Should the Marine Corps Expand Its Role in Special Operations.

摘要

The on going war on terrorism (WOT) has called for the increased reliance on special operations to cover the wide array of asymmetrical threats encountered. With special operations commitments increasing, the assets required to conduct these missions are rapidly diminishing. The National Security Strategy and Quadrennial Defense Review Report have both called for innovative and flexible approaches to encountering the capability based threats, and have indicated the need for reliance on special operations to carry out this fight. This, most likely, will not be accompanied with additional force structure or money. One possible solution to fill the shortage in special operations forces would be the inclusion of the Marine Corps in special operations. Then Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Jones and Commanding General of USSOCOM, General Holland, recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement in an attempt to strengthen the relationship between the Marine Corps and special operations. The challenge will be to determine what unique capability the Corps can provide special operations without adding redundancy and without degrading the Marine Corps' primary expeditionary role.