Special Operations Success: Balancing Capabilities and Control

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James D. Kiras (Dean of Academics & Professor of Strategy & Security Studies, Dean of Academics & Professor of Strategy & Security Studies, School of Advanced Air & Space Studies, Air University)

Special Operations Success

Balancing Capabilities and Control

James D. Kiras (Dean of Academics & Professor of Strategy & Security Studies, Dean of Academics & Professor of Strategy & Security Studies, School of Advanced Air & Space Studies, Air University)

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English

Oxford University Press
10 May 2025

Military history; Defence strategy, planning & research

Special Operations Success establishes a new benchmark in military theory in this deeply analytic and innovative work. It answers several pressing questions: How successful have American special operations been over the past quarter-century? Are special forces fated to cycles of expansion and misuse? Will special forces invariably exceed the authorities granted to them because of they are? Is a general theory of special operations feasible given the range of activities and conditions that fall under the category? Kiras' work is based on two decades of practical, teaching, and consulting experience within different special operations communities, and its analysis and conclusions are designed to inform practitioners, policymakers, educators, and the general public. The book develops a framework, in the form of a theory comprising capabilities and control, for the comprehensively evaluating special operations success, and is divided into three parts: Part I lays the foundation for a general theory of special operations, Part II explores the two component parts of theory, capabilities and control, and Part III uses various aspects of the theory, depending on available information, to assess the success of special operations over a twenty-year period in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and the United States.

By: James D. Kiras (Dean of Academics & Professor of Strategy & Security Studies Dean of Academics & Professor of Strategy & Security Studies School of Advanced Air & Space Studies Air University)
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 240mm, Width: 163mm, Spine: 35mm
Weight: 926g
ISBN: 9780198902065
ISBN 10: 0198902069
Pages: 528
Publication Date: 10 May 2025
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

James D. Kiras has taught at the US Air Force's school of strategy for 20 years. He has published numerous works on irregular warfare, including special operations, terrorism, and insurgency, and serves on the board of special operations organizations in the US and Sweden. He co-founded the Special Operations Research Association and co-edits Inter Populum: The Journal of Special Operations and Irregular Warfare. Professor Kiras served in the Pentagon following the 9/11 attacks and he routinely consults with various special operations units and planning and strategy staffs.

Reviews for Special Operations Success: Balancing Capabilities and Control

In the aftermath of the use - and at times, misuse - of special operations forces in Iraq and Afghanistan in particular, a fresh examination of the theory underlying special operations is very germane. At least in the US and likely elsewhere, some of the core aspects of special operations seem to be in doubt. In many ways, a thorough re-examination of underlying principles and desired capabilities has become increasingly important. Although some readers in the policy world might find some of the theoretical background in this book rather heavy going, it is highly recommended for both policy makers and analysts to develop fresh approaches to the strategic use and control of special operations forces. * Lawrence E. Cline, Defense & Security Analysis *