NCJ Number
62328
Journal
Parameters Volume: 9 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1979) Pages: 17-29
Date Published
1979
Length
13 pages
Annotation
THE CHANGING TACTICS OF 20TH CENTURY WARFARE ARE ANALYZED WITH EMPHASIS ON THE USE OF MILITARY ELITE GROUPS SUCH AS PARATROOPS AND SECURITY FORCES TO COMBAT GUERRILLAS AND TERRORISTS.
Abstract
THE DEVELOPMENT OF MILITARY ELITE FORCES INCLUDING THE BRITISH SPECIAL AIR SERVICES AND THE U.S. RANGERS OCCURRED IN RESPONSE TO FRUSTRATIONS OR DISASTERS DURING THE WORLD WARS. IN THE COLD WAR ERA, ELITE UNITS BECAME A MAJOR COMPONENT OF MILITARY FORCES, FREQUENTLY BEING USED AS THE 'CUTTING EDGE' IN LOCAL WARS REQUIRING A CONSTABULARY. AMERICAN PARATROOPS WERE USED IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC IN 1965 AND SERVED DURING THE RACIAL INCIDENTS OF THE 1960'S. GERMAN, ISRAELI, AND EGYPTIAN FORCES CARRIED OUT ANTIHIJACKING RAIDS AT ENTEBBE, MOGADISHU, AND ON CYPRUS. ALTHOUGH SUCH ELITE FORCES CREATE AN ESPRIT DE CORPS WHICH ATTRACTS INTELLIGENT AND SKILLED PERSONNEL, THE EXISTENCE OF 'PRAETORIAN GUARDS' POSES QUESTIONS OF CIVILIAN CONTROL OVER THE MILITARY AND THE USE OF SPECIAL TROOPS FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES. RELIABLE COUNTERFORCES SERVE AS ANTIDOTES TO TERRORISM, BUT THEIR USE MAY VALIDATE THE CAUSES OF THE INSURGENTS. IN THE UNITED STATES, THE FEDERAL FUNDING OF LOCAL POLICE ASSAULT TEAMS INDICATES SUPPORT FOR THE LONG RESISTED CREATION OF A 'GENDARMERIE' OF PARAMILITARY POLICE. HOWEVER, SUCH UNITS HAVE A MORE DIFFICULT TASK THAN DO SOLDIERS IN OPEN WARFARE BECAUSE GUERRILLAS DO NOT USE FIXED BOUNDARIES WITHIN A TERRITORY. PARAMILITARY UNITS MAY ALSO GIVE CREDENCE TO THE TERRORIST CLAIMS THAT DEMOCRACIES ARE HYPOCRITICALLY OPPRESSIVE; THUS, THE USE OF ELITE UNITS MAY TRIGGER MORE EXTENSIVE INSURGENCY. THE SYNERGY OF ELITE UNITS AND TERRORISTS MAY PRODUCE SURPRISING SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES IF THE MILITARY LACKS DEFT CONTROL BY CIVILIAN GOVERNMENTS. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)