SOF News Update 20161223 – Russian SOF may get a robot ‘tanklet’, why sending more U.S. SOF to Syria is a bad idea (according to one pundit), SOF should be SOF – some recommendations, book excerpt of “Rogue Heroes”, Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), protection of SOF under Geneva Conventions, how to be a Green Beret, and more.
Russian SOF ‘Tanklet’. Read up on a mobile explosive device delivered by a small robot tank that may soon be fielded to Russian special operations forces in “Russian Special Forces May Get a Robot Tanklet”, Popular Science, December 21, 2016.
More SOF for Syria – Bad Idea. Daniel L. Davis, a retired U.S. Army colonel and senior fellow with Defense Priorities, believes that sending more special operations forces to Syria is a wasteful effort. He reviews the limited accomplishments thus far and has little hope for future engagements in that war-torn country. Read “Sending special ops to Raqqa means more cannon fodder for Syria”, The Hill Defense Blog, December 22, 2016.
CTS Success and Degradation. The Iraqi SOF (Counter Terrorism Service) is bearing the brunt of the fight for Mosul. While the end result will be victory in a few weeks (or months) the CTS will be significantly degraded due to excessive casualties. Who fills the security void? The proxy forces of Iran. Read “The Iraqi Military, The US-led Coalition and the Mosul Operation: The Risk of Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory”, Small Wars Journal, December 22, 2016.
What Does it Take to be a GB? Bert Kunz – a retired Green Beret – is interviewed on the selection process for Special Forces. Read “Special Profile: What Does it Take to Become a Green Beret?”, Scout.com Warrior, December 21, 2016.
Recommendations for use of SOF. One author provides some recommendations that she believes will give the DoD “. . . the flexibility to engage, support, and deploy SOF effectively and efficiently.” Read “Special Operations Forces: Let SOF be SOF”, by Kristen R. Hajduk, a fellow with the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), December 2016.
SOF, Clandestine Operations, and the Geneva Convention. One Special Forces officer – CPT Charles Staab – believes that international law concerning warfare needs to be updated to account for the changes in warfare and to accord certain protections to special operations forces that operate without benefit of uniforms or openly-carried weapons. Read more in “Uncloaking the Dagger: Does Adherence to the Geneva Conventions Betray Special Operations Forces”, Small Wars Journal, December 22, 2016.
Navy SEAL Eric Olson to Advisory Board. The former head of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Admiral Eric Olson has been appointed as members of the Sarcos Robtics company advisory board. GovConWire, December 22, 2016.
Book – “Rogue Heroes”. Ben Macintrye has wrote a book about the early beginnings of the British Special Air Service. Read a short excerpt of the book at Barnes & Noble, December 2016.
