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The British SAS are considered one of the most experienced special forces when it comes to close quarter combat and the founders of neutralizing threats when it comes to hostage situations.
Also worth watching. Because of high risk urban operations and whatnot.
— Joshua Cuellar (@JoshC_InLA) June 4, 2020
Note, this is a private corporation. A security contractor if you will.https://t.co/8n9MoVbISQ
The SAS are part of the UK Military and deal with a lot of urban terror situations within the UK Armed Forces. They are different than the Asterisk Team (ARVs) or even MI5 who are both considered civilians.
ARV response is authorized by SCO19 in London, the Specialist Firearms Command, and their armed response is governed by UK Common Law, UK Police and Evidence Act 1984, the UK Human Rights Act 1988. They are also required to operate under the guidance of two different policy manuals
MI5 admittedly works in a bit of grey area due to the evolving nature of the Geneva Conventions and time needed for organizational implementation and resource allocation. The idea is that they will act as an intermediary to pass the baton between ARV and SAS when an organized crime investigation turns into an unlawful combatant situation and vice versa. They will also continue to handle UK National Security issues and inter-province police coordination. So coordinating between England and Scotland or Wales and Northern Ireland, etc.
SAS is most well known among special forces operatives for the double tap and their use of the MP5. Below are a few select videos on two of their identifiable characteristics, a recruitment video, and a foreign selection overview.
Of notable mention in a discussion of special forces are the UK Royal Marines. They are part of the UK Royal Navy, much like the US Marines are part of the US Navy.
It's worth noting that special forces don't have an official status within the context of an Armed Forces discussion and their role within the Geneva Conventions remains open to interpretation.
In the interim, it appears that operating along side or as part of a nations Armed Forces Intelligence Unit is the most appropriate classification.
Below are some select critiques from people who have studied and implemented the SAS Double Tap into their shooting style.
It's worth noting that it wasn't really clear who an SAS peer would be for a long time due to delays in implementation of the Geneva Conventions.
For a long time FBI, CIA, NSA, DEA, IRS, US Marshalls and MI5, MI6 were all looked at as intelligence units with some crossover between special forces units and specialized police troops such as S.W.A.T Team or Scotland Yard.
Civilian Intelligence
Armed Forces Intelligence
Missing from the list is the Department of State which is a diplomatic foreign service that is not involved in combat but is authorized to defend itself and evacuate its diplomatic party. Also agencies similar to US Aid which is a foreign humanitarian services agency.
The UK Intelligence structure looks something like this.
Civilian Intelligence
Armed Forces Intelligence
In the UK, The Home Office functions as both a diplomatic foreign service and a domestic advisory council to the Royal Family and Parliament.
It makes sense to examine other Permanent Security Council Member's intelligence structure in order to have a complete conversation.
Civilian Intelligence
Armed Forces Intelligence
Civilian Intelligence
Armed Forces Intelligence
Russian President Vladimir Putin has a dual authority over the national civilian intelligence and police force and the Russian Armed Forces. However, he usually defers to his Generals to run their operations while reserving the right to act as Commander and Chief on any given battlefield.
Armed Forces Intelligence
President Xi Jinping has a dual authority over the national civilian intelligence and police for and the Chinese Armed Forces. Xi Jinping initially liked to take a hands on approach to the Chinese Armed Forces but is deferring more duties to his Generals. There are no Presidential Term Limits in China. President Xi Jinping has stated he is opposed to lifelong appointment as President of China but is willing to continue serving in his role as long as necessary.
China uses a promotion ladder that goes from college student to corporate executive to military intelligence officer. Selected candidates are not allowed to enter boot camp for the Chinese Armed Forces until their executive officer appointment iscomplete.
The SAS are urban combat specialists with close quarter combat experience aboard ships, military cargo trains, enlisted officer barracks and military bases that have been authorized for infiltration and intelligence retrieval. They have extensive experience across multiple terrains due to their selection and training process. They are also familiar with standard military practices and work well with an Armed Forces Attachment if required.
Due to the new delineation of duties as outlined by the Geneva Conventions, the question of training high risk police response units has arrived. Most police officers require training in civil rights protocols, deescalation techniques, maintaining order in civilian quarters, and organizing arrest and prosecution operations for groups of organized criminals.
There are organized crime groups that are willing to assault and discharge weapons at Law Enforcement and for those groups, most nations have a lethal response unit or an armed patrol unit. These police officers usually require additional training on officer safety, maintaining team coordination and group cohesion. They also need to know what lines not to cross to maintain their status as a civilian or eligibility to operate in civilian quarters as accepted guidelines and procedures develop. This is in addition to firearms training and identifying objects of interest that may point to a military or unlawful combatant operation.
The SAS fits this training profile excellently as it can provide limited tactical training for high risk urban operations on armed organized crime groups and guidance on what to do when an organized crime group is using unlawful combatants and restricted combat weapons in an urban setting.
This training would be limited to high risk law enforcement specialists only and trained personnel would be held accountable to abiding by the Geneva Conventions and respecting the civil rights and due process of those involved.
The SAS can also coordinate on international matters where the delineation of duties is not clear and engage with other armed forces for specialized operations and war games as it already does.
The UK has 16 Commonwealth Realms, meaning they have a Parliamentary Monarchy and a total of 38 countries that voluntarily self identify as Commonwealth Countries and have signed the Commonwealth Charter. The Commonwealth Countries are sovereign states that associate with the UK for the development of democratic societies in the Spirit of the UN Charter. Each Commonwealth member sets its own policies but works toward the pursuit of common principles and values.
In discussing special forces training and separately high risk law enforcement operations, the subject has been brought up about what is appropriate training for civilian law enforcement or urban combat specialists and what to do when organized crime is conducting operations in rural environments.
Up for discussion, is also the topic of how much information should Permanent UN Security Council Members be sharing with each other and what type of training will be provided to non-permanent members. Which practices and operating procedures should be standardized across the globe and which tactics should be kept as a trade secret or distinctive trademark of a certain special forces.
Some of the training available by different security operatives is valuable and practical in various scenarios but it wouldn't make much sense for a police officer to karate chop someone to affect an arrest or for the military to conduct a drone strike on a drug traffickers warehouse.
In closing, here are two videos. One from the French Foreign Legion and one from Grandmaster William Cheung who had a self-defense seminar in London in 2010.
UN Security Council
https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/current-members
UK Commonwealth Realms
https://www.royal.uk/commonwealth-and-overseas
UK Commonwealth Charter
https://thecommonwealth.org/about-us/charter