View From the Hill
Written by Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I.
SOTECH 2008 Volume: 6 Issue: 6 (August)
Representative Jim Langevin, D-R.I.
The incredible raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound on May 1 is a testament to the hard work of our intelligence services, the dedication of the Obama administration, and above all the capability of our special operations forces (SOF). These brave men and women are a critical asset to our national security, and as Ranking Member on the House Armed Services Emerging Threats Subcommittee, it is my privilege and responsibility to be directly engaged in providing for the resources these forces need and the oversight of their mission that the Constitution requires.
These forces have proved their worth time and time again, but never as much as in the post-9/11 world. Demand for them has been increasing steadily over the past decade. Both the 2006 and 2010 Quadrennial Defense Reviews recognized this requirement and called for a significant boost in SOF strength and capabilities. At the same time, Congress has recognized the growing need for SOF activities and has tripled the amount authorized for the SOF budget since 9/11, while simultaneously providing some important legal authorities that allow them to operate the way we need.
First and foremost, the quality of its people allows SOF to carry out their complex missions. These courageous and committed men and women, who have repeatedly volunteered for the most challenging assignments, are first carefully screened and then intensely trained. They are seasoned pros, mostly drawn from the ranks of our general purpose forces. As the demand for their capabilities increases, we respond by providing the resources required to recruit, retain and sustain a greater force. However, as this trend continues, we need to remember that this unique caliber of operative cannot be mass produced, and we must not sacrifice quality for quantity. SOF leaders are acutely aware of this requirement and are managing their programs appropriately, but in our oversight role, Congress must ensure that in the effort to expand the force, we do not dilute it. With this balance in mind, we can provide the additional operators and support personnel we need and offer some relief to a stressed force, while taking care to guarantee each new member is prepared for duties assigned.
Secondly, into these capable hands we must place the most effective tools. When Congress created Special Operations Command, we put it in the unique position to be able to both draw from the larger research and development efforts of the Department of Defense, and exercise its own ability to develop new and unique technological solutions. Clearly, the commitment to develop technology with SOF’s specific requirements in mind played a significant role in making the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound a tremendous success.
Much of that material is sensitive, but a good example can be seen in the advances in biometrics technology made for easy portability, user friendliness and global deployment. Biometric information we collect can help draw network connections that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. These special tools play an essential role beyond the SOF community by helping identify and catalog the myriad players in the larger global fight against terrorism.
Finally, one of the most critical responsibilities of Congress is to balance the need to provide SOF the legal authorities it requires to pursue its mission with the oversight role that our founding fathers intended. On the one hand, SOF needs a certain freedom of action to be effective, but on the other, it is the duty of the legislative branch to ensure that those actions remain consistent in the broader frameworks of U.S. policy and the Constitution. To that end, since 9/11 Congress has been active in providing new SOF and counterterrorism (CT) authorities, which includes permitting SOF support of foreign or irregular forces assisting in counterterrorism operations, establishing a Counter-Terrorism Fellowship Program that helps friendly countries strengthen their CT programs, and funding rewards for CT-related information.
Because our future national security challenges are uncertain, we cannot quickly dismiss the possibility of a near-peer competitor to our military as it is currently structured, and we must maintain robust conventional and strategic forces. However, it is clear we will continue to rely heavily on SOF for the indeterminate future to overcome certain challenges. Their unique capabilities no longer fill a special niche, but rather a primary role in our national security. They have been critical in the war on terror; not just in high-profile missions like the bin Laden raid, but in hundreds of other operations that take place daily without notice by the rest of the world. They endure sacrifices of a life of secrecy, take time away from family and even place their lives in jeopardy to keep us safe. I am incredibly proud to honor their sacrifices by providing the support and oversight they require to accomplish their missions. ♦
Rep. Jim Langevin is the Ranking Member of the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee, which has oversight of special operations affairs. He also serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which has oversight of the CIA and other intelligence-gathering agencies that discovered Osama bin Laden’s hiding place.