Misplaced Pages

#425574

80-557: While the USSOCOM MK23 designation usually applies to the complete system, it is also commonly used in reference to the pistol component alone. The LAM and suppressor were developed by Insight Technology and Knight's Armament Company (KAC), respectively. The civilian version of the Mk23 sold by itself is designated the Mark 23. The MK 23 is considered a match grade pistol, and is capable of making

160-400: A 2-inch (51 mm) group at 25 metres (27 yd). The MK 23 is designed for exceptional durability in harsh environments, being waterproof and corrosion-resistant. The barrel is manufactured with polygonal rifling , which is reported to improve accuracy and durability, and is much more expensive to produce. It also features an ambidextrous safety and magazine release on both sides of

240-476: A Taliban offer to hand over bin Laden on the condition the bombing campaign was halted, and by mid-November, Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan, fell . The remaining al-Qaeda and Taliban remnants fell back to the rugged mountains of eastern Afghanistan, mainly Tora Bora. In December, Coalition forces (the U.S. and its allies) fought within that region . It is believed that Osama bin Laden escaped into Pakistan during

320-606: A bill that grants the President powers to unilaterally wage perpetual "world wide wars". Operation Enduring Freedom is the official name used by the Bush administration for the War in Afghanistan , together with three smaller military actions, under the umbrella of the global war on terror. These global operations are intended to seek out and destroy any al-Qaeda fighters or affiliates. Originally,

400-559: A bombing campaign in Sudan and Afghanistan against targets the U.S. asserted were associated with WIFJAJC, although others have questioned whether a pharmaceutical plant in Sudan was used as a chemical warfare facility. The plant produced much of the region's antimalarial drugs and around 50% of Sudan's pharmaceutical needs. The strikes failed to kill any leaders of WIFJAJC or the Taliban. Next came

480-467: A boundless 'global war on terror,' but rather as a series of persistent, targeted efforts to dismantle specific networks of violent extremists that threaten America. In many cases, this will involve partnerships with other countries." Nevertheless, in the same speech, in a bid to emphasize the legality of military actions undertaken by the U.S., noting that Congress had authorised the use of force, he went on to say, "Under domestic law, and international law,

560-509: A few days prior; the authorization is still active to this day and has been used to justify numerous military actions. The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists or "AUMF" was made law on 14 September 2001, to authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against those responsible for 11 September attacks. It authorized the President to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided

640-564: A hard time maintaining full control over their country. The fledgling government requested support from the international community on combating the Islamic militants. In January 2013, France intervened on behalf of the Malian government's request and deployed troops into the region. They launched Operation Serval on 11 January 2013, with the hopes of dislodging the al-Qaeda affiliated groups from northern Mali. Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa

720-558: A journalist's question about the impact of enhanced law enforcement authority given to the U.S. surveillance agencies on Americans' civil liberties: "This is a new kind of—a new kind of evil. And we understand. And the American people are beginning to understand. This crusade , this war on terrorism is going to take a while. And the American people must be patient. I'm going to be patient." The reference to Crusades became subject to heavy criticism due to its controversial connotations in

800-559: A more conventional, compact pistol. In response, HK developed the USP Tactical pistol based on the original USP. The USP Tactical and MK 23 look similar, although they are different pistols by design and purpose, the Tactical retains much of the performance of the MK 23 without the bulky size. It uses a different suppressor (due to 16 x 1mm left handed threading, as opposed to 16 x 1mm right-handed on

880-598: A non-magnified red dot sight equipped with an integral infrared target illumination laser and visible laser sight . The ISM was originally produced in tandem with the XM8 Assault Rifle , with the intention of becoming a standard attachment. However, even as the XM8 project was cancelled, Insight continued development of the ISM sight until it was released in early 2007. The ISM can fit any MIL-STD 1913 rail . This article about

SECTION 10

#1732852394426

960-499: A pistol, suppressor, and laser aiming module. The pistol had to be corrosion resistant, have a high mean rounds between failures (MRBF), and be able to serve as a primary weapon. After several tests, Heckler & Koch and Colt submissions were selected to move to phase I of the OHWS program in August 1991. They were awarded developmental contracts to produce 30 systems. At the time the program

1040-597: A technological corporation or company is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . War on Terror The war on terror , officially the Global War on Terrorism ( GWOT ), is a global military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks in 2001, and is the most recent global conflict spanning multiple wars . Some researchers and political scientists have argued that it replaced

