Obama’s Shadow Wars

Missile-wielding drones and elite Special Forces units are the new face of American power, and the White House is increasingly relying on them to fight terror in the farthest corners of the globe.

MARCH/APRIL 2012

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees looks through the sights of an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon while visiting the U.S. Marines stationed in Djibouti on March 29, 2010. The amphibious assault ship USS Nassau stands nearby to support maritime security operations in the region.

James Frank/U.S. Navy via Getty Images