Vice Adm. William H. McRaven helped to devise the strategy for how to bring down Osama bin Laden, and commanded the courageous U.S. military unit that carried it out on May 1, 2011, ending one of the greatest manhunts in history. In Spec Ops, a well-organized and deeply researched study, McRaven analyzes eight classic special operations. Six are from WWII: the German commando raid on the Belgian fort Eben Emael (1940); the Italian torpedo attack on the Alexandria harbor (1941); the British commando raid on Nazaire, France (1942); the German glider rescue of Benito Mussolini (1943); the British midget-submarine attack on the Tirpitz (1943); and the U.S. Ranger rescue mission at the Cabanatuan POW camp in the Philippines (1945). The two post-WWII examples are the U.S. Army raid on the Son Tay POW camp in North Vietnam (1970) and the Israeli rescue of the skyjacked hostages in Entebbe, Uganda (1976). McRaven—who commands a U.S. Navy SEAL team—pinpoints six essential principles of “spec ops” success: simplicity, security, repetition, surprise, speed and purpose. For each of the case studies, he provides political and military context, a meticulous reconstruction of the mission itself and an analysis of the operation in relation to his six principles. McRaven deems the Son Tay raid “the best modern example of a successful spec op [which] should be considered textbook material for future missions.” His own book is an instructive textbook that will be closely studied by students of the military arts. Maps, photos.

Into the eye of danger with the men who put the 'special' in special forces The once shadowy activities of special forces have grown into an increasingly exposed element of 21st century warfare and anti-terrorist activity. Here, in one giant unputdownable volume, are 30 of the most dangerous special operations of modern times. Drawn from the flashpoints of the world, and above all Iraq and Afghanistan, these first-hand and reported accounts of missions by the SAS, Delta Force, Green Beret, Commandos and other forces will leave you on the edge of your seat. The accounts include: Blackhawk Down - the US Delta forces debacle in Mogadishu, Somalia, 1993 British Special forces fight Al Qaeda at close quarters in Afghanistan 2003 Task Force Raider - US Special forces teams track down Saddam Hussein, 2003 The British 'Blackhawk Down' - Paras shoot their way out of trouble in Majar, Iraq 2003 The capture of insurgent leader Chemical Evil Fat Mama, Fallujah, November 2003

In this explosive novel by W.E.B. Griffin, immerse yourself in the action-packed world of Special Ops. This military thriller follows a team of skilled Special Forces warriors as they face off against the legendary Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara. Set in the 1960s, the story takes you to the heart of Washington, D.C., where political tensions are high and covert operations are in full swing. With gripping suspense and meticulous attention to detail, Griffin weaves a tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Outlines workouts and exercises drawn from programs used by United States military special operations teams and aimed at promoting total body fitness.

One Hundred Victories is a portrait of how -- after a decade of intensive combat operations -- special operations forces have become the go-to force for US military endeavors worldwide. Linda Robinson follows the evolution of special ops in Afghanistan, their longest deployment since Vietnam. She has lived in mud-walled compounds in the mountains and deserts of insurgent-dominated regions, and uses those experiences to show the gritty reality of the challenges the SOF face and the constant danger in which they operate. She witnessed special operators befriending villagers to help them secure their homes, and fighting off insurgents in the most dangerous safe havens even as they navigated a constant series of conflicts, crises, and other "meteors" from conventional forces, the CIA, and the Pakistanis -- not to mention weak links within their own ranks. They showed what a tiny band of warriors could do, and could not do, out on the wild frontiers of the next-generation wars. One Hundred Victories also includes the inside story of the dramatic November 2011 cross-border firefight with Pakistan, which sent the US commander into a fury and provoked an international crisis. It describes the murky world of armed factions operating along the world's longest disputed border, and the chaos and casualties that result when commanders with competing agendas cannot resolve their differences.

Heart-pounding accounts of the courageous men, elite methods, and deadly moments that make up daring special ops missions. They are the strongest, best-trained and most powerfully equipped soldiers in the world. The select few who overcome near-impossible odds. The special ops forces. Presenting real-life stories that read like fictional thrillers, Warrior Elite recounts over two dozen of modern warfare’s most riveting, dangerous, and infamous missions. From support amid the lethal chaos of major combat operations, like the rescue of Private Jessica Lynch in Iraq, to targeted military strikes against rogue enemies, like the Navy SEAL sniper shots that saved Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates, these are the missions that test the gut level of even the bravest soldier. Warrior Elite brings readers into the heart of the battle to experience the hectic horror of Black Hawk Down, the blind terror of Tora Bora cave warfare, and the triumphant success of MIA rescue missions deep in Laos.