The Pentagon has sought more leeway from Congress to better use special forces to support friendly nations allied with the U.S., including to prepare Taiwan for a possible Chinese invasion.
Currently, special forces are limited in the types of training and equipment they can provide to partner militaries. If the program isn’t fighting terrorism or drugs or securing the border, there isn’t much American special forces can offer. But under a new proposal, U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) would be able to train and equip foreign partners for resistance and extended foreign internal defense (FID) missions focused on fighting potential future threats.
A proposal submitted to Congress by the Department of Defense in April specifically mentioned Taiwan and the Baltic states, stressing the need for their militaries to be prepared to “resist invasion or occupation by hostile forces” and protect their nations and peoples from “foreign-sponsored subversive activities that pose a significant threat to the incumbent regime,” according to a Defense News report that highlighted the challenges posed by China and Russia.
New powers for special forces
Special Operations forces were the go-to option for military commanders and policymakers in America’s last wars. Fighting insurgents and terrorists in the conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria was an ideal fit for them. But any potential future major conflict with China or Russia is likely to see Special Operations revert to a role supporting conventional forces.
Green Berets during close combat training, U.S. Army
One of the most valuable capabilities of U.S. special operations forces is their ability to train and equip others for combat — whether it be against oppressive governments or insurgent groups that threaten legitimate governments.
For example, in the early days of the global war on terror, U.S. Army Green Berets and CIA paramilitary officers worked with Afghanistan’s Northern Alliance fighters to oust the Taliban and al-Qaida terrorists in just a few weeks. Similarly, in Latin America, Green Berets have trained local troops to defeat communist insurgents.
In Taiwan’s context, where it faces significant pressure and threats from neighboring China, expanding authority to train Taiwan’s conventional and special forces in additional irregular missions could enhance Taiwan’s deterrence and even transform a potential conflict.
“One of our primary missions is FID (foreign internal defense),” an Army Special Forces soldier with the National Guard told Business Insider.
“We work with and train our partner forces, and expanding our mandate beyond counterterrorism and counternarcotics will give us greater freedom and allow us to better prepare our partner forces, whether it’s Taiwan or Ukraine,” added the Green Beret, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Green Berets during combat shooting training. U.S. Army
Army Green Berets are ideally suited for such a mission. They undergo language and cultural training to become warrior diplomats. They operate alone or in small teams, helping train and lead larger partner forces into battle.
Allowing two types of U.S. military units that specialize in training foreign partners, the Green Berets and Marine Raiders, to work with Taiwanese troops in resistance operations could improve Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against Chinese aggression.
If it decides to forcibly unify with the small but rebellious island of Taiwan, Beijing will likely strike hard and fast. It will not want to get drawn into a protracted war like Russia did in Ukraine and give the United States and other Western nations time to react. The Chinese military will likely use all available means, including special forces and intelligence, but it will be much harder to defeat the Taiwanese military, which is trained in resistance tactics.
“We understand the limitations that exist. Resistance and FID skill sets can be used by bad actors to overthrow legitimate governments and cause all kinds of instability in regions. But if used as intended, they are an excellent tool for fighting larger forces,” the Green Beret told BI.
