Obama’s secret army

At a time when many think the US government is inept, Special Forces are getting the job done around the world, writes Daniel Klaidman

Some of these critics are also worried that Special Forces, if their numbers bloat any further as a result, won’t be so special any more

ONE of Barack Obama’s earliest kills came in Apr 2009. Somali pirates had stormed the Maersk Alabama, a US container ship in lawless waters off the Horn of Africa. The American crew had tried to overwhelm the pirates, who fled on a covered lifeboat, taking with them a 53-year-old hostage: Ship captain Richard Phillips. Armed with AK-47s and pistols, the pirates stashed Phillips below deck and threatened to kill him if they didn’t get $2m (€1.5m) in ransom.