Special Operations forces seek expanded role.

• Author: Erwin, Sandra I.
• Position: Defense Insider

* Amy Lt. Gen. John Mulholland, deputy commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, notes that his forces are quite skilled at capturing and killing enemies, but he believes they should also engage in more "preemptive efforts before the fight starts."

Counterterrorism is "much broader than direct action," he says. SOCOM Commander Adm. William McRaven is a strong believer in indirect methods of fighting terrorist groups, Mulholland notes. McRaven would like to see special operations forces take on a larger role in the training of foreign allies--an activity known in military-speak as "building partner capacity."

Strengthening the internal security of friendly countries where al-Qaida and its affiliates are recruiting members would help counter these groups' influence, and possibly prevent a wider conflict, SOCOM leaders believe.

Army Special Forces, or Green Berets, have been deployed in these capacity-building roles for decades, but a more sustained effort is...