1120-576: Is an extension of Operation Enduring Freedom. Unlike other operations contained in Operation Enduring Freedom, OEF-HOA does not have a specific organization as a target. OEF-HOA instead focuses its efforts to disrupt and detect militant activities in the region and to work with willing governments to prevent the reemergence of militant cells and activities. In October 2002, the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA)

1200-760: Is an optical device manufacturer based in Londonderry, New Hampshire , USA . Insight Technology builds firearm accessories such as tactical flashlights and laser aiming modules , for military and civilian markets. The company is best known for making the AN/PEQ-2 and AN/PEQ-6 laser sights used by some branches of the United States armed forces , as well as the LA-5/PEQ for the Special Operations Peculiar MODification (SOPMOD) Block II . Insight

1280-1036: Is no military solution to the conflict, pointing out that terrorism is not an identifiable enemy, and have emphasized the importance of negotiations and political solutions to resolve the underlying roots of the crises. The phrase war on terror was used to refer specifically to the military campaign led by the United States, the United Kingdom, and allied countries against organizations and regimes identified by them as terrorist, and usually excludes other independent counter-terrorist operations and campaigns such as those by Russia and India. The conflict has also been referred to by other names, such as "World War IV", " World War III ", "Bush's War on Terror", "The Long War", "The Forever War", "The Global War on Terror", "The War Against al-Qaeda", or "The War of Terror". The phrase "war against terrorism" existed in North American popular culture and U.S. political parlance prior to

1360-453: Is not a global war against a tactic—terrorism, or a religion—Islam. We are at war with a specific network, al-Qaeda, and its terrorist affiliates who support efforts to attack the United States, our allies, and partners." Usage of the term "war on terror" was initially discontinued in May 2010 and again in May 2013. On 23 May 2013, U.S. President Barack Obama announced that the "war on terrorism"

1440-796: Is over 4,000 costing around 12 billion in Pakistani Rupees. In January 2002, the United States Special Operations Command, Pacific deployed to the Philippines to advise and assist the Armed Forces of the Philippines in combating Filipino Islamist groups. The operations were mainly focused on removing the Abu Sayyaf group and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) from their stronghold on the island of Basilan . The second portion of

1520-715: Is simultaneously a set of actual practices—wars, covert operations, agencies, and institutions—and an accompanying series of assumptions, beliefs, justifications, and narratives—it is an entire language or discourse". Jackson cites, among many examples, a statement by John Ashcroft that "the attacks of September 11 drew a bright line of demarcation between the civil and the savage ". Administration officials also described "terrorists" as hateful, treacherous, barbarous, mad, twisted, perverted, without faith, parasitical , inhuman, and, most commonly, evil. Americans, in contrast, were described as brave, loving, generous, strong, resourceful, heroic, and respectful of human rights. Denouncing

1600-468: The 2000 millennium attack plots , which included an attempted bombing of Los Angeles International Airport . On 12 October 2000, the USS Cole bombing occurred near the port of Yemen, and 17 U.S. Navy sailors were killed. On the morning of 11 September 2001, nineteen men hijacked four jet airliners , all of them bound for California. Once the hijackers assumed control of the jet airliners, they told

1680-563: The Battle of Ras Kamboni by bombing Ras Kamboni using AC-130 gunships. On 14 September 2009, U.S. Special Forces killed two men and wounded and captured two others near the Somali village of Baarawe . Witnesses claim that helicopters used for the operation launched from French-flagged warships, but that could not be confirmed. A Somali-based al-Qaida affiliated group, the Al-Shabaab , has verified

SECTION 20

#1732852394426

1760-611: The Cold War . The main targets of the campaign are militant Islamist movements such as al-Qaeda , Taliban and their allies. Other major targets included the Ba'athist regime in Iraq , which was deposed in an invasion in 2003 , and various militant factions that fought during the ensuing insurgency . Following its territorial expansion in 2014, the Islamic State also emerged as a key adversary of

1840-757: The Muslim world and historical Muslim-Christian relations . On 20 September 2001, during a televised address to a joint session of Congress, George Bush said, "Our war on terror begins with al Qaeda, but it does not end there. It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated." Both the term and the policies it denotes have been a source of ongoing controversy, as various critics and organizations like Amnesty International have argued that it has been used to justify unilateral preventive war , human rights abuses and other violations of international law. The political theorist Richard Jackson has argued that "the 'war on terrorism' [...]

