The Foreign Service Journal, June 2017

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JUNE 2017 25 this cooperation with Latin American militaries made SOF synonymous with sup- port for unsavory dictators. Today, U.S. special opera- tors go to great lengths to avoid such perceptions, but close coordination of their activities with the State Department is critical to this effort. As Linda Robinson observes in Foreign Affairs , “Navigat- ing the failings of partner governments, as well as civil strife and complex sectarian, ideological, or tribal conflicts, is extraordi- narily difficult; and given the high risk of blowback, the United States must constantly assess whether special operations partner- ships with non-U.S. forces are, on balance, advancing or compro- mising U.S. interests.” Despite attempts to enhance their political awareness through specialized training, SOF personnel can sometimes be tone-deaf to the foreign policy context in which they operate in so many different countries, and to the conse- quences for broader U.S. objectives. Career diplomats serving in those countries, who understand the local history and political culture—as well as POLADS themselves, who often have experience in the same regions or countries—are uniquely qualified to provide the necessary guidance. Some indirect activities by special operations units overlap materially with what State and USAID programs are designed to accomplish in a country. Especially when work- ing in the areas of economic development, public health and humanitarian assistance, SOF efforts inevitably stray into the space traditionally occupied by U.S. civilian foreign affairs agen- cies. For many, this kind of work is an essential part of diplomacy and therefore should stay under the control of civilian agencies. But the unfortunate reality is that while the special operations community has ample and growing resources, State and USAID have always labored within significant budget constraints and now face the threat of massive outright cuts. Ambassadors must acknowledge that the best hope for pre- serving our ability to use “soft power” in many areas may well Like the ethos of career diplomats, the SOF philosophy recognizes the value of nurturing ties to foreign cultures. COURTESYOFSTEVEKASHKETT The author in a helicopter with the SOCOM commander over the Honduran jungle in 2013.