Access and Influence: SOF's Trajectory Through the Diplomatic Medium

Abstract

The United States' quest for greater access and influence, in increasingly more dispersed and disparate locations, is hindered by an emerging number of readily observable fiscal, geopolitical, and security threats. Increased diplomacy and relationship building tempered with a careful blend of expertise and proficiency in violence management appears the more desired and sustainable form of influence. It is along this seam that U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) have become the force of choice; possessing the size, requisite attributes, regional and cultural skills, and deployability necessary to affect influence across multiple levels, in further places. Thus, more developed knowledge of the art and tradecraft of diplomacy and the application of smart power is required, in order to ensure success in this new regime. This essay regards several dynamics important for future discourse: the strategic environment and the 3D's of global influence, the diplomat's role in the 21st century, and the intersection of the SOF warrior's efforts with that of the diplomat. This paper also seeks to highlight issues in education and training, and proposes possible recommendations.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 24, 2012
Accession Number
ADA600451

Entities

People

  • Garrett D. Dawson

Organizations

  • Marine Corps University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Counter WMD
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Climate Change
  • Department Of State
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign Relations
  • Globalization
  • Interagency Coordination
  • International Relations
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Organizational Structure
  • Personnel Management
  • Special Operations Forces
  • Terrorism
  • Training
  • Urban Areas
  • Warfare

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.