1920-510: The Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism Initiative as CJTF personnel also assist in training the armed forces of Chad , Niger, Mauritania and Mali . However, the war on terror does not include Sudan, where over 400,000 have died in an ongoing civil war. On 1 July 2006, a Web-posted message purportedly written by Osama bin Laden urged Somalis to build an Islamic state in the country and warned western governments that

2000-537: The large-scale evacuation has also been criticized for leaving behind hundreds of American citizens, residents, and family members. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was created in December 2001 to assist the Afghan Transitional Administration and the first post-Taliban elected government. With a renewed Taliban insurgency, it was announced in 2006 that ISAF would replace

2080-589: The large-scale evacuation of foreign citizens and certain vulnerable Afghans , executed in cooperation with the Taliban. On 30 August 2021, the United States completed its hasty withdrawal of its military from Afghanistan . The withdrawal was heavily criticized both domestically and abroad for being chaotic and haphazard, as well as for lending more momentum to the Taliban offensive . However, many European countries followed suit, including Britain, Germany, Italy, and Poland. Despite evacuating over 120,000 people,

2160-490: The term "war on terrorism" on 16 September 2001, and then "war on terror" a few days later in a formal speech to Congress . Bush indicated the enemy of the war on terror as "a radical network of terrorists and every government that supports them". The initial conflict was aimed at al-Qaeda, with the main theater in Afghanistan and Pakistan , a region that would later be referred to as " AfPak ". The term "war on terror"

2240-459: The +P cartridge and have a long service life with the high pressure ammo. The M1911 had been proven in service for over 70 years, but was rejected. High pressure rounds would destroy it and it did not fire reliably with a suppressor. Upgrading the M1911 would cost more than it was worth, so it was decided that they would select an entirely new design. A request for quote was for a system that included

2320-474: The 1983 Beirut barracks bombing "the opening salvo in a war that we have waged ever since—the global war on terror." In May 1996, the group World Islamic Front for Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders (WIFJAJC), sponsored by Osama bin Laden (and later re-formed as al-Qaeda ), started forming a large base of operations in Afghanistan , where the Islamist extremist regime of the Taliban had seized power earlier in

2400-480: The British government announced publicly that it was abandoning the use of the phrase "war on terror" as they found it to be less than helpful. This was explained more recently by Lady Eliza Manningham-Buller . In her 2011 Reith lecture , the former head of MI5 said that the 9/11 attacks were "a crime, not an act of war. So I never felt it helpful to refer to a war on terror." U.S. president Barack Obama rarely used

2480-677: The MK 23). An even more compact pistol than the USP Tactical for counter-terrorist and special forces use is the HK USP Compact Tactical , which has its own optional LAM. The USP-CT is lighter and is capable of fitting a suppressor, making it a prime choice for Special Forces on covert operations. Recently, HK has developed the HK 45 , a much more contoured pistol based on the P2000, P8 and P30 models. Insight Technology Insight Technology, Inc.

Heckler & Koch Mark 23 - Misplaced Pages Continue

2560-542: The OHWS was quickly decided not to be the NATO standard 124 gr (8.0 g) 9 mm due to lack of stopping power. The FBI had selected the 10 mm auto to replace their 9 mm pistols, but it was too powerful, few manufacturers produced it, and the round caused short weapon service life. The .45 ACP caliber was chosen and improved upon with the high velocity, high pressure 185 gr (12.0 g) +P loading. The OHWS pistol had to fire many types of rounds in addition to

2640-500: The Philippines under the name "PACOM Augmentation Team", until 24 February 2015. On 1 September 2017, US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis designated Operation Pacific Eagle – Philippines (OPE-P) as a contingency operation to support the Philippine government and the military in their efforts to isolate, degrade, and defeat the affiliates of ISIL (collectively referred to as ISIL-Philippines or ISIL-P) and other terrorist organisations in

2720-701: The Philippines. By 2018, American operations within the Philippines against terrorist groups involved as many as 300 advisers. Operation Enduring Freedom – Trans Sahara (OEF-TS), now Operation Juniper Shield, is the name of the military operation conducted by the U.S. and partner nations in the Sahara/Sahel region of Africa, consisting of counter-terrorism efforts and policing of arms and drug trafficking across central Africa. The conflict in northern Mali began in January 2012 with radical Islamists (affiliated to al-Qaeda) advancing into northern Mali. The Malian government had

