By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, July 24, 2015 – The “hyper connectivity” of the
world today complicates an already complex set of global security issues, the
commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said today at a security forum in
Colorado.
Army Gen. Joseph L. Votel told Fox News correspondent
Catherine Herridge that the problems of Russia, the Islamic State of Iraq and
the Levant, and state and non-state actors is made more complex because of the
speed and ubiquity of communications.
The general spoke at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado
this morning.
The Socom commander said Russia’s use of hybrid warfare in
Crimea and eastern Ukraine must be countered. Russia’s use of conventional and
non-conventional forces and the use of military and non-military governmental
capabilities present problems beyond a simple military solution, the general
said.
“They are using information operations, they are using their
own military capabilities and they are using ethnic Russian populations in some
of these countries as surrogates,” he said.
All this, the general said, helps “perpetrate this idea of
coercion and pressure on neighbors along their periphery to meet their
particular objectives.”
Russia’s objective, Votel said, is to create a situation
where NATO cannot thrive. Russian President Vladimir Putin sees the North
Atlantic Alliance as a threat, Votel said, and the Russian leader “is
attempting to create these frozen conflicts and situations that are difficult
to resolve along their border and in doing that stalemate a lot of things.”
Hybrid warfare is unconventional warfare and that’s in U.S.
Special Operations Command’s wheelhouse, the general said. The command is
working with NATO allies and partners to develop their capabilities, he said.
Focusing on ISIL
But most of Socom’s resources are focused on the Middle East
and Central Asia, the general said, noting that focus now is on ISIL.
ISIL is a terrorist group with ambitions to be the new
Caliphate, Votel said. The first Caliphate extended from Spain, through North
Africa and across to India.
The group is “looking for opportunities where there is
ungoverned spaces and vulnerable populations, and they are taking advantage of
that,” he said.
When pressure is applied in one spot, ISIL moves to another,
the general said.
“I don’t know if they have a plan, as such,” he said, “but
what they are trying to do is re-establish that Caliphate by looking for
opportunities they can exploit.”
Votel said the fight against ISIL and groups like it will
require a long-term commitment. He cited Colombia and its 50-year fight against
terrorism.
“I don’t believe there’s any one strategy that we are going
to apply that is immediately going to change this,” the general said. “It’s
going to take a long-term approach, understanding what is happening, making
smart decisions and continuing to apply pressure -- whether that is military
pressure, diplomatic pressure, economic pressure, informational pressure
against violent extremists.”
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