Special Forces, Strategy and the War on Terror: Warfare By Other Means (Cass Military Studies)

This new book explains the resurgence of interest in Special Forces, particularly in the West, by exploring their appeal over conventional force options in the current 'War on Terror'. The overall objective is to develop a credible theory about the role of Special Forces in contemporary strategy and assess the changing character of the relationship between conventional forces and Special Forces. The work covers four central themes: theory and practice; command and control; culture and technology; and operations.The author sets out the command and control challenges posed by non-contiguous forces using examples from the Gulf War of 1991, and highlights issues that are rarely considered, such as psychological boundaries. Highlighting the cultural dimensions, and the critical relationship with technology, the book concludes with an investigation of the performance of Special Forces in 'Operation Enduring Freedom' in Afghanistan and 'Operation Iraqi Freedom' that covers recent counter-insurgency operations and likely future applications.This book will be of great interest to students of strategic studies and military history, as well as for students at professional military colleges.Alastair Finlan is a Research Fellow in Strategic Studies in the Department of International Politics at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.Alastair Finlan is the author of 'Special Forces, Strategy and the War on Terror: Warfare By Other Means (Cass Military Studies)', published 2007 under ISBN 9780415380218 and ISBN 0415380219.