Time to move out of the shadows? Special operations forces and accountability
Journal: Leicester Research Archive (University of Leicester)
Year: 2016

On his retirement as head of the United States ('US') Joint Special Operations Command, Admiral William McRaven argued that the US was in 'the golden age of Special Operations'. 1 Indeed, according to one 2010 estimate special operations forces ('SOF') from the US were present in 75 countries 2 and by 2013 this had risen to 134. 3 In addition, SOF from Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom ('UK') have been operating in a number of jurisdictions.There are four reasons why SOF have become so pr