The Dark Arts: Application of Special Operations in Joint Strategic and Operational Plans
Chad M. Pillai
When people think about Special Operations Forces (SOF) today, more than likely they will place the idea of SOF in the context of Counter-Terrorism (CT) operations and high-end units such as those that conducted the Bin Laden Raid into Pakistan. In fact, since 9/11, the wars against Violent Extremists Organizations (VEOs) such as Al Qaeda (AQ) and the Islamic State (IS) has elevated the role of Special Operations to the forefront of the nation’s preferred toolkit for its Counter Insurgency (COIN) and Counter-Terrorism (CT) operations not only in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, but globally to include Yemen, Somalia, Trans-Sahel Africa, and the Philippines. As Harry Yarger points out, “in the last two decades special operations have taken on a greater role in national defense, and policy makers and strategists have found utility in the kind of military power SOF projects.â€[1] However, in addition to the evolving VEO threat, the security environment has grown more competitive and SOF will be asked to do more to support joint strategic and operational plans on behalf of the Geographic Combatant Commands (GCCs). Therefore, it is critical that Joint Force planners at GCCs must have a clear understanding of Special Operations, address its capabilities in context – ranging from overt to capabilities within the dark arts of covert and clandestine, and understand the role that Theater Special Operations Commands (TSOCs), a subordinate unified command of US Special Operations Command (USSCOM) that performs broad, continuous missions uniquely suited to SOF capabilities designed to achieve effects within the context of the Joint Concept for Integrated Campaigning (JCIC)
http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/dark-arts-application-special-operations-joint-strategic-and-operational-plans
