127e programs

American military operations under US Code Section 127e authority June 2025 127e programs 2017–2020 127e programs, also known as 127 Echo programs, refers to a number of counterterrorism operations led by United States special operations forces under the legal authority of Section 127e of Title 10 of the United States Code.https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2019/03/26/delayed-report-on-green-beret-deaths-in-niger-may-be-subpoenaed-from-dod/ Delayed report on Green Beret deaths in Niger may be subpoenaed from DoD Kyle Rempfer March 26, 2019 Army Timeshttps://www.armytimes.com/news/2020/12/07/irregular-warfare-authorities-expand-in-defense-budget/ Irregular warfare authorities expand in defense budget Kyle Rempfer December 7, 2020 Army Times According to The Intercept, at least 23 different operations were conducted by the American military under 127e authority between 2017 and 2020, costing at least $310 million.https://theintercept.com/2022/07/01/pentagon-127e-proxy-wars/ How the Pentagon Uses a Secretive Program to Wage Proxy Wars Nick Turse Alice Speri July 1, 2022 The Intercept Legal status Section 127e of Title 10 of the United States Code, titled Support of special operations to combat terrorism, allows for the United States Secretary of Defense to spend a maximum of $100 million a year to "support to foreign forces, irregular forces, groups, or individuals engaged in supporting or facilitating authorized ongoing military operations by United States special operations forces" engaged in counterterrorism activities.https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/127e 10 U.S. Code § 127e - Support of special operations to combat terrorism LII / Legal Information Institutehttps://civiliansinconflict.org/blog/quick-reference-us-law-aumf-part-two/ A CIVIC Quick Reference Guide: US Law & Policy on the Use of Military Force and Lethal Operations – Part II (Partnered Operations) Annie Shiel August 29, 2018 History The authority originated in American government initiatives during the first few years of the war on terror, notably the Iraq War. It was originally known as Section 1208 authority, under the National Defense Authorization Act, and received funding of $10 million a year.https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-army/2019/02/08/fighting-terrorism-may-rely-on-secret-surrogate-forces-going-forward/ Special operations launches ‘secret surrogate’ missions in new counter-terrorism strategy Kyle Rempfer February 8, 2019 Military Times A number of 127e programmes have been conducted in Somalia, consisting of training regional forces for combat against Al-Shabaab.https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/exclusive-inside-secret-world-us-commandos-africa Exclusive: Inside the Secret World of US Commandos in Africa Pulitzer Center Other "direct action" missions involving direct combat with American forces have been conducted in Cameroon, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Niger, Somalia, Tunisia, Ethiopia, and Mauritania have been confirmed to have occurred by former American general Donald C. Bolduc.https://www.vice.com/en/article/exclusive-the-us-has-more-military-operations-in-africa-than-the-middle-east/ Exclusive: The U.S. has more military operations in Africa than the Middle East Vice.com Operations under the authority have also been carried out in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. In 2017, the team ambushed in the Tongo Tongo ambush in Niger had been pulled off its original mission to assist another team that had been conducted a 127e operation.https://www.politico.com/story/2018/07/02/secret-war-africa-pentagon-664005 Behind the secret U.S. war in Africa POLITICO In 2019, the Rapid Intervention Brigade (BIR) of the Cameroon Armed Forces received American funding under 127e authority, until the programme was cut off due to accusations of human rights abuses by the BIRhttps://theintercept.com/2022/03/09/cameroon-military-abuses-bir-127e/ Even After Acknowledging Abuses, the U.S. Continued to Employ Notorious Proxy Forces in Cameroon Nick Turse Alice Speri March 9, 2022 The Intercept On the 24th of October 2023, The Intercept would put out an article describing how the US military used 127e programme to conduct what it described as a "secret war" in Lebanon, and warned of how it could inflame the ongoing Gaza warhttps://theintercept.com/2023/10/24/israel-lebanon-us-military-hezbollah/ Secret U.S. War in Lebanon is Tinder for Escalation of Israel-Gaza conflict Nick Turse October 24, 2023 October 28, 2023 The Intercept Reception In 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven called the programme "probably the single most important authority we have in our fight against terrorism." In 2018, General Raymond A. Thomas stated that the programme's "unique access and capabilities achieve results." According to General Richard D. Clarke, "use of 127e authority has directly resulted in the capture or killing of thousands of terrorists."https://www.thenation.com/article/world/what-are-us-forces-doing-abroad-we-dont-necessarily-know/ What Are US Forces Doing Abroad? We Don’t Necessarily Know. Nick Turse March 21, 2020 www.thenation.com Elias Yousif of the Center for International Policy and Daniel R. Mahanty of the Center for Civilians in Conflict have concerns about a lack of formal oversight mechanisms for the programme, saying that "the DOD has exempted 127e programs from basic human rights due diligence and vetting it applies to almost all other programs" and has allowed the Pentagon to avoid "critical questions about U.S. military involvement in foreign conflicts."https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/528656-when-exceptions-become-the-rule-forever-wars-result/ When exceptions become the rule, ‘forever wars’ result Elias Yousif Daniel R. Mahanty December 8, 2020 Katherine Ebright of the Brennan Center for Justice has said that the Pentagon has used the programmes "to engage in combat beyond the scope of any authorization for use of military force or permissible self-defense," which "would contravene constitutional principles." References Category:Title 10 of the United States Code Category:Counterterrorist operations Category:Counterterrorism in the United States