Special Operations and National Security

Policies, Strategies, and Tactics
1. Auflage 2024
ISBN: 978-1-032-42969-4
Verlag: Taylor & Francis

Buch, Englisch, 246 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 517 g

Reihe: Cass Military Studies

This book focuses on strategic special operations and how these have led to the achievement of major foreign policy goals, which is illustrated by six case studies.

The study specifically focuses on the alignment of the policies, strategies, and tactics that dominated these operations, providing a fresh perspective. Theoretically, the work underscores the continued relevance of relative superiority as the dominant theory in the field. Importantly, it aligns the potential ways of achieving and sustaining relative superiority with the ability to conduct contemporary special operations across multiple domains, thereby generating cross-dimensional effects. In terms of methodology, the book includes a description and analysis of six distinct case studies in special operations, ranging from short-term surgical strikes to sustained special warfare campaigns and spanning multiple geographic regions – including in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Ukraine, and the South China Sea. From that perspective, relative superiority theory is extrapolated to explain how this critical condition can be achieved and sustained during protracted special operations. The unique value of this research is underscored by the author's collection of exclusive primary source data on the operations in the respective countries. The book’s conclusions explain how the personnel involved fulfill the strategic promise of special operations, given their position within the larger framework of foreign policy.

This book will be of much interest to students of special operations, military and strategic studies, defense studies, and security studies in general.

Zielgruppe

Postgraduate, Professional, and Undergraduate Advanced

Autoren/Hrsg.

Gans, Ben

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtliche Themen Militärgeschichte
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Militärwesen Nationale und Internationale Sicherheits- und Verteidigungspolitik
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Militärwesen Spezialeinheiten und Elitetruppen
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Kultur Staatsbürgerkunde, Staatsbürgerschaft, Zivilgesellschaft
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Internationale Beziehungen Nachrichtendienste, Geheimdienste

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Contents

 

List of Figures

Foreword

Acknowledgments

List of Acronyms and Abbreviations

 

Part I: Introduction

1:        Special Operations: Theory and Strategic Utility

2:        The Strategic Environment

 

Part II: Case Studies in Direct Special Operations

3:        The Russian Raid on Hostomel Airport

4:        Operation Orchard: The Israeli Strike at Al-Kibar

5:        Operation Olympic Games: The Cyber Attack at Natanz

 

Part III: Case Studies in Indirect Special Operations

6:        The Russian Annexation of Crimea

7:        Iran’s Proxy War in Lebanon

8:        China’s Shaping Operations in the South China Sea

 

Part IV: Conclusions

9:        Fulfilling the Strategic Promise of Special Operations

 

Index

Über Autor(innen)

Ben Gans is a Visiting Professor at the Defense Analysis Department, US Naval Postgraduate School.