Joint Unconventional Warfare Task Force Execute Order
Encyclopedia
The Joint Unconventional Warfare
Task Force Execute Order is a secret U.S. Defense Department Directive, signed Sept. 30, 2009 by General David Petraeus
, which authorized the sending of American Special Operations troops to both friendly and hostile nations to gather intelligence and build ties with local forces. The seven-page directive did not appear to authorize offensive strikes in any specific countries. Its goals were to “prepare the environment” for future attacks by American or local military forces, as well as to are to build networks that could “penetrate, disrupt, defeat or destroy” Al Qaeda and other militant groups.
, should undertake a vastly more expanded role in world affairs, i.e. to operate beyond Iraq and Afghanistan. The New York Times stated that, "The order, which an official said was drafted in close coordination with Adm. Eric T. Olson, the officer in charge of the United States Special Operations Command, calls for clandestine activities that “cannot or will not be accomplished” by conventional military operations or “interagency activities,” a reference to American spy agencies". The Order focused on intelligence gathering — by American troops, foreign businesspeople, academics or others — to identify militants and provide “persistent situational awareness,” while forging ties to local indigenous groups. The order did not authorize offensive strikes in any specific countries.
Joint Unconventional Warfare
Joint unconventional warfare is the inter-agency, or international implementation of a unconventional warfare strategy, comprising elements of asymmetric warfare, irregular warfare, urban warfare and various forms of psychological operations deployed by non-traditional means.Joint unconventional...
Task Force Execute Order is a secret U.S. Defense Department Directive, signed Sept. 30, 2009 by General David Petraeus
David Petraeus
David Howell Petraeus is the current Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, sworn in on September 6, 2011. Prior to his assuming the directorship of the CIA, Petraeus was a four-star general serving over 37 years in the United States Army. His last assignments in the Army were as commander...
, which authorized the sending of American Special Operations troops to both friendly and hostile nations to gather intelligence and build ties with local forces. The seven-page directive did not appear to authorize offensive strikes in any specific countries. Its goals were to “prepare the environment” for future attacks by American or local military forces, as well as to are to build networks that could “penetrate, disrupt, defeat or destroy” Al Qaeda and other militant groups.
New York Times Article on JUWTF order
U.S. defense officials stated to the New York Times in May 2010, that the JUWTF operationalized the views of many top U.S. commanders, among them General David PetraeusDavid Petraeus
David Howell Petraeus is the current Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, sworn in on September 6, 2011. Prior to his assuming the directorship of the CIA, Petraeus was a four-star general serving over 37 years in the United States Army. His last assignments in the Army were as commander...
, should undertake a vastly more expanded role in world affairs, i.e. to operate beyond Iraq and Afghanistan. The New York Times stated that, "The order, which an official said was drafted in close coordination with Adm. Eric T. Olson, the officer in charge of the United States Special Operations Command, calls for clandestine activities that “cannot or will not be accomplished” by conventional military operations or “interagency activities,” a reference to American spy agencies". The Order focused on intelligence gathering — by American troops, foreign businesspeople, academics or others — to identify militants and provide “persistent situational awareness,” while forging ties to local indigenous groups. The order did not authorize offensive strikes in any specific countries.