ISSUE BRIEF
No. 5361 | NOVEMBER 8, 2024
DOUGLAS AND SARAH ALLISON CENTER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY
This paper, in its entirety, can be found at https://report.heritage.org/ib5361
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A New Strategic Service
for a New Cold War
Robert Greenway
Consolidating irregular and unconven-
tional warfare capabilities would buy
the time needed to reconstitute our
conventional armed forces and stra-
tegic deterrent.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Distribution of capabilities and authori-
ties for special operations and sensitive
activities across the Defense Department
constrains their eective employment.
Special operations and sensitive activi-
ties beyond those already within Special
Operations Command can be consoli-
dated without revising existing law or
allocating new resources.
What Is Old Is New Again
The Oce of Strategic Services (OSS) was estab-
lished by President Franklin Roosevelt on July 11,
1941, to consolidate capabilities distributed across
the U.S. government to prevail in the Second World
War. After the war, the National Security Act of 1947
1
dissolved the OSS and redistributed its components
across departments and agencies with mixed results
during the Cold War with the Soviet Union. Threats
have evolved, and so should our strategic capabilities.
The challenge of a new Cold War with the Chinese
Communist Party CCP)
2
requires that the Depart-
ment of Defense (DOD) consolidate and expand its
unique capabilities, authorities, and infrastructure
to conduct a global campaign to deter conflict and, if
necessary, defeat threats to our interests. No other
