采取行动的时间 重新定义soof任务和活动[20091216].pdf

W o r k i n g pa p e rTime for Action:Redefining SOF Missions and ActivitiesD e c e m b e r 2 0 0 9by michele L.malvestiU.S.Special operations Forces(SoF)have played a key role in the wars in iraq and afghanistan,as well as in the broader U.S.effort to destroy al Qaeda and its violent extremist allies.in fact,over the past eight years SoF have experienced their most extensive and transformative use of the modern era.Still,these strategic national assets are not yet fully optimized for success.1 The current list of SoF core activities,for example,can hinder SoF effectiveness by conflating missions with activities.2 This problem is exacerbated by the tendency to associate each activity on the list with either a specific SoF unit,branch,or command,or with one of the two broad approaches to special operations(currently described as“direct”and“indirect,”although this paper proposes a different construct).Together,this contributes to confusion and counterproductive divides across SoF.Simple changes in doctrine would help to minimize these problems and enhance SoF utility.This paper describes the unintentional difficulties and misunderstandings that flow from the current list of SoF activ