Eastern Philosophy and Influence on the Special Forces Soldier
by David Maxwell
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09.12.2025 at 06:00am
Eastern Philosophy and Influence on the Special Forces Soldier Image
Author’s Note: at the behest of a fellow Special Forces brother from 1st Special Forces Group, I am providing a follow-up to my previous essay “The Enlightened Warrior: Applying Reason and Critical Thinking in Special Forces” from an Eastern philosophical perspective.
Introduction
In the modern age of complex conflict, irregular warfare, and political competition, the Special Forces (SF) soldier must be more than a warrior. He must be a philosopher, strategist, and statesman who embodies the universal values of human dignity, freedom, and resilience. While the Enlightenment thinkers of the West provide one foundation for critical thinking and moral clarity, the Eastern philosophical traditions offer equally profound lessons that shape the intellectual and ethical framework of the modern SF soldier.
Sun Tzu and the Art of Strategy
No thinker has had a greater impact on the conduct of warfare than Sun Tzu, whose Art of War remains a timeless manual on strategy and statecraft. Sun Tzu’s assertion that ‘all warfare is based on deception’ underlines the irregular warfare environment in which Special Forces thrive. He advises leaders to win without fighting, to attack the enemy’s strategy rather than their forces, and to create dilemmas that paralyze the adversary. For the Special Forces soldier, this translates to influence, information, and unconventional warfare as strategic tools.
Lao Tzu and the Way of Restraint
Where Sun Tzu teaches the art of winning, Lao Tzu offers the wisdom of restraint. In the Tao Te Ching, he writes, ‘The greatest conqueror is one who overcomes himself.’ For the Special Forces soldier, often operating in ambiguous environments, this lesson of humility and self-control is vital. Lao Tzu’s philosophy emphasizes non-action (wu wei), not as passivity but as disciplined alignment of action with the natural flow of events. This resonates with the SF principle of the ‘quiet professional,’ whose discipline lies in measured restraint.
https://smallwarsjournal.com/2025/09/12/eastern-philosophy-and-influence-on-the-special-forces-soldier/
