Now i just saw an ad on TLC for some show about the Navy SEALS, and how they are allegedly “the most feared” fighting force on earth, or something to that effect. Anyways it just got me wondering about that, cuz its not the first i’ve heard about the SEALS suposedly being the best and having the most difficult training, but i just figured that was your regular American bias. So i’ll ask you “What are the most elite/deadly special forces ?” I would tend to think the SAS would be tops because of what i have read about there exploits, but then i’d be biased cuz my relative was in their ranks and part of the team that did the recon so that the bridge on the river kwai could be bombed
The Israeli secret service(can’t remember the name) are often regarded as the toughest and most effective commando force.
I’ve always heard it was Israel’s Mossad, but I am no expert on these matters.
Depends on what your criteria are. For sheer physical stamina and will, it’s the SEAL’s 100%. Their physical endurance requirements etc are at an Olympic level. None has ever been captured.
Yahbut one forgot to keep his hand on the immunity idol.
I pretty much got the impression that in the West, these guys swap techniques and methods and train against each other occasionally. (Mind you, my source is Tom Clancy.) So it’s pretty hard to tell who’s the best - they’re all similar.
I’d guess each and every special forces group believe they are the best. the British SAS certainly believe it, and I bet the SEALS do too.
Stamina and will are important, but it doesn’t mean the SEALs are the most effective special forces. Ironman-distance triathletes have tremendous stamina and will, but I doubt they could outfight even regular army!
Most people have nver heard of the SBS(special boat squadron)but they must be rated with the best of them.
It’s the ability to complete missions succesfully and , hopefully, return in one piece that counts.
Since much of what these guys do is not known to the general public it is impossible to make any meaningful comparisons.
The Red army’s Spetnaz are an amazing bunch. They are a larger group than the SEALS and man for man not as diversly trained. They have sub-units exclusively for Nautical misions, Land-based Missions and Infeltration. Many Spetnaz were Olymipic Athletes since the Olymipica athletes were better traveled in forigen countries.
I think it all depends what you are wanting out of the “special force”.
In a down and dirty, fight I think the ROK (republic of Korea)Marines are DAMN good.
In amphibious landings and such, SBS or SEALS
For infeltration and terrorism Green Berets, Spetnaz or Mossad.
For all around ability SEALS.
I am not an expert and I know I have limited knowledge on some countries forces. I have heard many good things about German special forces and nothing at all about France, china or many other countries.
So that is the best I can help on the subject.
Osip
Well the nature of things global has been such that we’ve not had a real cook-off. The Israeli Mossad has enjoyed a reputation of skulduggery at it’s best, but the fact of the matter is they’ve blown a few. They’re just a lot better than the Arabs, for the moment. A lot of Cold War consideration focussed on the CIA v. KGB struggles, while the Soviet Army’s GRU was largely overlooked. Those are the cloak and dagger folk and probably not what you’re thinking of.
SAS, Spetsnaz, SEALS, Green Berets can all give a good account of themselves, but none of them have been judged in an arena where they’ve squared off against the best of the other team. They have all been conceived with the idea that they’ll be more than a match for the likely foes’ regular forces. Let’s hope we can continue to avoid finding out whose extra special bad boys are the baddest around.
I’m with matt on this one. I think it depends on whose propaganda department you are listening to.
For example, the Ghurkas have a pretty fearsome reputation, but whether it’s all a myth is probably open to conjecture.
Back in the early seventies the Israeli commando force, which is not quite the same as the Mossad, although very closely associated, got a commendation that was worded with peculiar vagueness. What they had done, although it was not known for a very long time after that was to enter Syria, attack, capture, steal, and return home with an entire Russian built and staffed radar installation. (This is a military base, not a piece of equipment. It had a chain link fence around it, which was taken as well.) They did it in a single night, and were not detected at all.
The particular base was very secret, and the Russians and Syrians had publicly denied its existence. The Commando Force simply mad that lie true. No one in Syria or Russia wanted to publicly say, we lost a radar base, and we think the Israelis stole it.
Now that is a covert action.
Tris
Me, too. So let’s move this one over to Great Debates.
I’m sure you guys have all heard of Rainbow Six, right?
Ah, nevermind…
I think that, in addition to the fact that SEALS have such amazing abilities and skill, one of the biggest factors in a military group’s overall effectiveness is equipment. And numbers. And money. When it comes down to planning a mission, the more intelligence you have means the better your boys will do in the field, and I don’t think anybody’s got the intel factor snagged up better than the good ol’ U.S. of A.
I would have to vote for Mossad too. And their name sound cooler than Seals.