A dangerous pathway? Toward a theory of special forces

Abstract

This article explores what is considered by some to be a dangerous pathway: the development of a theory of special forces. The world is now in the third age of special forces and these secret military units are at the forefront of the use of force in international relations. This research identifies a large theory-knowledge gap concerning these military "first responders" for modern nation-states and offers a tentative theory of special forces that goes beyond traditional annihilation/attrition models of war toward a new anaphylaxis model. It makes the case that the theory pathway is not dangerous, but emancipatory.

The Role of Special Forces in Peace Missions: A Focus on MINUSMA within the African Context

“…With this in mind, the nature of special forces, combined with appropriate technologies, sets them apart from conventional forces and offers a new and different way for executing force and exerting a presence in global affairs. 43 The evolution of special forces over many decades has resulted in a corps of shadow warriors who have grown in capacity and skill to such an extent that they have moved away from so-called "state cracking" as primary methods of influencing opposing political elites towards state paralysis, and morphed into a professional elite with 'often-unrecognised game-changing potential'. 44 It is these traits which, if incorporated correctly, could prove invaluable in peace missions.…”

“…3 In fact, special forces have probably become some of the socially most fascinating military units in contemporary times, with the public slurping up any new story. Even in high politics, these units are regarded as the favoured option, the 'easy button' 4 to push, when it comes to serious military matters. Although special forces have been around for decades, the early 2000s saw renewed growth in public attention as well as a rapid expansion in these units with regard to allocated funds, personnel, and the number of important missions.…”