I refer to the letter Glorified Rambos of the US with specific reference to this part:

' Special forces of any country are designed for special operations, like covert deep penetration of enemy territory to carry out close surveillance of the enemy or even attack them, shock operations requiring speed and surprise tactics, or those permitting only small bands of highly skilled specialists to conduct highly dangerous missions in enemy dominated areas that would normally be difficult to achieve by conventional forces, etc.

But why nominate the US Special Forces? For those who know, the US Special Forces is not well thought off compared to other national special forces. Its only strength would be its possession of gadgetry and of course, satellite and electronic intelligence

.'

The writer is confused. US Army Special Forces can be raiders behind enemy lines. But that specialty belongs to US Army Rangers (LRRPs during the Vietnam War), the US Marine Force Recon, and the Navy SEALS.

What Special Forces do better than anyone else is train indigenous forces to fight our and their enemy. They are a force multiplier. The Montagnards and Rhades in South Vietnam for example - they know their area better than anyone and were hated by the communist forces - they are still killing and persecuting them to this day.

Some of the small number of US personnel training indigenous forces in Laos were from Special Forces background. They were hired by the CIA as civilians. One of the most famous had Marine combat service and college degree.

He led the Mien on intelligence missions into China. Other 'civilian' trainers and leaders of indigenous forces worked further south in Laos - along the panhandle - raiding and watching the Ho Chi Minh Trail that passed near their traditional tribal areas. After 1962 they were always 'civilians'.

Presently, US Special Forces personnel are teaching in about 40 countries (as my memory recalls). In Africa, they are teaching armies in Mali and the surrounding states to fight terrorist organisations.

In Iraq, the teaching was first conducted by regular US Army units but this was found to be lacking. Iraqis will now be trained by US Special Forces. They are teachers, they speak foreign languages, are extremely adaptable, are able to live in the most primitive conditions and make friends with locals all around the world.

And incidently, some of them are trained to both plant, arm or disarm nuclear devices.

So, if you're looking for Rambo, you might find a few amongst the A-Teams of US Special Forces, or Rangers or Force Recon or the SEALS. But that's out-of-context with what the Special Forces really is.

If you want a poorly thought-out outfit, you might look at the French Foreign Legion, suitable for combat against African spear-chuckers only. The British Special Air Services (SAS) is excellent - everyone agrees - but a very small force, now bleeding personnel to private security firms paying $US500-US$1,000 a day for their services.

What Sabah needs but probably can't get is a geo-stationary satellite watching its coastline for night and day surveillance plus an enlarged Coast Guard/Navy in multiple locations ready to respond at short notice.