In the space of about 12 hours, rumors that the DOD was reviewing the detailing of special forces personnel to the CIA’s Special Activities Center for counter-terrorism missions, turned into a decision that Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller had notified the CIA that it was planning to end most such support by Jan. 5. On Wednesday night (Dec. 9), Defense One reported that the ostensible purpose of the review was to determine whether or not such special forces personnel might better be employed against Russia and China as outlined in the 2018 National Defense Strategy. The review was claimed to be the brainchild of Ezra Cohen-Watnick, acting in the capacity of Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, who got the job in the wake of the Nov. 3 election and subsequent firing of Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. Some of the “normal suspects” are complaining about the utility of what they see as an effort to curtail the Defense Department’s counterterrorism support to the agency, “Defense One” reports. It could also be that President Donald Trump wants to end both the official “endless wars,” and also the CIA illegal covert wars.
By Thursday morning, Dec. 10, ABC News was reporting that the Pentagon has told the Central Intelligence Agency that it plans to end the majority of the military support it provides to the agency’s counterterrorism missions by Jan. 5, citing an unnamed former senior intelligence officer. Miller sent a letter to CIA Director Gina Haspel outlining the decision, according to the former official, who characterized the action as both surprising and unprecedented.
