The British Army first developed its Special Air Service (SAS) as a strategic fighting unit during World War II, then reactivated it in 1950 as an elite counterinsurgency force in Britain's colonial war in Malaysia. Throughout the Cold War era, the SAS participated in highly covert operations wherever England had economic or strategic interests -- in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, the Falkland Islands, and Northern Ireland.Ken Connor, who served in the SAS for more than 20 years, now provides the first complete picture of one of the most disciplined fighting forces in military history. Using privileged information and eyewitness accounts from the SAS's most famous actions, Ghost Force sheds light on how Britain maintains its might on the world stage and presents a controversial blueprint for the future.