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Revision as of 02:22, 4 July 2008
Michael G. Vickers (b. 1953) is the United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict. He is a former Green Beret[1], Army Special Forces officer, and CIA operations officer. While in the CIA, he played a key role in the arming of the Afghan resistance to the Soviets.[2] His role is featured in George Crile's 2003 book Charlie Wilson's War, and the 2007 movie adaptation in which he is played by actor Christopher Denham.
Career
From 1973 to 1986, Mr. Vickers served as an Army Special Forces Non-Commissioned Officer, Special Forces Officer, and CIA Operations Officer. In the mid-1980s, Vicker's became involved with Operation Cyclone, the United States Central Intelligence Agency program to arm Islamic mujahideen during the Soviet war in Afghanistan. He was the head military strategist for the U.S., coordinating an effort that involved ten countries and providing direction to forces made up of over 500,000 Afghan fighters.[3] Later he was Senior Vice President, Strategic Studies, at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA), during which he provided advice on Iraq strategy to President Bush and his war cabinet.[3]. In July 2007 he was confirmed by the United States Senate as Assistant Secretary of Defense, where he is the senior civilian advisor to the Secretary of Defense on such matters as counter-terrorism strategy and operational employment of special operations forces, strategic forces, and conventional forces. [4] In 2004, he wrote an Op-Ed piece for USA Today in which he stated that the United States can be successful in Iraq by using a much smaller force modeled on success in Afghanistan.[5]
Personal
Vickers attended the University of Alabama, where he graduated with honors, and went on to attend the Wharton Business School from which he received an MBA. He is married with five daughters.[3]
See also
- Charles Wilson (Texas politician)
- Gust Avrakotos
- Howard Hart
- Joanne Herring
- United States Special Operations Command, (SOCOM)
- Unmanned aerial vehicles (2007 and beyond)
- War in Afghanistan (2001-present)
- Low intensity conflict
- Mini-nuke
- (SADM) or Special Atomic Demolition Munition
- Suitcase nuke
- Force multiplication
- Proxy war
- Fourth generation warfare
References
- ^ Green Berets outfought, out-thought the Taliban USA Today, 01/06/2002}
- ^ "Sorry Charlie this is Michael Vickers's War", Washington Post, 27 December 2007
- ^ a b c Bio page at the United States Department of Defense
- ^ Nomination page at Whitehouse.gov
- ^ For guidance on Iraq, look to Afghanistan: Use fewer U.S. troops, not more
External links
- SOF Advisor - Michael G. Vickers November 14 2007
- U.S. adapts Cold-War Idea to Fight Terrorists NYTimes March 18 2008
- 1953 births
- People of the Central Intelligence Agency
- Counter-insurgency theorists
- Counter-terrorism theorists
- Guerrilla warfare theorists
- Living people
- Psychological warfare theorists
- United States Army officers
- United States Department of Defense officials
- United States government biography stubs
- Terrorism theorists
- The Pentagon
- Members of the Special Forces of the United States
- War on Terror
- Warfare of the Modern era
- University of Alabama alumni
- University of Pennsylvania alumni