2800-753: The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. Both buildings collapsed within two hours from fire damage related to the crashes, destroying nearby buildings and damaging others. The hijackers crashed a third jet airliner into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia , just outside Washington, D.C. The fourth jet airliner crashed into a field near Shanksville , Pennsylvania, after some of its passengers and flight crew attempted to retake control of

2880-475: The U.S. Assault Weapons Ban . In 2004 the ban expired, and the civilian Mark 23 comes with the same 12-round magazine as the government variants, except in a few states that enforce their own bans on magazines larger than 10 rounds. In Canada, the Mark 23 pistol is still supplied only with 10-round magazines, as per the 1995 Firearms Act . According to the Operators Manual , there are few differences between

2960-637: The U.S. troops in the province as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. The British 16th Air Assault Brigade (later reinforced by Royal Marines ) formed the core of the force in southern Afghanistan, along with troops and helicopters from Australia, Canada and the Netherlands. The initial force consisted of roughly 3,300 British, 2,000 Canadian, 1,400 from the Netherlands and 240 from Australia, along with special forces from Denmark and Estonia and small contingents from other nations. The monthly supply of cargo containers through Pakistani route to ISAF in Afghanistan

3040-440: The United States is at war with al Qaeda, the Taliban, and their associated forces. We are at war with an organization that right now would kill as many Americans as they could if we did not stop them first. So this is a just war—a war waged proportionally, in last resort, and in self-defense." Nonetheless, the use of the phrase "war on terror" persists in U.S. politics. In 2017, for example, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence called

3120-526: The United States signed a security agreement, which allowed the United States and NATO forces to remain in Afghanistan until at least 2024. However, on 29 February 2020, the United States and the Taliban signed a conditional peace deal in Doha which required that US troops withdraw from Afghanistan within 14 months so long as the Taliban cooperated with the terms of the agreement not to "allow any of its members, other individuals or groups, including Al Qaeda, to use

3200-562: The United States. Regarding al-Qaeda's recent status, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated in 2021, "Al-Qaeda has a new base of operations: it is the Islamic Republic of Iran." Al-Qaeda's de facto leader, Saif al-Adel , is currently believed to be living in Iran . The "war on terror" uses war as a metaphor to describe a variety of actions which fall outside the traditional definition of war. U.S. president George W. Bush first used

3280-551: The al-Qaeda network would fight against them if they intervened there. The Prime Minister of Somalia claimed that three "terror suspects" from the 1998 United States embassy bombings are being sheltered in Kismayo. On 30 December 2006, al-Qaeda deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahiri called upon Muslims worldwide to fight against Ethiopia and the TFG in Somalia. On 8 January 2007, the U.S. launched

Heckler & Koch Mark 23 - Misplaced Pages Continue

3360-572: The battle. In March 2002, the U.S. and other NATO and non-NATO forces launched Operation Anaconda with the goal of destroying any remaining al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in the Shah-i-Kot Valley and Arma Mountains of Afghanistan. The Taliban suffered heavy casualties and evacuated the region. The Taliban regrouped in western Pakistan and began to unleash an insurgent-style offensive against Coalition forces in late 2002. Throughout southern and eastern Afghanistan, firefights broke out between

3440-562: The campaign are ongoing, including a U.S. military intervention in Somalia. Although the major wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have ended, the Israel–Hamas war and its spillover across the Middle East have led to renewed debate on whether a new phase of the war on terror had begun. According to the Costs of War Project , the post-9/11 wars of the campaign have displaced 38 million people,

3520-470: The campaign was named "Eternal Justice" but due to widespread controversy and condemnation in the Muslim world , the phrasing was changed to "Enduring Freedom". On 20 September 2001, in the wake of the September 11 attacks , George W. Bush delivered an ultimatum to the Taliban government of Afghanistan, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan , to turn over Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda leaders operating in

3600-454: The can of the suppressor to become slightly unscrewed, but that it is relatively easy to improvise solutions for the problem. Heckler & Koch has offered the MK 23 on the civilian market and law enforcement as the MARK 23 . It is distributed by its subsidiaries HK Inc. (United States) and HKJS GmbH (Germany). The models for the U.S. market initially came with a 10-round magazine, to comply with

