Elite United States forces were deployed in 134 countries last year according Major Matthew Robert Bockholt of the public affairs department of the Special Operations Command.
According to a report on TomDispatch, in the waning days of the Bush presidency, Special Operations forces were reportedly deployed in about 60 countries around the world.
By 2010, that number had swelled to 75 and was predicted to shoot up to 120 the following year. Last year it stood at 134.
“This 123% increase during the Obama years demonstrates how, in addition to conventional wars and a CIA drone campaign, public diplomacy and extensive electronic spying, the U.S. has engaged in still another significant and growing form of overseas power projection,” the report says.
“Conducted largely in the shadows by America’s most elite troops, the vast majority of these missions take place far from prying eyes, media scrutiny, or any type of outside oversight, increasing the chances of unforeseen blowback and catastrophic consequences.”
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