Review New Book (Relentless Strike) From Naylor Raises Concern

[CDG]

Special ops brace for release of tell-all book

Sean Naylor is releasing a new book about the history of JSOC. Apparently a lot of letters have been sent out to personnel named in the book reminding them not to talk. Naylor says he did not release or receive any classified info. He also says he thinks it is unrealistic for the Pentagon to deny the existence of certain units.

I will probably end up buying this to read.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

Not knowing any more than what you posted, I will likely not purchase the book. I disagree with the author that it is "unrealistic for the Pentagon to deny the existance of certain units". There are times where I miss the old days where the government barely acknowledged the existance of SEAL's, much less Delta or any other similar type organization. The genie is long out of the bottle now, but that does not make it right.

 

[Viper1]

He's making this a routine and it is getting old. Just because you know doesn't mean you should tell and just because it exists doesn't mean everyone should know (not right away anyways, that is why agencies declassify things over time). He's showing he's out for himself, as this does the military and general public no good whatsoever.

 

[x SF med]

I hope Naylor gets caught in a drive by shooting.

 

[DA SWO]

I'll wait and see. I am guessing this is the excerpt SOFREP put on-line a few days ago.

 

[Gunz]

Blaber, O'Neill, Greer, Naylor...it's too late to put the lid back on, a precedent has been set in these recent years. Blow your oath and there are no consequences, only profit.

 

[CDG]

To further clarify, I do not agree with Naylor's opinions. I don't think the public has a right to know about this type of thing, and I think it's a complete cop out to play the "nothing classified" card when you know damn well what you're doing. That being said, it's hard to not be interested in a book like this, at least for me. For many members here with much more experience and personal connection to that community, it's likely very different.

 

[The Hate Ape]

Well, after the first 106 pages I'm wondering why Naylor hasn't been inserted into a wood chipper.

 

[AWP]

Bowden brought this into the mainstream with Blackhawk Down. 9/11 and SOF's well publicized role in Afghanistan gave vermin like Naylor a green light. Haney's book, and lack of fallout, allowed Blaber and the others to do whatever, whenever. Beckwith wrote his book, but outside of military circles few knew of it; Haney and Blaber's work on a freaking TV show took this to new levels.

This will continue until we start throwing guys in jail, especially those out of uniform, Otherwise the only penalty is what? PNG'ed from the community and some reunions? If you're writing these books you don't care about that so the penalties are anything but.

Give Naylor 5-10 years and he'll have one out about SOF's role in Iraq or Afghanistan post-"retrograde."

 

[Centermass]

Bowden brought this into the mainstream with Blackhawk Down. 9/11 and SOF's well publicized role in Afghanistan gave vermin like Naylor a green light. Haney's book, and lack of fallout, allowed Blaber and the others to do whatever, whenever. Beckwith wrote his book, but outside of military circles few knew of it; Haney and Blaber's work on a freaking TV show took this to new levels.

This will continue until we start throwing guys in jail, especially those out of uniform, Otherwise the only penalty is what? PNG'ed from the community and some reunions? If you're writing these books you don't care about that so the penalties are anything but.

Give Naylor 5-10 years and he'll have one out about SOF's role in Iraq or Afghanistan post-"retrograde."

Let's not forget Boykin either.

 

[Brill]

Let's not forget Boykin either.

Who?

 

[TH15]

I finished Naylor's Relentless Strike last night. I did enjoy the book from a reading perspective, however (from a civilian POV) I think the vast majority of the operations he wrote about should never have been published. He went into quite a bit of detail on clandestine/covert ops into Syria to set up communications gear during the Iraq War, for example.

The best part of the book, in my opinion, were the chapters dedicated to McChrystal's reign as JSOC commander and how he revamped the organization. McChrystal also supposedly told an arrogant, condescending CIA station chief that he would "beat the shit out of him" if the station chief ever disrespected him again.

There was also a story about Little Bird pilots who were out of ammo chasing down about a dozen or so Taliban "squirters," proceeding to fly circles around these dudes in the middle of the night to keep them packed together, and then firing their M4's and dropping grenades on the bastards. That was awesome.

Lastly, Dell Dailey was essentially crucified in this book to the extent that he is all but blamed for a Delta operator's death in Iraq. Dailey is portrayed as bombastic, out of touch, and a micro-manager throughout the chapters in which he was JSOC commander. Pete Blaber in particular was not a Dailey fan and according to the book disobeyed a direct order from the general.

I loaned the book out to my dad, but when he's done I have no problem loaning it out to anyone on the board.

 

[Marauder06]

Thanks for the summary, I'm looking forward to reading the book as well.

"Never should have been told" is kind of Naylor's MO. He's a great writer with amazing sources, who has no compunction about sharing anything he thinks would make a great story. Bottom line though, if people weren't talking out of school, people like Naylor wouldn't have anything to talk about.

Along those lines, I'm shocked that Pete Blaber would be the hero in a story that Pete Blaber told about JSOC.

 

[AWP]

I'm up to post-9/11, pre-Afghanistan and Dell Dailey is being hammered. Maybe it is deserved or justified, I don't know, but he is raked over the coals. The fertilizer plant in particular is an interesting vignette.

A couple of areas, maybe they are true, maybe not, but they read like someone with an ax to grind. To his credit Naylor mentions both sides of a dispute, but I find it curious when it his writing style is to present the negative version before the positive rebuttal. It stacks the deck emotionally with the readers.

 

[DA SWO]

I'm up to post-9/11, pre-Afghanistan and Dell Dailey is being hammered. Maybe it is deserved or justified, I don't know, but he is raked over the coals. The fertilizer plant in particular is an interesting vignette.

A couple of areas, maybe they are true, maybe not, but they read like someone with an ax to grind. To his credit Naylor mentions both sides of a dispute, but I find it curious when it his writing style is to present the negative version before the positive rebuttal. It stacks the deck emotionally with the readers.

Same techniques used when you are in court.
I hope to have a digital version of the book soon.

 

[MOTOMETO]

Reading this thread alone makes me want to buy the book, but I won't. I smell a best seller.

 

[Teufel]

Sean Naylor is a Canadian journalist with no military experience to my knowledge. He somehow has gotten multiple people to talk to him about things they shouldn't have. That is his job. He is a journalist. I don't blame him for doing his job and selling books. I just wouldn't talk to him about what I do and I would not recommend that anyone else tell him privileged information either unless you want to see your name in print, both in his book and on your non-judicial punishment paperwork.

 

[DA SWO]

Was thinking about this, I wonder if his sources are retired Senior Officers/NCO's who are using this book as a way to settle scores or grind an ax?

 

[Marauder06]

It's easy enough to tell. Who comes out looking like a hero in these books, or if not the "hero" the person who was wronged in some way by the powers that be? Those are the people who talked.

 

[SpongeBob*24]

Its usually the intel types that talk.....