I would like to add a bit to Richard's post. Yeah just another point of view from an ex-SF OF
. Back in the '60s -'70s era there was no unified command structure and the SOF mission (our office at the Pentagon was a broom closet run by Mrs. A) was the antithesis of the general command structure's thinking. We were "renegades" not to be trusted, undisciplined, and unmanageable and of no real value to those that saw the military's role through the lens of WWII. The conflict in Vietnam and the lessons learned there (mostly mistakes) began to change all of that. It was the courage and the convictions of some non-SF folks like John Paul Vann and some SF legends that you all know by reputation that were instrumental in changing the thinking. The SF concept was almost lost in the '75-'80 RIF. Thankfully that didn't happen.
I was watching a program on the Military Channel a year or so ago and the program was about life at a Marine firebase in Afghanistan. One the highlights of the program was how the Marines dealt with an issue from a cow that entangled in their concertina wire and they had to shoot the cow because it was bleeding to death. The show chronicled the Marine Lieutenant's negotiations with the village elders to compensate them for the loss of a cow. This was exactly the problem we were given in Phase III with Duke Snider playing the role of the tribal chief and we had killed one of their goats. My point is that this line of thinking and training is now standard procedures in all of the services. We have come a long way and our lessons are now standard military doctrine. BTW the goat was tasty
Another case in point is exemplified in the attached after action report that was presented at the US Army War College by LTC Ken Bowra and it describes the effectiveness of the FID mission of SF. I have personal knowledge of the program because I served in USARVITG. One of the great sadnesses in my life is that the US did not have the political will to maintain our support of Cambodians and when we pulled out of IndoChina the Pol Pot regime and Khemere Rhouge filled that vacuum. Well you know the rest of that story.
The Admiral recognizes the threat and the asymmetric nature of the threat IMO. His recognition of Africa as the area that needs attention is also correct IMO. China is making significant investment in that Continent. I would also add a FID mission in Mexico to that priority list. Drug trafficking in Mexico is very destabilizing and we have already seen how inept DOJ & ATF are at that mission
The SOF mission is here to stay. The only remaining question is how well the politicos will be at employing it. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Just a perspective from an ex-SF OF {Salute}