Special Operations Makes Mark on Global War on Terrorism

From Military.com, comes this story on the demand for Special Operations soldiers.

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WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2006 - Demand for special operations forces capabilities has increased dramatically since Sept. 11, 2001, the deputy commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said here yesterday.

"There's been much demand for our capabilities," Navy Vice Adm. Eric T. Olson said, "more than we can meet." Olson spoke at WEST 2006, a technology, communication and national security conference co-sponsored by the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association and the U.S. Naval Institute.

First on the ground in Afghanistan in October 2001, SOCOM used nearly every tool in its toolbox to remove the Taliban from power and render al Qaeda less effective, Olson said. The success in Afghanistan led to an increased demand for the special forces' capabilities in Iraq.
"They were involved in every significant action of the opening weeks of the (Iraq) campaign and since," he said.

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He added that in the recent past, nearly 85 percent of deployed special operations forces have operated in the U. S. Central Command area of responsibility. But, the admiral pointed out, "we still woke up in about 50 non-CENTCOM countries this morning."

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