When contacted by The Intercept with a series of questions regarding the Haymaker missions, the United States Special Operations Command in Afghanistan declined to comment on the grounds that the campaign - though now finished - remains classified. Nor did the campaign succeed in significantly degrading al Qaeda’s operations in the region. The vast majority of those killed in airstrikes were not the direct targets. The operators leading the campaign included some of the most highly trained military units at the Obama administration’s disposal, and they were supported by the world’s most powerful electronic surveillance agencies, equipped with technology that allowed for unmatched tracking of wanted individuals.ĭespite all these advantages, the military’s own analysis demonstrates that the Haymaker campaign was in many respects a failure. After more than a decade of war in Afghanistan, a robust network of intelligence sources - including informants on the ground - had been established in parts of the historically rebellious, geographically imposing provinces of Kunar and Nuristan. INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY DOCUMENTS obtained by The Intercept, detailing the purpose and achievements of the Haymaker campaign, indicate that the American forces involved in the operations had, at least on paper, all of the components they needed to succeed.
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