The Untold Story of Special Forces and the Iraqi Kurdish Resistance Mark Grodvic

This conversation delves into the experiences of Mark Grdovic, a member of the 10th Special Forces Group, during the Iraq War, particularly focusing on their operations with Kurdish forces. It covers the planning, execution, and challenges faced during the invasion, including the establishment of relationships with local forces, the importance of communication, and the dynamics of military strategy in a complex environment. <br />Grab Mark's book here:⬇️<br />https://www.amazon.com/Those-Who-Face-Death-Resistance/dp/1963781058<br />https://www.markgrdovic.com/<br />Today's sponsors <br />GhostBed⬇️<br />https://www.ghostbed.com/house<br />FOR 25% off sitewide! <br />For ad free video and audio and access to live streams and Eyes On Geopolitics...JOIN OUR PATREON! <br />https://www.patreon.com/c/TheTeamHouse<br />To help support the show and for all bonus content including:<br />-live shows and asking guest questions <br />-ad free audio and video<br />-early access to shows<br />-Access to ALL bonus segments with our guests<br />Subscribe to our Patreon! ⬇️<br />https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse<br />Support the show here:⬇️<br />https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse<br />___________________________________________________<br />Subscribe to the new EYES ON podcast here:⬇️<br />https://www.youtube.com/@EyesOnGeopoliticsPod/featured<br />__________________________________<br />Jack Murphy's new book "We Defy: The Lost Chapters of Special Forces History" ⬇️<br />https://www.amazon.com/We-Defy-Chapters-Special-History-ebook/dp/B0DCGC1N1N/<br />——————————————————————<br />Or make a one time donation at: ⬇️<br />https://ko-fi.com/theteamhouse<br />Social Media: ⬇️<br />The Team House Instagram:<br />https://instagram.com/the.team.house?utm_medium=copy_link<br />The Team House Twitter:<br />https://twitter.com/TheTeamHousePod<br />Jack’s Instagram:<br />https://instagram.com/jackmcmurph?utm_medium=copy_link<br />Jack’s Twitter:<br /> https://twitter.com/jackmurphyrgr?s=21<br />Dave’s Twitter: <br />https://twitter.com/dave_parke?s=21<br />Team House Discord: ⬇️<br />https://discord.gg/wHFHYM6<br />SubReddit: ⬇️<br />https://www.reddit.com/r/TheTeamHouse/<br />Jack Murphy's memoir "Murphy's Law" can be found here:⬇️<br /> https://www.amazon.com/Murphys-Law-Journey-Investigative-Journalist/dp/1501191241<br />The Team Room Reading Room (Amazon Affiliate links):⬇️<br /> https://jackmurphywrites.com/the-team-room-reading-room/<br />Intro music by https://www.youtube.com/user/RemixSample<br />"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"<br /><br />00:00 Introduction to Special Forces and the Kurdish Resistance<br />07:55 Planning for the Invasion of Iraq<br />11:51 Establishing Relationships with Kurdish Forces<br />16:06 Challenges of Communication and Coordination<br />23:54 Infiltration and Initial Operations<br />27:51 Operation Viking Hammer: The Assault Begins<br />31:57 The Role of Air Support and Tactical Decisions<br />35:56 Engagements with Enemy Forces<br />39:54 The Dynamics of Kurdish Politics and Warfare<br />43:56 The Aftermath of the Initial Assault<br />01:07:21 The Kurdish Liberation and the Battle of Halabja<br />01:10:07 Iran's Strategic Alliances and the Role of Terrorists<br />01:11:32 Missed Opportunities: The Zarqawi Connection<br />01:12:51 Challenges with Coalition Forces and Coordination<br />01:17:04 The Complexities of Surrender and Iraqi Army Dynamics<br />01:28:02 Restoring Order: The Role of Basic Services<br />01:31:57 The Transition from Occupation to Governance<br />01:38:33 Lessons Learned and Reflections on the Operation<br /><br /><br />Become a supporter of this podcast: <a href="https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss">https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support</a>.