Includes bibliographical references (pages 357-362) and index.

"In October and November of 2001, small numbers of soldiers from the Army Special Forces entered Afghanistan, linked up with elements of the Northern Alliance (an assortment of Afghanis opposed to the Taliban), and, in a remarkably short period of time, destroyed the Taliban regime. Trained to work with indigenous forces and personnel like the Northern Alliance, these soldiers, sometimes riding on horseback, combined modern military technology with ancient techniques of central Asian warfare in what was later described as "the first cavalry charge of the twenty-first century." Special Forces--the Navy's SEALs and the Army's Rangers and Green Berets--are highly trained soldiers with four principal missions: Direct action (typically such military operations as raids and rescue attempts), unconventional warfare, psychological operations and civil affairs. In their unconventional warfare role, they are often used as "force multipliers," that is, they can be brought into a combat area of operations to train and lead indigenous troops. They have played an exceptionally prominent role in America's war on terrorism and are likely to continue doing so in the coming years. This book takes as its premise that SF are much publicized and little understood. His book offers readers the first truly penetrating examination of SF roles and missions by a serious scholar.Despite longstanding and growing public fascination with special operators, these individuals and the organizations that employ them are little understood. With this book, Tucker and Lamb dispel common misconceptions and offer a penetrating analysis of how these unique and valuable forces can be employed to even better effect in the future."--

Introduction: American Special Operations Forces -- The American experience with SOF -- Special operations forces and modern warfare -- History -- Selected case studies -- Somalia -- High value target teams -- Village stability operations -- SOF and U.S. national security policy -- Roles and mission -- Special operations forces and the future of warfare -- Conclusion: The strategic utility of American SOF -- Appendix 1: The evolution of special operations forces roles and missions -- Appendix 2: Annotated bibliography for US Special Operations Forces.