Special Operations Forces and Enemy Ground Targets: Lessons from Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War [Paperback]

William Rosenau (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 24, 2001 | ISBN-10: 083303071X | ISBN-13: 978-0833030719

Special operations forces can be effective where conventional gound units and air power alone cannot locate elusive or hidden ground targets, but there are limitations.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This report was written as part of a Project AIR FORCE FY 2000 studyon elusive ground targets. The larger effort, sponsored by theDirector of Strategic Planning, Headquarters, USAF, explored thepossibility that warfare is evolving in reaction to the dominance ofstandoff sensors and weapons. The study looked in particular at howelusive forces (ranging from light forces in a peace operation tomobile ballistic missiles in a larger conflict) operate, why the UnitedStates has a limited capability against them today, and how we mightdo better in the future. Findings from the broader effort, part of theProject AIR FORCE Strategy and Doctrine program, are documentedin MR-1398-AF, Aerospace Operations Against Elusive Ground Tar-gets,by Alan Vick, Richard M. Moore, Bruce R. Pirnie, and JohnStillion.This report explores the role of ground observers in efforts to detectand defeat such forces. Drawing on U.S. experiences during theVietnam and Persian Gulf wars, the study examines the challengesassociated with employing ground observers to search large areas forelusive targets. The report also suggests ways in which ground ob-serversmight be usefully employed during future conflicts. It shouldbe of interest to both aviators and land warriors in U.S. and alliedmilitaries as well as the broader defense community.Research for this report was completed in November 2000.PROJECT AIR FORCEProject AIR FORCE, a division of RAND, is the Air Force's federallyfunded research and development center (FFRDC) for studies andanalysis. It provides the USAF with independent analysis of policy al-ternativesaffecting the deployment, employment, combat readiness,and support of current and future air and space forces. Research isperformed in four programs: Aerospace Force Development; Man-power,Personnel, and Training; Resource Management; and Strat-egyand Doctrine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 60 pages
• Publisher: Rand Publishing (December 24, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 083303071X
• ISBN-13: 978-0833030719
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,991,103 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Quality was also Elusive, May 18, 2003

By 

John G. Hilliard (Toronto Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Special Operations Forces and Enemy Ground Targets: Lessons from Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War (Paperback)

Don't set aside too much for this one. Calling this report a book is a bit generous, more like a bound two part magazine article. I wrote longer papers in college. With that rant out of the way what about the "book". Lacking would sum it up in one word. Basically the level of detail here would be two good chapters in a larger book, there just was not enough meat. The authors give a high level overview of Special Forces operations in two similar missions in the Vietnam and Gulf War. Really though it covered only one operation from each war. In Vietnam it covered operations on locating transport trucks on the Ho Chi Min trail and in the Gulf War it covered the scud hunt in the desert.

It is not so much that the author did not bite off enough of a subject to write a decent book, but what he did produce was far two high to be anything other than an overview. Again it seamed like this was the opening chapters to a more detailed book on the subjects. Not to be too negative, the author did have a good writing style that was easy to read. It is just that that is the only positive I can come up with. Overall I was very disappointed and would not recommend this book.