DEVGRU Operator Breaks Silence

About this video

A DEVGRU operator reflects on the Iraq War, arguing that dissolving the Iraqi Ba’ath Army was a grave mistake that created a vacuum allowing al-Qaeda to bring in foreign fighters. He expresses certainty that the policy of entering Iraq was an error, despite pride in how U.S. forces fought. The guest believes American soldiers won every battle they were tasked with but ultimately lost the war, and that Iraq was left weak and controlled by Shiite militias due to mismanagement throughout the conflict.

Key takeaways

• The guest argues that dissolving the Iraqi Ba’ath Army forced the rebuilding of Iraqi security forces and created a vacuum that allowed al-Qaeda to bring in foreign fighters.
• The operator states he is certain that the policy of entering Iraq was a mistake, though this doesn’t diminish pride in how U.S. forces fought.
• The guest believes American soldiers won every battle they were assigned but ultimately lost the war, and that lessons from the conflict may not have been retained.

Episode details: published August 23, 2026 · 18.3K views · 1:03 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

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