Special Operations Forces’ Role in Political Warfare

Great-power competition is once again the primary threat to the security of the United States. This is reminiscent of the political warfare between the US and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, in which both sides sought to use political warfare to counter the other’s influence and expand their own. US embassies around the world were on the front lines of this irregular warfare struggle. Today’s modern operational environment is far more complex, with sub-state and non-governmental groups being just as influential as government organizations. US country teams with the responsibility to understand the political warfare challenges against the US lack the capacity to engage all the relevant groups. Special Operations Forces (SOF), as political warfare experts, must act as an extension of the US country teams. SOF teams using the diplomatic, information, military, and economic (DIME) model can extend a US country team’s influence far beyond the host nation’s capital. The twentieth century has many examples of small teams, with local understanding and strong local partnerships designing and implementing tactical political warfare activities which had a strategic effect. This article will examine some of these examples to demonstrate the role that modern US SOF teams can play to support US country teams.