Customer Reviews

The Counter-Insurgency Manual

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This is a good, basic overview and intro to counter-insurgency. I've just come back from a year in Iraq, and decided I needed to read some more about counter-insurgency. My only issue with this book is that the advice it offers is primarily for rural insurgencies. Some of the discussion points do not apply to what is happening in Iraq, which is like a hybrid insurgency. Forced population displacements and watching trails and food supply routes do not apply. Good book overall, but if you read it, realize that you'll be dealing with measures that are primarily designed to work in a rural area, although many can be applied to a hybrid or urban insurgency.

Leroy Thompson does it again with his newest installment in his tactical manual series; "The Counter Insurgency Manual - Tactics Of The Anti-Guerrilla Professionals". This book is formatted and laid out like his previous title "Hostage Rescue Manual". For the size of the book it covers a broad subject coving everything from Guerrilla theories to small unit operations. The book contains many sidebars of historical examples and in-depth author comments, which highlight and authenticate the subject matter. The book is profusely illustrated and contains many B&W photos, many of which are unpublished Rhodesian bush war era photos (which alone make the book worth the buy) and other relevant photos. Some of the subjects covered in the book include psychological operations, hearts and minds, Ambushes, booby-traps, combat tracking and pseudo-guerrilla operations. One of my favorite chapters is "Trackers and Pseudo-Guerrillas", which includes extensive tips on tracking as used by David Scott-Donelan in Rhodesia and South African bush wars. It also goes into the Pseudo-operation concept and how it is used as formidable weapon in a low intensity conflict. This is the concept made famous by the Selous Scouts in Rhodesia, which accounted for more dead terrorist then any other unit in the war. Over all, the book is a good reference, but only covers the surface of most subjects. I highly recommend this book to anyone with a interest in special operations, with most of the skills discussed in this book being the bread and butter of most of the worlds special forces that still employ these tactics all over the world (much like how the Green Berets are operating in Afghanistan presently).

In this book, Leroy Thompson, a highly respected authority on military and police operations, makes specific strategic recommendations for the use of special operations techniques in low intensity conflict & law enforcement.
* "Military action has an important role to play in overcoming guerrillas, but the philosophy espoused by the guerrillas must also be defeated, and this requires a well-reasoned combination of political reform, civic action and education of the population." P. 8
* "In general, governments are faced with insurgencies because of a combination of factors - social, political, economic, military, and psychological." P. 11
* The ability to act quickly in counter-guerrilla operations without long and obvious preparation for an operation is a necessity." P. 19

In addition, he details the many advantages special operations techniques afford the civilian police officer or military operator in a wide range of deployment situations and presents new and innovative concepts that should be wisely replacing the "traditional" ones commonly used by most reactionary agencies.
* "Success in Counter-guerrilla operations almost invariably goes to the force which receives timely information from the local population. Equally important, however, are counter-intelligence measures that will deprive the guerrillas of information about counter-insurgency operations." P. 52
* "Care must be taken, however, that civic action is publicized in such a manner that the counter-insurgency forces do reap the benefits of their actions. ...For civic action to be most successful, psy-ops units must make sure that the population attributes any improvements in lifestyle to the government." P. 82

As we progress into the 21st century, counter-insurgency techniques will likely become an increasingly integral part of low intensity conflict & law enforcement. This book will serve as a valuable guide to both civil and military operators, making their jobs easier and safer as the world's hot-spots become more difficult and dangerous.
* "Generally, the most successful counter-insurgency campaigns involving major powers have been those in which only a limited number of highly trained professional troops have been sent in to act as advisors or trainers, or to carry out special operations." P. 117-118

I'm not sure what Thompson's credentials are, but this book brings together an eclectic number of topics. The review of Mao, Che, and Marighella in the beginning is quite good and introduce the motivations, tactics and strategies of guerillas perhaps better than reading them yourself. This book is best from a historic perspective, a student of the revolutionary wars of the 60s-80s will find it interesting just for the examples and pictures. It has good sections on how to employ air power in a limited conflict, win hearts and minds employing local troops and pseudo guerilla forces. There are also good sections on patrolling, ambushes and a little on troop leader procedures and planning. The bad thing is that it looks like someone had just gotten a new word processor program and sent it to the publisher without bothering to figure it out. The writing flows, way more than any military field manual, but you have to stop and figure out where the headings and lists go, as they do not line up with the text.

If you are interested in the subject of counter-insurgency this is the book to get. The author gives a comprehensive (well, as comprehensive of a writing as you are likely to find from somebody in this line of work) analysis which is rich with successful and failed examples. I was amazed at the tools available for this type of work. I was struck by how easily the effort can fail without planning and discipline. It's like a real-life chess match to the death.

This book is only an introduction to counter insurgency, and any special forces soldier will back me up on that, I am sure that Mr Thompson knows it too. what I liked in this book is that it is mostly about the Rhodesian forces, that few people knows about their exploits, especially the SAS. This unit performed counter terrorist & insurgent operations that should be writen in the guiness book of special ops history. I have all the respect to Mr Thompson to just realizing and seeking those professionals, that politics betrayed, and history ignored. If you are the most experienced special operator in your country and you happen to have the chance to meet one of those guys, first offer him all my respects and listen well to what he's got to say, he might save your life one day along with your fellow operators.