Special Forces needs to go back to basics to win against China and Russia
Chris Miller and Doug Livermore
Oct 19, 2020 8:34 AM EDT
Sgt. Connor Mendez/U.S. Army.
Editor's Note: This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the authors.
Since 9/11, U.S. Army Special Forces have focused primarily on counterterrorism and foreign internal defense operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere around the world and are neither prepared to win in the current competitive environment nor the next major theater war. Counterterrorism and foreign internal defense requirements continue to shrink as the U.S. reduces its commitments to such operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere around the world, creating an opportunity for Special Forces to reorganize to better meet emerging threats.
Now with many decades of combined experience in Special Forces, we have deployed as detachment commanders, task force operational staff officers, and in many other operational command capacities to a myriad of different countries to rarely support anything other than counterterrorism or foreign internal defense missions. From Kidal in Northern Mali to Kunar Province in Afghanistan, and many places in between, we have served with and led America’s finest enabling partners and hunted down terrorists in some of the world’s most austere locales.
https://taskandpurpose.com/opinion/army-special-forces-back-to-basics-oped
