A classified U.S. Special Operations cell that coordinated strikes against Islamic State targets showed reckless disregard for civilian casualties by regularly circumventing safeguard procedures and engaging in deceptive practices, according to a report published Sunday by The New York Times.
The cell, known as Talon Anvil, reportedly worked around the clock in three shifts out of nondescript offices in Iraq and Syria, sorting through drone footage and on-the-ground intelligence from Kurdish and Syrian allies. Authority to order airstrikes, either by Talon Anvil's own armed drones or by manned aircraft, was delegated to the highest-ranking enlisted U.S. Army Delta Force operator then on duty, often a sergeant first class.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
One analyst claimed Talon Anvil's strikes were killing civilians at a rate 10 times greater than that of similar operations in Afghanistan.
Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, who in 2016 and 2017 was the commander of America's offensive against ISIS and who implemented the policy of delegating strike authority to lower-ranking personnel, said civilian casualties were the result of the "misfortunes of war," not of any recklessness or apathy on the part of himself or the troops under his command.
-
Israel: Losing the American publicFeature A recent poll finds American support for Israel's military action in Gaza has fallen from 50% to 32%
-
Unmaking AmericansFeature Trump is threatening to revoke the citizenship of foreign-born Americans. Could he do that?
-
EPA: A bonfire of climate change regulationsFeature The Environmental Protection Agency wants to roll back its 'endangerment finding,' a ruling that lets the agency regulate carbon emissions
-
Russia and Iran 'up the ante' after meeting in TurkmenistanThe Explainer Two nations talk up their closer ties but some in Tehran believe Putin 'still owes' them
-
Will Iran risk all-out war with Israel?Today's Big Question Tehran has not wanted to be directly involved in the Middle East conflict so far. But that could be about to change
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red SeaSpeed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
-
Houthi rebels claim Red Sea ship attacksspeed read Iran-backed Yemeni group vows to escalate aggression towards Israel-linked vessels in revenge for Gaza war
-
Israel plans next phase of Gaza war as first hostages releasedSpeed read After four-day ceasefire 'we will not stop' until destruction of Hamas, says Israel
-
Mob storms Russian airport 'looking for Jews'Speed Read Plane from Israel surrounded by rioters chanting antisemitic slogans after landing in Russia's Dagestan region
-
Tuberville's military promotions block is upending lives, combat readiness, 3 military branch chiefs saySpeed Read
-
Ukraine's counteroffensive is making incremental gains. Does it matter in the broader war?Speed Read
