SECRET ARMIES : Inside the American, Soviet and European Special Forces by Adams, James

New York 1987, Atlantic Monthly Pr, US First edition, hard bound w/dj, 6x9, Fine/Fine condition, 440 pages, illus, notes, appendices, glossary, index. -----------------------------JAMES ADAMS, defense correspondent of The Sunday Times (London) and a leading authority on covert warfare and terrorism, details the inside story of the U .S., Soviet, and British special forces-their secret armies. Delta Force and the secret intelligence-gathering unit ISA in the U.S., SAS in Great Britain, and the terrifying and highly accomplished Spetsnaz in the Soviet Union are all in the same business. Their aim is to continually press for political or territorial advantage in the shadow of a war too terrible to contemplate. Indeed, these special forces are the cutting edge in today's wars, and they play an increasingly prominent part in the planning of future strategy.Secret Armies is the first account of the development of these covert forces whose training, methods, and operations are by definition kept hidden from public scrutiny. Much of this information is drawn from previously secret documents and intelligence files and published here for the first time. For example:Spetsnaz-a detailed look at the structure, training, and targets of the extremely successful Soviet special forces. Czechoslovakia -the Spetsnaz infiltration prior to the massive Soviet invasion in 1968 along with Spetsnaz's comprehensive campaign of assassination and sabotage in cooperation with the KGB.Afghanistan-the story of the covert war told in detail for the first time. James Adams draws on formerly classified material in the intelligence files of Western agencies. Delta Force-the structure, training, and operations of this super-secret organization based at Fort Bragg. Secret Armies reveals previously unpublished material on missions such as the abortive rescue of American hostages in Iran and the rescue of hostages in Bangkok and Venezuela. intelligence Support Activity-ISA was formed after the Iranian rescue mission, to gather intelligence for covert military operations. It operated without Congressional authority and was thought to have been disbanded. In fact, Adams details, it has operated in Lebanon, Central America, and Europe.