Nov 2007 | ongoing | |
US Airstrikes on Al Qaeda in Somalia | Horn of Africa | Jan 2007 | ongoing | |
Juniper Shield Enduring Freedom - Trans Sahara (OEF-TS) Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership (TSCTP) Pan Sahel Initiative (PSI) |
Sahel Region of Africa |
? 2013 ? Jun 2005 ? Jun 2005 ? Nov 2002 |
ongoing ? 2013 ongoing ? Mar 2004 |
|
Octave Shield Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa (OEF-HOA) |
Djibouti / Horn of Africa | 200? Oct 2002 |
ongoing ongoing |
|
Georgia Deployment Program - International Security Assistance Force Georgia Sustainment and Stability Operations Program Georgia Train and Equip Program |
Georgia |
Aug 2009 Mar 2005 29 Apr 2002 |
ongoing 2009? May 2004 |
|
Enduring Freedom - Philippines (OEF-P) Freedom Eagle / Balikatan 2002-1 |
Phillipines | Jul-Aug 2002 15 Jan 2002 |
ongoing 31 Jul 2002 |
|
Objective Voice Assured Voice Assured Voice - Africa |
AFRICOM AOR Balkans North Africa |
2009 2002? 2002? |
Ongoing 2009 2009 |

NEWSLETTER
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