The commander of the Danish special forces is asking politicians to put them into action in hotspots such as Afghanistan and Africa. The head of the nation's military special forces is concerned that his troops are not being used actively enough. Col. Henrik H. Friis warned politicians on Sunday that training alone was not enough to keep up the skills of the nation's elite soldiers.
Friis also pointed out that there were plenty of hotspots around the world, such as Afghanistan and Africa, where the special forces could participate. 'Things happen rapidly in our field, and if we are to measure up to the best special forces out there, it doesn't do any good if we only train. We need to get out and complete some missions,' Friss said, adding that it was important for the forces to continue cooperating with US and other European forces. The last time the Danish special forces participated in a major international operation was in 2002, when they were involved in 'Operation Enduring Freedom' in Afghanistan. The unit received an award for their efforts there, and as a result it was asked to play a major role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
A political decision not to allow the forces to participate in the early phases of the invasion was made, however. And since then, they have mostly carried out short-term operations. Meanwhile, other countries, including neighbouring Sweden and Norway, have been busy with multiple special operations. Friss feared that another result of not being included in international operations was a loss of the relationship that was built up during the 2002 Afghanistan operation.
The minister of defence, SÞren Gade, said he and other political leaders understood Friis's concerns, but that the ministry had no concrete plans to deploy the special forces for the time being. |