An authoritative guide to the guns used by elite forces Fully illustrated with photographs and diagrams Written by a world authority on firearms The war against terrorism continues. Hardly a day goes by without the report of a new outrage. Foremost in the struggle against terrorism are the Special Forces. Guns of the Elite Forces provides a penetrating account of the weapons that elite fighting troops carry into combat. Such elites have always existed in the armies of the world. During World War II, elite units sprang up in most theatres of conflict - the German Brandenburgers carried out clandestine operations in Poland; in the Western Desert, the Long Range Desert Group and SAS penetrated deep behind enemy lines; for larger-scale raids the British Commandos and the US Rangers and Marine Raiders were formed. From 1945, the Special Forces continued to prove their value, operating as small numbers of highly trained fighters carrying out precision tasks to maximum effect and minimum cost in human lives. These qualities have proved essential in the ongoing war against international terrorism, where the risk to non-combatants is a major factor to consider. In the last few decades, and particularly since 9/11, a very special sort of fighting man - a member of an international elite, his fighting skills finely honed - has risen to prominence. At Entebbe, Mogadishu and the Iranian Embassy in London, he has shown his mettle. At the crucial point, the operative must depend upon his gun. Bursting into a room to confront a terrorist, the raider must be sure his weapon will perform perfectly. At long range, precision is similarly essential. In this illustrated book, expert John Walter provides an overview of the weapons elite forces carry into action, as well as the guns their enemies wield. John Walter is the acclaimed author of a number of books including Military Rifles of Two World Wars, Military Handguns of Two World Wars, The Greenhill Dictionary of Guns and Gunmakers, Guns of the Third Reich and The Luger Story.