"SAS IN ACTION" is the story of how this unit has become one of the most admired special forces in the world today. The first section of the book looks at the fighting history of the regiment, from its beginnings in World War II through to the 1970s. The second section examines the role of the regiment in the past 15 years, including their counter-terrorist activities in Northern Ireland and in the Falklands. The final section looks at the SAS today, describing the gruelling selection procedure and how the regiment is structured so that it survives and keeps many of its activities secret. This section also looks at what the regiment would do in the event of war in Europe, and how it prepares for this possible task. It also assesses the SAS in comparison with other special forces in the world today including the Russian Spetsnaz, the US Special Forces and the German GSG9 antiterrorist squad.