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Insurgency: The Enemy Within

 

DoD photo by Cpl. Robert R. Attebury, U.S. Marine Corps. (Released)

In conflict areas around the world there exists the obvious danger from the enemy. Soldiers and those who are immersed in these conflict areas are under the notion that they can be attacked at every turn. Insurgent units are known for their guerrilla tactics. They usually employ stealth, surprise and unconventional warfare. They slowly increase the losses on a foreign force but more importantly they sap at their enemies will. Their long-term goal is not to attain a military victory but a political one. The armed conflict is a mere avenue to forward certain political goals. Thus the insurgency does not suffer logistical problems like a regular army nor issues about morale and so on. This enables the insurgents to maintain a degree of hostility over a long period of time.

Dissonance Of Policy Makers

The planners, tacticians and strategists for the US military effort in conflict regions like Iraq and Afghanistan are insensitive to the nature of the threat that confronts them. The strategies, approaches and methods they have developed and are applying does not effectively counter – act insurgencies. To deal with this particular kind of adversary entails a deeper understanding of their nature and pathology. However, there is seldom or in some cases never are the strategies of these insurgents carefully analyzed. This culture of dissonance is the downfall of long-term military efforts in these regions. This blindness to certain social truths that have strategic implications has plagued US conflict policies for a while.

Hidden Enemy

In a recent report, it has been discovered that the local organizations in Afghanistan are involved with the insurgents. These are the same groups that the US forces hired to increase the security in their installations and bases. This is a significant breach of security. However, more importantly the efforts on the ground are constantly undermined by the same people whom the US forces entrust their safety to.  

This introduces a whole new dimension to the conflict the US is embroiled in. With this the realization is that the American forces have been drawn too far into a hornet’s nest of hostiles waiting to swarm and overwhelm them. The enemy now has a direct and significant means by which to inflict damaging losses to the US forces.

Necessary Measures

Increasing the necessary security by checking on the local organizations to be employed for security would be vital. However, more than this it is more important that there be a shift in strategy and in how the insurgency is perceived. The delusion of American invincibility has to be set aside and reality must be confronted. So long as the belief that the US is too powerful and superior to be in danger is not set aside it would continue to warp reality. This distortion deceives policy – makers as to the real status quo and the genuine enemy. This in turn hampers effective strategy making.

References:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11501762

http://smallwarsjournal.com/documents/kilcullen.pdf

November 3, 2010 - Posted by TJ Brown | Miscellaneous | Dissonance of Policy Makers, Enemy Within, Hidden Enemy, Necessary Measures, The Danger of Insurgency