The paradox of building an elite force outside traditional military structures

Wars & Conflicts · Published 16 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: When the United States creates a specialized counterterrorism unit for another nation, it often places that force outside the country's existing security hierarchy. The Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) serves as a primary case study on how these independent organizations maintain cohesion while facing unique structural and cultural challenges.

The CTS was established by the United States as an independent, quasi-ministerial level organization. This means it operates separately from both the Iraqi Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior. Its primary purpose is to develop indigenous capacity to combat insurgents and terrorists, a strategy exemplified by President Obama's 2014 decision to send U.S. Army Special Forces to advise local forces while avoiding a direct U.S. ground presence.

Comprising three Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) Brigades, the Counter Terrorism Command (CTC), and the CTS headquarters, this entity operates via a three-level framework. While other Iraqi security forces have collapsed in various contexts, the CTS has notably retained its cohesion and effectiveness during the fight against the Islamic State. However, this independence creates friction; many problems that existed before U.S. withdrawal have intensified, and new complications have emerged as the primary external support shifted.

Military analysts suggest that creating such a force outside a nation's traditional security structure carries significant ramifications. It requires careful consideration of what happens when U.S. advisors are no longer available to provide oversight or training. Furthermore, applying U.S.-based organizational designs can sometimes feel alien to a nation’s traditional military culture. Despite these hurdles, the CTS remains a potential model for developing effective forces in nations with similar military cultures.

The lineage of Iraqi special units dates back further than the modern CTS. In the mid-1950s, Colonel Khalil Dabbagh built the first royal special units. Following the 2003 occupation, all previous security entities were dissolved and rebuilt from scratch, eventually leading to the formation of ISOF-1 in July 2005 with U.S. assistance.

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