Page 89 - Le Operazioni Interforze e Multinazionali nella Storia Militare - ACTA Tomo II

729
ActA
Unified Command in Afghanistan
In 2012-2013, in Afghanistan, all national special operations forces (SOF) have been
united under one command. This represented a major shift, and culmination, in the strat-
egy and operations of NATO Special Operations Forces. Indeed, it is unprecedented.
It is further standing up and training Afghanistan Special Operations Forces who are
expected to take the lead in future years as NATO SOF withdraws.

Part IV
Emerging Challenges
However, SOF’s growth and rise in prominence has also had effects that raise concern,
notably:
• Astronomical Expectations
With a track record of military operational success, and under an intense spotlight, it
seems difficult to imagine how SOF can sustain this pace in other potential conflicts
and at the same time avoid its overuse or misemployment. Furthermore, some political
and military leaders have become so enamored of this capability that they are relying on
SOF even when other tools would be a better fit.
• Intense Demand
This force, more than others, requires extensive training for readiness. It cannot be
grown quickly, and needs years to mature, and probably cannot be stretched much fur-
ther. NATO SOF is experiencing its longest continuous combat, now entering its twelfth
year. For some of these units, which were designed and trained for the occasional hos-
tage rescue or airport take-down, perpetual warfare has fundamentally transformed the
life of the operator. In the words of one operator, this is the result of “catastrophic suc-
cess,” as SOF’s effectiveness has led to greater scale and operational tempo.
• Inattention to Security Challenges Beyond Counterterrorism
Given the dramatically increased scale in counterterrorist strike activities, long-term
operations for other security challenges have not been accorded the attention and care
they require. SOF’s strike missions receive intense focus and substantial resourcing,
but NATO SOF will be the first to state that this method is unlikely to create enduring
stability.
• Narrow Focus
Despite all of the success and attention, or perhaps because direct action missions draw
nearly all of it, few people have an understanding of the full spectrum of NATO SOF and
its missions. This is not just a problem among the public at large; it is also a limitation
of some individuals whose policy decisions directly affect the use of special operations,
as the mission set has become more narrow, focused largely on strikes, and other SOF
skills have atrophied.