For four decades after World War II, U.S. Special Operations Forcesincluding Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs, Air Force special operations aircrews and Special Tactics Groupsuffered from mistrust and inadequate funding from the military services. They were nearly eliminated from the active force following the Vietnam War. But in the past fifteen years, special operations forces have risen from the ashes of the failed 1980 rescue of American hostages in Iran to become one of the most frequently deployed elements of the U.S. military. They are now adequately funded, better-equipped, and...

For four decades after World War II, U.S. Special Operations Forcesincluding Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs, Air Force special operations aircrews and Special Tactics Groupsuffered from mistrust and inadequate funding from the military services. They were nearly eliminated from the active force following the Vietnam War. But in the past fifteen years, special operations forces have risen from the ashes of the failed 1980 rescue of American hostages in Iran to become one of the most frequently deployed elements of the U.S. military. They are now adequately funded, better-equipped, and...