Strategic Culture and USSOF

[Solid]

Hello everyone,
I'm currently reading Colin Gray's book "Modern Strategy." In it, he argues that US SOF are inferior to British, German, Russian and French SOF not because of training or ability, but because the US is culturally resistant to unconventional/irregular forces and thus did not support US SOF's habilitation and activities. He doesn't say WHY US culture would be like this.
I would very much like people's opinions on, first, if USSOF were shunned by the military because of their unconventional nature, and secondly what culture in America would exist to produce this result?

Needless to say, Gray's views are not my own.

Thank you,

Solid

[Roguish Lawyer]

I think he is a moron.

[Jo Sul]

I don't think US SOF are shunned by the military, although some on the conventional side might misunderstand SOF and not use them effectively. In what way are US SOF considered to be inferior?

Gee, maybe someday we can be almost as good as the French . . .

[Jack Moroney (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Solid

Hello everyone,
but because the US is culturally resistant to unconventional/irregular forces and thus did not support US SOF's habilitation and activities.
Solid

You are sort of comparing apples to oranges here. What this deals with is not the ability of the forces involved but the mindset to use them. Our form of government and the idiots that run it sort of precludes sheilding a lot of what needs to go on for effective UW (read that covert) operations and our SOF folks often are limited in doing what is necessary to do just for survival in that arena much less the prosecution of a UW campaign. You are really dealing with policy and lawmakers here, not military capability or function. Further discussion of that is way beyond the scope of this forum.

Jack Moroney