The Conventional, SOF Debate in OIF.

[jcustis]

FID meaning???

[Bill Moore]

Foreign Internal Defense (FID): Participation by civilian and military agencies of a government in any of the action programs taken by another government or other designated organization to free and protect its society from subversion, lawlessness, and insurgency. (One government assisted another with its internal security, so does this apply in a Stateless condition? I think this is much more than a play on words, but the essence of our troubles is we still haven't even properly defined it, nor understand the nature of the type of fight we're in).

Counterinsurgency: Those military, paramilitary, political, economic, psychological, and civic actions taken by a government to defeat insurgency. Also called COIN

[SWJED]

Small blurb in the Washington Pulse section of June's National Defense magazine - Special Operators No Longer Travel Light.

Special operations forces are not what they used to be. Case in point is the growing use of heavy armored vehicles by SOF units, relates John G. Grimes, the Defense Department’s chief information officer. The rapid spread of concealed roadside bombs and remotely detonated explosives as weapons of choice against U.S. forces means SOF troops can no longer deploy with just their suitcases, Grimes says. Now, they want Bradley and Stryker armored personnel carriers. “We are shocked at how the SOF community is looking for these hardened vehicles. Before they just would go out there and integrate with society. The whole structure is changing.”