Well I'm not sure I am more qualified than anyone else on this matter, and no, I can't site anything written that specifically relates to the decision to abandon DO. ...but.
a.) I don't think the USMC ever really wanted to do it. With Rumsfeld gone, they got let off the hook, so jumped. - and as a concept it was poorly explained and reasoned - at least is some material. The USMC wanted to avoid saying "we need to be better infantry," - and all armies are avoiding grasping this nettle.
b.) I don't think the concept writers had any idea of how much support 6-8-12 men need. Look at what happened with Op Anaconda and Redwing. Even in Northern Ireland, a very benign environment, a 4-man covert O.P. needed an entire Platoon on QRF.
c.) I think the number of men in a "team" is a distraction. It's who is on the end of the radio and who close enough to help, that makes the difference.
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