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Special Operations in a Chaotic World PRISM VOL. 6, NO. 3 2016 special operations in a chaotic world A JOURNAL OF THE CENTER FOR COMPLEX OPERATIONS PRISM About VOL.6, NO. 3 2016 PRISM is published by the Center for Complex Operations. PRISM is a security studies journal EDITOR chartered to inform members of U.S. Federal agencies, allies, and other partners on complex Michael Miklaucic and integrated national security operations; reconstruction and state-building; relevant policy and strategy; lessons learned; and developments in training and education to transform DEPUTY EDITOR America’s security and development Jacqueline Page CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Communications Peter McCabe Robert Nalepa Constructive comments and contributions are important to us. Direct communications to: Editor, PRISM 260 Fifth Avenue (Building 64, Room 3605) EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Fort Lesley J. McNair Charles Budris Washington, DC 20319 Alexandra Hale Kira McFadden Contributions Alexander Pinto Zaira Pirzada PRISM welcomes submission of scholarly, independent research from security policymakers Allison Rich and shapers, security analysts, academic specialists, and civilians from the United States and abroad. Submit articles for consideration to the address above or by email to [email protected] DESIGN DIRecTOR with “Attention Submissions Editor” in the subject line. Carib Mendez This is the authoritative, official U.S. Department of Defense edition of PRISM. Any EXPERTS CIRCLE copyrighted portions of this journal may not be reproduced or extracted without permission Dr. Gordon Adams of the copyright proprietors. PRISM should be acknowledged whenever material is quoted Dr. Pauline Baker from or based on its content. Ambassador Rick Barton The opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Defense or any Dr. Alain Bauer other agency of the Federal Government. Dr. Hans Binnendijk Ambassador James Dobbins Subscriptions Ambassador Marc Grossman Ambassador John Herbst PRISM is an educational public service. If you would like to receive a copy of PRISM, please Dr. David Kilcullen visit http://cco.ndu.edu/contact/subscriptions.aspx Ambassador Jacques Paul Klein Dr. Richard Hooker (ex officio) Dr. Roger B. Myerson Acknowledgements Dr. Moisés Naím Ambassador Thomas Pickering PRISM would like to thank the following individuals for their invaluable assistance Dr. William Reno copyediting the articles of this volume: Erin Sindle, Dale Erickson, Kim Cragin, Rebecca Harper, Dr. James A. Schear Alexandra Kerr, Hilary Matfess, Brett Swaney, and Nathaniel White. Dr. Joanna Spear Dr. Ruth Wedgwood PUBLISHER Dr. Joseph J. Collins ISSN 2157–0663 SPECIAL OPERATIONS IN A CHAOTIC WORLD FEATURES 2 Prologue By Raymond Thomas III www.ndu.edu 4 Special Operations Doctrine: Is it Needed? ndupress.ndu.edu By Charles T. Cleveland, James B. Linder, and Ronald Dempsey 20 Need Authorities for the Gray Zone? By James Q. Roberts 34 The Limits of Special Operations Forces By Austin Long 48 Regional Understanding and Unity of Effort By Chris Varhola 66 Context is King By Jonathon Cosgrove 84 Special Operations Forces and Conventional Forces: Integration, Interoperability, and Interdependence By Jason Wesbrock, Glenn Harned, and Preston Plous 96 Reaching Forward in the War against the Islamic State By Christopher Thielenhaus, Pat Traeger, and Eric Roles 110 Thinking Dangerously - Imagining SOCOM in the Post-CT World By David C. Ellis, Charles N. Black, and Mary Ann Nobles 130 Resistance Dynamics and Social Movement Theory By D.W. Lee FROM THE FIELD 150 The SOF Experience in the Philippines and the Implications for Future Defense Strategy Reviewed by Linda Robinson BOOK REVIEWS 168 Blood Year: The Unraveling of Western Counterterrorism Reviewed by James Dobbins 170 Team of Teams: New Rules Of Engagement for a Complex World Reviewed by Christopher J. Lamb 173 How Armies Respond to Revolutions and Why Reviewed by Lawrence Garber INTERVIEW 178 An Interview with Stanley McChrystal Conducted By Michael Miklaucic prologue s the commander of United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM), I welcome you to an issue of PRISM dedicated to special operations. SOCOM is responsible for the A critical dual missions of providing the U.S. Geographic Commands with trained and ready special operations forces (SOF), as well as synchronizing their actions—we are uniquely created by law to perform both service-like activities and serve as a functional Geographic Combatant Command. In addition, SOCOM serves as the coordinating authority for the Department of Defense National Military Strategic Plan to Counter Trans-Regional Terrorist Organization (NMSP-CTTO). In light of the complexity of today’s security environment, SOF are spread broadly