3680-436: The civilian Mark 23 and the government MK 23. These differences are the slide engraving "Mark 23" which is only for the first half of the first year of production in 1996 (KG date code), the roll-mark "MARK 23" which is for mid 1996 to now, these instead of "MK23 USSOCOM", Matte vs shiny finish for different civilian years, tan vs black frame (500 tan ones were made), and a barrel conforming to SAAMI headspace specifications for

3760-617: The coalition forces is to monitor, inspect, board and stop suspected shipments from entering the Horn of Africa region and affecting the United States' Operation Iraqi Freedom . Included in the operation is the training of selected armed forces units of the countries of Djibouti, Kenya and Ethiopia in counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency tactics. Humanitarian efforts conducted by CJTF-HOA include rebuilding of schools and medical clinics and providing medical services to those countries whose forces are being trained. The program expands as part of

3840-535: The country or face attack. The Taliban demanded evidence of bin Laden's link to 11 September attacks and, if such evidence warranted a trial, they offered to handle such a trial in an Islamic Court. Subsequently, in October 2001, U.S. forces (with UK and coalition allies) invaded Afghanistan to oust the Taliban regime. On 7 October 2001, the official invasion began with British and U.S. forces conducting airstrike campaigns over enemy targets. Shortly after, Bush rejected

3920-612: The decocking mechanism from the Colt Double Eagle , and the rotating barrel locking system from the All American 2000 . The barrel of the Colt OHWS could not directly attach a suppressor, so a mounting was added to a rail in front of the handguard. Colt was eliminated after phase I, leaving only HK to move on to phase II. This phase subjected the pistols to the strictest reliability testing any pistol ever went through. The requirement

4000-411: The firearm have the writing "MK23 USSOCOM" engraved on the slide . The first MK 23 production models were delivered to SOCOM on May 1, 1996. HK commercially markets the MK 23 and derivatives of it, but not the complete SOCOM system. The suppressor is made by Knight's Armament Company, and was selected over the one HK originally included as part of its entry. Insight Technology won the contract to produce

4080-545: The first time ever, NATO invoked Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty , which commits each member state to consider an armed attack against one member state to be an armed attack against them all. The invocation of Article 5 led to Operation Eagle Assist and Operation Active Endeavour . On 18 September 2001, President Bush signed the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists passed by Congress

SECTION 50

#1732852394426

4160-451: The following objectives in the war on terror: The 2001 AUMF has authorized US President to launch military operations across the world without any congressional oversight or transparency. Between 2018 and 2020 alone, US forces initiated what it labelled "counter-terror" activities in 85 countries. Of these, the 2001 AUMF has been used to launch classified military campaigns in at least 22 countries. The 2001 AUMF has been widely perceived as

4240-430: The frame. The magazine release is at the rear edge of the trigger guard, which is wide enough to allow the use of gloves. A decocking lever is on the left side, which will silently lower the cocked hammer. The MK 23 is part of a larger weapon system that includes an attachable Laser Aiming Module (LAM), a suppressor , and some other features such as a special high-pressure match cartridge ( .45 +P ammunition). The firearm

4320-517: The jet airliners, which the hijackers had redirected toward Washington, D.C., to target the White House or the U.S. Capitol . None of the flights had any survivors. A total of 2,977 victims and the 19 hijackers perished in the attacks. Fifteen of the nineteen were citizens of Saudi Arabia , and the others were from the United Arab Emirates (2), Egypt , and Lebanon . On 13 September, for

4400-447: The laser aiming module, later designated AN/PEQ-6 . One version of the LAM produces a visible light dot, while another produces an infrared dot that can only be seen through night vision goggles . There have since been different LAM models and, at least commercially, different suppressors as well. It has been reported by some users that the cumulative effects of recoil may occasionally cause

4480-815: The late 2000s. Controversy over the war has focused on its morality, casualties, and continuity, with critics questioning government measures that infringed civil liberties and human rights. Critics have notably described the Patriot Act as " Orwellian " due to its substantial expansion of the federal government's surveillance powers. Controversial practices of coalition forces have been condemned, including drone warfare , surveillance, torture, extraordinary rendition and various war crimes. The participating governments have been criticized for implementing authoritarian measures, repressing minorities, fomenting Islamophobia globally, and causing negative impacts to health and environment. Security analysts assert that there

