United States Special Operations Command
ATTN: JSOU Press
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JOINT SPECIAL OPERATIONS UNIVERSITY
Koven and Lindquist address the main problems with Special Operations
Forces (SOF) counterterrorism (CT) eectiveness: lack of grand strategy,
overemphasis on disruption-focused CT, limitations to existing inter-
agency processes, and barriers to eective international CT cooperation.
The authors demonstrate this in two case studies of the Philippines and
Colombia. Using the simple formula of Terrorism = Motivation + Opera-
tional Capability, the authors posit that terrorism and CT at their core
are political phenomenons. Targeting capabilities without addressing
motivation is insucient, and counterproductive. The monograph wraps
up by providing suggestions for areas for improvement that SOF could
implement to improve CT eectiveness.
ISBN 978-1-941715-59-8
JSOU Report 21-7 Barriers to Special Operations Forces-Led Counterterrorism Effectiveness Koven/Lindquist
An
International Security Assistance Force SOF soldier hands a notepad and pen to an
Afghan boy while a road maintenance team checkpoint is built in Tagab, Afghanistan,
on November . Photo by U.S. Air Force Sta Sergeant Joseph Swaord
Comments?
Barriers to Special Operations
Forces-Led Counterterrorism
Eectiveness
Dr. Barnett S. Koven and Dr. Katy Lindquist
JSOU Report 21-7
