Here is some leisurely Sunday reading material???

Background – Special Operations / Black Hawk Down – I have recently seen the movie “Black Hawk Down,” and I commend it to anyone who is interested in special operations. I suspect that this highly realistic movie is as close as one can come to experiencing a special operation short of actually being on one.

The situation in Somalia in 1993 is somewhat similar to the situation in Afghanistan today. The original mission in Somalia was humanitarian relief, that was changed to nation building which was opposed by hostile warlords. In Afghanistan the original mission was war, and it is now evolving into nation building, which is also being opposed by hostile warlords.

What lessons were learned in Somalia that can be applied to Afghanistan? Here are some articles on Somalia that supply the necessary background.

• PBS Frontline documentary: Ambush in Mogadishu – The interviews with the key players in this documentary are fascinating reading for deriving lessons learned.

• Philadelphia Inquirer: Black Hawk Down – This is the original newspaper series.

• US Army: History of the Rangers