4560-480: The military vs civilian made, as the military barrels were made to allow ball ammunition to work more reliably. In spite of its positive points, the MK 23's large size and weight have resulted in some criticism. The handgun was designed for offense rather than defense, the size and weight intentionally incorporated to help absorb recoil forces and retain greater accuracy; but this also decreased its ease of use, comfort, and draw speed in defensive situations which require

4640-469: The operation was conducted as a humanitarian program called "Operation Smiles". The goal of the program was to provide medical care and services to the region of Basilan as part of a "Hearts and Minds" program. Joint Special Operations Task Force – Philippines disbanded in June 2014, ending a successful 12-year mission. After JSOTF-P had disbanded, as late as November 2014, American forces continued to operate in

4720-500: The passengers that they had a bomb on board and would spare the lives of passengers and crew once their demands were met—no passenger and crew actually suspected that they would use the jet airliners as suicide weapons since it had never happened before in history, and many previous hijacking attempts had been resolved with the passengers and crew escaping unharmed after obeying the hijackers. The hijackers—members of al-Qaeda's Hamburg cell —intentionally crashed two jet airliners into

4800-456: The remarks of George W. Bush , Osama Bin Laden stated during an interview in 21 October 2001: "The events proved the extent of terrorism that America exercises in the world. Bush stated that the world has to be divided in two: Bush and his supporters, and any country that doesn't get into the global crusade is with the terrorists. What terrorism is clearer than this? Many governments were forced to support this "new terrorism." In April 2007,

4880-494: The second largest number of forced displacements of any conflict since 1900, and caused more than 4.5 million deaths (direct and indirect) in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Philippines, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. They also estimate that it has cost the US Treasury over $ 8 trillion. While support for the "war on terror" was high among the American public during its initial years, it had become deeply unpopular by

SECTION 60

#1732852394426

4960-445: The smaller and lighter HK USP, political pressures, and shortages of +P ammunition also contributed against the pistol. As the War on Terror went on, operators saw the effectiveness of the .45 ACP in combat and renewed use of the Mark 23, as well as other pistols chambered for the round. The MK 23 MOD 0 was built as an "offensive" handgun for U.S. special operations forces under USSOCOM, per request made in 1989. Military versions of

5040-672: The soil of Afghanistan to threaten the security of the United States and its allies". The Afghan government was not a party to the deal and rejected its terms regarding release of prisoners. After Joe Biden became president, he moved back the target withdrawal date to 31 August 2021. On 15 August 2021, the Afghan capital Kabul fell to a surprisingly effective Taliban offensive , ending the war in Afghanistan . The US military and NATO troops took control of Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport for use in Operation Allies Refuge and

5120-480: The surging Taliban and Coalition forces. Coalition forces responded with a series of military offensives and an increase of troops in Afghanistan. In February 2010, Coalition forces launched Operation Moshtarak in southern Afghanistan along with other military offensives in the hopes that they would destroy the Taliban insurgency once and for all. Peace talks were also underway between Taliban affiliated fighters and Coalition forces. In September 2014, Afghanistan and

5200-447: The term and instead to use "Overseas Contingency Operation". Basic objectives of the Bush administration "war on terror", such as targeting al Qaeda and building international counterterrorism alliances, remain in place. In May 2010, the Obama administration published a report outlining its National Security Strategy . The document dropped the Bush-era phrase "global war on terror" and reference to "Islamic extremism," and stated, "This

5280-399: The term, but in his inaugural address on 20 January 2009, he stated: "Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred." In March 2009 the Defense Department officially changed the name of operations from "Global War on Terror" to "Overseas Contingency Operation" (OCO). In March 2009, the Obama administration requested that Pentagon staff members avoid the use of

5360-430: The terrorist attacks that occurred on 11 September 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or individuals. Congress declares this is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution of 1973. The George W. Bush administration defined

5440-414: The terrorist organization. This was considered to be another campaign of the "war on terror". In December 2012, Jeh Johnson , the General Counsel of the Department of Defense , speaking at Oxford University , stated that the war against al-Qaeda would end when the terrorist group had been weakened so that it was no longer capable of "strategic attacks" and had been "effectively destroyed." At that point,

5520-455: The war on terror. But it was not until the 11 September attacks that it emerged as a globally recognizable phrase and part of everyday lexicon. Tom Brokaw , having just witnessed the collapse of one of the towers of the World Trade Center , declared "Terrorists have declared war on [America]." On 16 September 2001, at Camp David , U.S. president George W. Bush used the phrase war on terrorism in an ostensibly unscripted comment when answering

