The purpose of this thesis is to examine two books that advance alternate theories to explain the success or failure of special operations. The first book is Perilous Options: Special Operations as an Instrument of U.S. Foreign Policy, by Lucien S. Vandenbroucke. Vandenbroucke discusses recurrent problems with U. S. special operations and identifies what he believes are the causes of failure of such operations. The second book is Spec Ops, written by William H. McRaven. McRaven examines eight historic cases from around the globe and develops his theory on how to conduct successful special operations. From the analysis of three recent Navy SEAL special operations missions, both theories seem to provide a useful tool for thinking about the failure or success of special operations. Combining these theories provides a complete framework for senior planners and tacticians in formulating a plan for successfully conducting future special operations missions.