On Foreign Entanglements, Rob and journalist David Axe discuss the controversy over David’s recent story about US Special Forces operating in North Korea. David describes his harrowing experience in the policy journalism grinder, faced with skeptics and official denials. Rob and David then talk about what Special Forces would do in North Korea. They also address the role South Korean forces might play, and the response in Seoul to David’s story. Rob wonders whether the growing power of the Special Forces is beginning to affect heretofore conventional defense debates. Finally, David talks about some lessons that he’s drawn from the experience.
Play entire videoSOFIC 2012 conference in Tampa
David’s controversial story, reposted on his blog after The Diplomat took it down
David provides context for the story on his blog
Jeffrey Lewis discusses David’s story
National Defense Magazine posts the same quote as David
The Diplomat’s clarification on David’s story
The Pentagon’s response to David, confirming he did not misreport
David’s Wired article on Hillary Clinton, which uses the phrase “shadow warriors”
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