5600-594: The war would no longer be an armed conflict under international law , and the military fight could be replaced by a law enforcement operation. In May 2013, two years after the assassination of Osama bin Laden , Barack Obama delivered a speech that employed the term global war on terror put in quotation marks (as officially transcribed by the White House): "Now, make no mistake, terrorists still threaten our nation. ... In Afghanistan, we will complete our transition to Afghan responsibility for that country's security. ... Beyond Afghanistan, we must define our effort not as

5680-477: The year. In August 1996, Bin Laden declared jihad against the United States. In February 1998, Osama bin Laden signed a fatwa , as head of al-Qaeda, declaring war on the West and Israel; in May al-Qaeda released a video declaring war on the U.S. and the West. On 7 August 1998, al-Qaeda struck the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania , killing 224 people, including 12 Americans. In retaliation, U.S. President Bill Clinton launched Operation Infinite Reach ,

5760-399: Was acquired by L3 Technologies in 2010. Insight XTI Procyon Tactical Light The Insight XTI Procyon is a tactical light designed to mount on the accessory rail. The light is provided by a 125 lumen LED, and the housing is made of anodized aluminum. The XTI Procyon is water resistant to 15 feet. Insight ISM Integrated Sighting Module The Insight Integrated Sighting Module (ISM) is

5840-455: Was beginning, HK was studying what aspects were most desirable in handguns for the U.S. civilian market. They came up with a design that had these features including reliability, durability, affordability, and others by February 1991. Colt however essentially drew upon existing technologies for their submission called the Colt OHWS . They used an M1911 frame that could accept a 10-round magazine,

5920-470: Was established in Djibouti at Camp Lemonnier . It contains approximately 2,000 personnel including U.S. military and special operations forces (SOF) and coalition force members, Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150). Task Force 150 consists of ships from a shifting group of nations, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Pakistan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The primary goal of

6000-511: Was for no less than 2,000 MRBF; the HK OHWS averaged 6,027 MRBF and could reach 15,122 MRBF. Three pistols went through a 30,000-round endurance test and maintained accuracy of 2.5 in (64 mm) at 25 meters; only the O-ring needed replacement after 20,000 rounds. The weapons worked in temperatures from -25 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit while exposed to mud, ice, and sand. Phase III

6080-532: Was immediately criticized by individuals including Richard Myers , then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , and eventually more nuanced terms came to be used by the Bush administration to define the campaign. While "war on terror" was never used as a formal designation of U.S. operations, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal was and is issued by the U.S. Armed Forces . As of 2024, various global operations in

6160-532: Was over, saying that the U.S. would not wage war against a tactic but would instead focus on a specific group of terrorist networks. Other American military campaigns during the 2010s have also been considered part of the "war on terror" by individuals and the media. The rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria during 2014–2015 led to the global Operation Inherent Resolve , and an international campaign to destroy

6240-511: Was overwhelming. In response, SOCOM decided to standardize small arms among all units. One area of improvement was the pistol, undertaken by the Offensive Handgun Weapon System (OHWS) competition. It would replace pistols like the 9 mm M9 , which was used by regular troops as a secondary weapon. SOCOM's use of small units that operate in close means that pistols are more likely to be used as primary weapons. The caliber for

6320-595: Was tested and found to be capable of firing tens of thousands of rounds without a barrel change. It remains reliable in harsh conditions, making it suitable for use by special forces . The .45 ACP round is subsonic in the standard loading, making it suitable for use with a suppressor. In 1989, US SOCOM began reviewing their equipment to see which gear fit the needs of their special close quarters battle role. Studying small arms revealed that there were 120 types and configurations of infantry weapons in different units. The logistics of getting spare parts for all these weapons

6400-596: Was the awarding of a production contract to HK in June 1995. Their pistol was type classified as the Mark 23 Mod 0, and 1,950 systems were ordered at $ 1,186 each. All pistols were produced in Germany and the first was delivered to SOCOM on 1 May 1996. Even though the Mark 23 had performed admirably, several factors worked against its use. Previous operators were trained to fire multiple 9 mm rounds and they thought firing extra rounds made up for not using harder hitting but larger and heavier .45 ACP rounds. The introduction of

#425574