Operation “Viking Hammer” Was Never the Real Mission? | Ep. 281

Operation “Viking Hammer” Was Never the Real Mission? | Ep. 281 Retired Green Beret, Mark Grdovic shares the largely untold story of what came to be known as "Operation Viking Hammer", a 2003 U.S. Army Special Forces mission in northern Iraq that targeted the terrorist group Ansar al-Islam prior to the main invasion. Working alongside Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, 10th Special Forces Group conducted a coordinated assault on entrenched enemy positions in mountainous terrain near Halabja, following Tomahawk strikes. The operation dismantled Ansar al-Islam’s stronghold and secured the Kurdish region, enabling follow-on coalition operations deeper into Iraq. If you like this, click subscribe, like and share with a friend. ---------- Support Mark Grdovic https://www.markgrdovic.com/   / mark-grdovic-pmp-5668b357   https://www.fpri.org/contributor/mark... https://smallwarsjournal.com/author/m... ---------- BUBS Naturals BUBS Naturals products are rooted in sustainably sourced ingredients and controlled consistency to provide our customers with the highest quality Collagen Protein & MCT Oil Powder that help you feel amazing and live a fuller life. Mizzen & Main Mizzen & Main is offering our listeners 20% off your first purchase at mizzenandmain.com, promo code MIKEDROP20. BEAM Here’s the deal: Beam is giving my listeners the ultimate patriot discount of UP TO 40% off. Try their best‑selling Dream Powder and get UP TO 40% off for a limited time. Go to https://shopbeam.com/products/dream-p... and use code MIKEDROP at checkout. HELLO FRESH Go to https://www.hellofresh.com/mikedrop10fm to Get 10 free meals + a FREE Zwilling Knife (a $144.99 value) on your third box. Offer valid while supplies last. Free meals applied as discount on first box, new subscribers only, varies by plan. NAVY SEALS FITNESS APP | HYBRID STRENGTH & CONDITIONING TRAINING Train like a SEAL with Mike Ritland's App. Build real-world strength, endurance and resilience. https://www.coachos-app.com/navy-seals TEAM DOG FOOD, TREATS & SUPPLEMENTS Be Your Dog’s Hero: Veteran-owned by a former Navy SEAL and Special Operations K9 Trainer, Team Dog provides a complete diet of science-backed premium dog food, treats, and supplements to optimize your dog’s health, forged from rigorous standards and real-world expertise. https://www.teamdog.shop TEAM DOG ONLINE TRAINING Mike Ritland – a former Navy SEAL & Special Operations K9 trainer – shares his simple and effective dog training program to build trust and control with your dog. Based on Mike’s bestselling book “Team Dog, Train the Navy SEAL Way”, join tens of thousands of families that successfully trained their way to a better dog. https://www.teamdog.pet SHOP ALL THE MIKE RITLAND BRANDS Get all your Mike Ritland branded gear - Mike Drop | Trikos | Team Dog https://shop.mikeritland.com Chapters 00:00:00 - Intro 00:05:58 - Favorite Quote 00:09:58 - Time Travel 00:14:56 - Bosnia Involvement 00:19:56 - Africa Missions 00:24:56 - 9/11 Impact 00:29:56 - Iraq Planning 00:34:56 - Kosovo Operations 00:39:56 - Complex Conflicts 00:44:56 - Liberia Evacuation 00:49:56 - Assured Response 00:54:56 - Post-9/11 Strategy 00:59:56 - Saddam Ties 01:04:56 - Invasion Plans 01:09:56 - Kurdish Relations 01:14:56 - Turkey Issues 01:19:56 - Border Crossing 01:24:56 - Cruise Missiles 01:29:56 - Enemy Attack 01:39:56 - AC-130 Support 01:44:56 - Dispersing Teams 01:49:56 - Psychological Warfare 01:54:56 - Surrender Messages 01:59:56 - Ansar Fight 02:04:56 - Zarqawi Escape 02:09:56 - Kirkuk Occupation 02:14:56 - City Liberation 02:19:56 - White House Role 02:24:56 - Bush Katrina 02:29:56 - Iraq Reflections 02:34:56 - Ukraine Impact 02:39:56 - NATO Stance 02:44:56 - Intervention Morals 02:49:56 - Nuclear Threat 02:54:56 - National Guard 02:59:56 - Border Policies 03:04:56 - Military Posture 03:09:56 - Closing Remarks #TheMikeDropPodcast #MikeRitland #Veteran #Military #Geopolitics #MikeRitlandPodcast #OperationVikingHammer #MarkGrdovic #GreenBeret #USArmy #SpecialForces #10thGroup #IraqWar #HalabjaIraq #TomahawkMissiles #SaddamHussein #GeorgeBush #WarOnTerror #AlQaeda #ArmyRangers #DeltaForce #PentagonNews #FoxNews #CIAOperations #MilitaryHistory #UnitedStates #Navy #SpecialForcesTraining #ShawnRyanShow #PTSD #NavySEALTraining #GreenBeretTraining