Into the Void: Special Operations Forces after the War on Terror

by James D. Kiras (Editor), Martijn Kitzen (Editor)

The moment in the sun for special operations sometimes appears to have passed, seemingly eclipsed by preparations for potential conflict under the guise of ‘great power’ competition, combined with failure in Afghanistan. Yet the war in Ukraine serves as a reminder that special operations play an even greater role today―before, during and presumably after conflict. The challenge remains dealing with current irregular and hybrid threats, at the same time as preparing for an uncertain future, as threats and technologies evolve at a dizzying pace.

Focusing too much on the future of conventional warfare creates a void in national security discussions related to special operations. This book seeks to fill that gap, drawing on the expertise of scholars and practitioners in the field, from the Indo-Pacific, Europe and the United States, to answer what, if anything, special operations can or should seek to do, and how. The contributors explore such topics as proxies, non-state special forces, capabilities, innovation and transformation, artificial intelligence, and special operations in space and cyberspace. These chapters are united by their analysis that special operations will have future strategic and operational value, for allies and adversaries alike, provided that difficult choices are made in the present.

400 pages, Hardcover

First published July 25, 2024

Reviews

[Eric Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of the material in here works well for the individual Soldier or operator, wondering what's next? After two decades of COIN and other tasks, SOF needs to figure out what to do with itself, now that we're facing near-peer warfare, rather than strictly counterinsurgency. This book does help to answer that question, and it's a pretty good read, too. While I'll never serve in special operations, this book does help me ask questions for my own fiction writing, as I have a nearly accurate scenario and write about SOF in my military science fiction series. Overall, it's not too exhaustive, but again asks and delivers some possible solutions to the question of what real-world SOF will do after GWoT fighting. I recommend this book for those seeking guidance on what to focus on in the near future, what to expect, and what to look forward to.