Special Forces soldiers work in foreign lands with situations which are not always completely clear from its beginning. The Special Operation Imperatives serve as the base for success by providing the framework to develop and assist the host nation in achieving their desired goals. Through this essay I will use the novel “The Ugly American” (William J. Lederer & Eugene Burdick) to provide context to the benefits of applying such imperatives and the consequences of improper application. I will bring to light the actions of the characters and depict the reasons why the application of the imperative made the character succeed or fail in his desired goal.
The first character that I will discuss is Honorable Louis Sears, American Ambassador to Sarkhan. He received the Ambassadorship position after his political career ended and the Federal judgeship he was pursuing became open. Sears was as an overweight, ignorant individual who did not care nor had any idea of how to interact with other cultures. Mainly, he lacked understanding of the operational environment in Sarkhan. Proof of the latter was evident once he was told he was going to be Ambassador to Sarkhan and he mentioned that “he did not work well with blacks.”
The above action may not seem critical at the initial stages of an assignment but it clearly demonstrates the importance Sears placed on his assigned area and international affairs. Sears’ disregard in understanding the operational environment became more apparent once he arrived in Sarkhan. He always looked down at Sarkhanese people and was doubtful of their honesty. In one instance, Sears mentioned the Sarkhanese, referring to them as monkeys, “were strange because the women did all the work while the men had all the fu...
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...and international support.”(SO Imperatives) The failure of the Ambassador in understanding the implication of the article diminished the credibility and lost popular support among the populous.
A personal example that serves as a good comparison to the attitude of Sears happens more often than not in the Afghanistan area of responsibility. We often see how many individuals may not take the time to understand the culture of the area in which they are operating. I operated in Afghanistan four times around different areas and each area has different set of norms. If an individual does not take the time to understand these differences, misunderstandings are bound to occur. Sharing and interacting with the population is imperative in understanding the people and influencing them. If we look down or ignore the environment we will lose legitimacy in our word and purpose.
Crane, Stephen. The Red Badge of Courage. Sculley Bradley, Richard Beatty, and E. Hudson Long Eds. New York: W.W. Norton, 1962.
When looking at the Special Operations (SO) Imperatives, one can gain an understanding of how to change their way of looking at problems that they are faced with in any scenario. By applying these imperatives, Special Forces Soldiers can set the conditions to succeed in any situation that they find themselves in. When reading The Ugly American by William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdick, there are several examples of the correct application and the lack of application of the imperatives throughout the book. Taking a look at the Office of Strategic Service (OSS) linking up with John Colvin during the war, Father Finian and how he operated with and through others, and how Louis Krupitzyn and his wife understood their operational environment and Colonel Hillendale also mastered this skill and was the right man for the job. I will explain how the SO imperatives were applied correctly. Joe Bing and his inability to recognize the political implications while in Setkya and Tom Knox’s return trip from Cambodia serve as great examples of how the imperatives need to be applied correctly.
Stewart R. W. (2005). American Military History (Vol. 1). The United States Army and the
In 1960, at the age of twenty-four, Philip Caputo enlists in the United Sates Marine Corps in hopes of escaping his relaxed lifestyle in the quaint town of Westchester, Illinois. Caputo is interested in proving himself a man and earning respect in response to President John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address to the nation. “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” are the famous words that pushed many young men into the patriotic world of enlistment, in order to defend American ideals. Caputo’s expectations of the war in Vietnam are to achieve heroic acts, finish his missions quickly and efficiently, get out in one piece, and return home to a supportive country interested in his heroic adventures.
In conclusion, the main point of The Green Berets was to convince its audience the Vietnam War was essential; conversely, the Ugly American attempted to berate it. However, it is also clear that both had a common goal; one that expressed the cruelty war can have. John Wayne’s defeat-all-communists approach was becoming a less popular opinion by the time the movie was released. Instead, the ideals The Ugly American conveyed were the most popular. Unless these two styles of thinking are reconciled, the countries of the world are destined to be trapped in a prolonged war.
In order to receive a victory in the Battle of the Bulge, General Patton used Mission Command Analysis in order to understand how he can be successful for this mission. The first thing of understanding t...
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Linda Robinson’s One Hundred Victories: Special Ops and the Future of American Warfare is a study of the changing role of America’s Special Forces. It shows how the role of Special Forces has changed during the war in Afghanistan. The book is a meticulous look at the difficulties faced by special operation forces in their effort to implement the strategy of counterinsurgency in Afghanistan. Additionally, it covers the general strategy of Village Stability Operations. Moreover, she explored what exactly Special Forces were and how they operated in Afghanistan. Finally, the author makes her prediction on the future role of Special Forces.
Tapper, J. (2012). The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor. New York: Little, Brown. Retrieved November 05, 2010, from books.google.co.ke/books?isbn=0316215856
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