across the spectrum of conflict. As a SOF enterprise we continually strive to be ready, and I am confident we are postured to address today’s trans-regional challenges by virtue of our global perspective and authorities. Nevertheless, we must push ourselves to transform to meet evolving challenges, which entails leveraging developmental technologies and critically revisiting our structures and processes, while at the same time adjusting our tactics, techniques, and procedures to enhance effectiveness. In just the past few years we have witnessed a varied and evolving threat environment consist- ing of: the emergence of a militarily expansionist China; an increasingly unpredictable North Korea; a revanchist Russia threatening our interests in both Europe and Asia; and an Iran which continues to expand its influence across the Middle East, fueling the Sunni-Shia conflict. All four of these state actors utilize forms of hybrid conflict short of war that frustrate and limit traditional forms of deterrence. Nonstate actors further confuse this landscape by employing terrorist, crim- inal, and insurgent networks that erode governance in all but the strongest states placing weak and fragile states fightingethnic or religious insurgencies at risk of failure or collapse. Perhaps the best way to describe today's environment is "predictably unpredictable." Special operations forces provide asymmetric capability and responses to these challenges. Operating across the range of military operations, SOF are prepared to meet these challenges through discrete activities ranging from Direct Action, Special Reconnaissance, Counter-terrorism, Hostage Rescue/ Recovery, and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, to more enduring engagements such as Unconventional Warfare, Foreign Internal Defense, Security Force Assistance, Counterinsurgency, Foreign Humanitarian Assistance, Military Information Support or Civil Affairs Operations. Regardless of the ways in which we confront these adversities, our SOF must be innovative, adap-tive, and dedicated to seeking information dominance that increases our effectiveness. This PRISM issue offers many articles that provoke thought and provide a basis for dialog on topics of interest to SOF, and hopefully, everyone committed to U.S. national security. As you read this issue, it is worth highlighting that nearly 8,000 SOF are continuously deployed in over 90 countries around the globe conducting the full range of SOF missions, and providing Geographic Combatant Commands with special operations capability and expertise required to support their operations in an increasingly complex security environment. Use the ideas and discourse of this PRISM issue to expand your understanding of SOF and the role they can play in our national defense. – General Raymond Anthony Thomas III, Commander U.S. Special Operations Command PRISM 6, NO. 3 FEATURES | 3 AUTHOR Karla Marshall, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Kandahar City, Afghanistan from above, the same landscape Special Forces officers would view from Maholic Mountain. 4 | FEATURES PRISM 6, NO. 3 Special Operations Doctrine Is it Needed? BY CHARLES T. CLEVELAND, JAMES B. LINDER, AND RONALD DEMPSEY Reflections of a Special Operator in Afghanistan n a cool, crisp morning in early April 2012, American and Afghan special forces strug- gled up the steep and rugged slopes of Maholic Mountain.1 The mountain overshadows O the former home of the deceased Taliban leader Mullah Omar on the northern outskirts of Kandahar City, Afghanistan. This band of men completed the challenging ritual each week as a way of building camaraderie while not out on missions. Upon reaching the top of the mountain, one can view the humidity rising off the ground in the distance creating a mirage-like effect. Looking further out, one can see Kandahar City with its vast collection of mud huts (qalats), strip malls, mosques, and two and three story buildings. Resting on top of a boulder, with a bead of sweat running down the side of his head, one special forces soldier sipped coffee from his thermos as he reflected on a recent experience in Northern Kandahar. The special forces soldier began to relive an improvised explosive device (IED) attack three days earlier in which an Afghan District Chief of Police’s vehicle was hit. The vehicle, an unar- mored Toyota Hilux 4x4 pick-up truck, was ripped in half. Metal shards were scattered hundreds of meters away and a 3-foot deep crater was gouged into the ground. Two of the four Afghan National Police officers riding with the Chief that day were instantly killed. A group of American and Afghan National Army special forces soldiers dismounted their vehicles to secure the area and help render first aid. In the chaos of the situation, the
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