Let's have a fresh look at Special Operations.

This post was prompted by a discussion with Eric.

Do we need a fresh look at Special Operations?

Mission sets include... unconventional warfareforeign internal defensespecial reconnaissancedirect action, and counter-terrorism. Other duties include combat search and rescue (CSAR),counter-narcoticscounter-proliferationhostage rescuehumanitarian assistance, humanitarian de-mininginformation operationspeacekeepingpsychological operations, security assistance, and manhunts

If you look at the list above only unconventional warfare and hostage rescue are outside the current operational reach of conventional forces.

So all things considered.  Do we really need a Special Operations Command that has under its command almost 100,000 people?  

SOCOM when it finishes enlarging will be bigger than the Australian Army, Canadian Army, the Netherlands Army, the Singaporean Army, the S. African Army and many many others.

Does the current mission set indicate a need for anything other than the US Army Rangers and Special Forces?

Explain to me why we have all the services providing forces that duplicate each other.  Tell me why we don't need a serious rethink of Special Operations and what they actually provide to the nation.