The Insurgency in Chechnya and the North Caucasus: From Gazavat to Jihad (Praeger Security International) [Hardcover]

Robert W. Schaefer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 18, 2011 | ISBN-10: 031338634X | ISBN-13: 978-0313386343 | Edition: 1

Winner of a Kirkus Star, multiple awards, and named to numerous "best of" lists, The Insurgency in Chechnya and the North Caucasus: From Gazavat to Jihad helps both the average reader and the seasoned analyst make sense of the situation in the Caucasus. With the Sochi Olympics right around the corner, President Putin's re-election, and increasing violence throughout the region, understanding this volatile conflict is especially important in light of efforts to "reset" the relationship between Russia and the United States. For the first time, a Special Forces expert on insurgency and Russia offers the definitive guide on the conflict, explaining why the Russian approach to counter terrorism has failed and why terrorist and insurgent attacks in Russia have increased sharply over the past four years.

The Insurgency in Chechnya and the North Caucasus: From Gazavat to Jihad is a comprehensive treatment of this 300 year-old conflict. Thematically organized, refreshingly accessible and well-written, it cuts through the rhetoric to provide the critical lens through which readers can truly understand the "why" and "how" of insurgencies and terrorism - and lay bare the intricacies of the Chechen and North Caucasus conflict - one of the world's longest-running contemporary insurgencies.

A fascinating case study of a counterinsurgency campaign that is in direct contravention of US and Western doctrine, this book is also the perfect companion to those studying insurgencies because it shows an enemy-centric approach to counterinsurgency in action. As such, it's been chosen as a textbook in numerous terrorism and insurgency programs throughout the world, and named to the "Top 150 Books on Terrorism and Counterterrorism" by the Terrorism Research Initiative. The book examines the differences and linkages between insurgency and terrorism; the origins of conflict in the North Caucasus; and the influences of different strains of Islam, of al-Qaida, and of the War on Terror. A critical examination of never- before-revealed Russian counterinsurgency (COIN) campaigns explains why those campaigns have consistently failed and why the region has seen such an upswing in violence since the conflict was officially declared "over" in 2006.

The book's features include detailed statistics from the North Caucasus Incident Database (every violent incident in the region over a two-year period); charts showing the complex strategies of the insurgency and the Russian counterinsurgency campaigns; declassified intelligence reports; maps and a bibliography. Presented through the lens of counterinsurgency theory, doctrine and practice, this incisive analysis explores the historic roots of each issue, the key players, and the farthest-reaching effects.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

Starred Review

"Schaefer’s debut is an in-depth critical assessment of the Russo-Chechen conflict that reflects a deep understanding of counterinsurgency in general and how it relates to that region specifically. Although the Russian government officially declared an end to the Second Chechen War in 2009, the insurgency in the North Caucasus is far from over, according to Schaefer. In clear, layman-friendly prose, he argues convincingly and meticulously that Russia’s strategy failures stem from a vital misunderstanding of the nature of Chechen resistance; the Russian government’s insistence that Chechen rebels are less resistance fighters than they are mere terrorist criminals is a misinterpretation that, in Schaefer’s view, has led to the misapplication of counterterrorist tactics that not only failed to quell the Chechen resistance movement while the war was on, but have allowed it to regroup in the last two years. Schaefer, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Special Forces, wields his military and foreign policy expertise handily, building his arguments from the rudiments up so that casual readers can easily follow while also scoring insights that ought to make this work indispensable to more interested actors and observers. He provides invaluable context by explaining the nature of insurgencies and terrorist acts, details the long history of regional power struggles (and particularly the protracted hostilities between Russians and various North Caucasian ethnic groups) and analyzes the extent to which certain Islamic sects have shaped the conflict and motivated insurgents’ causes. At root, Schaefer’s argument is that the Russian approach, in deviation from Western standards, puts too little emphasis on political strategies to combat the insurgency, instead relying on vastly superior firepower in an attempt to break the Chechens, who have been waging a campaign without an end-game strategy and are destined to fail as long as Russia’s interest in the region remains strong. Whether or not Schaefer’s conclusions are persuasive, his reasoning is honest, well-researched and refreshingly free of partisan rhetoric. A tour de force in breadth and depth."

Named to Kirkus Reviews "Best of 2011"
Winner of the USA Book News 2011 Best Book Award for Current Events
Winner of the 2012 Independent Publishers Book Award for Foreign Affairs (Bronze)
Winner of the 2012 Military Writers Society of America Gold Medal for History
Named to the "Top 150 Books on Terrorism and Counterterrorism" by the Terrorism Research Initiative

Review

“A remarkable book ... Col Schaefer’s book does a fine job in summarizing the breadth and depth of the conflict, and making the latest military thinking about insurgencies accessible, while steering clear of polemic or bias. This book tells you a lot about the Caucasus. And also about the brainpower assets of the American military." -- The Economist.

"enormously helpful in understanding the ongoing conflict in the North Caucasus, and the gnawing feeling of dread as Russia prepares to host the 2014 Winter Olympics … free of cynicism and romance … It makes one wish military analysts had taken on the Afghan puzzle with similar energy, say, a decade or so back." -- The New York Times

"a first-rate study that is part history, part counterinsurgency theory, and part predictive analysis…The North Caucasus is a complex and bewildering ethnic and cultural mix that is hard for a foreigner to understand. Robert Schaefer has done much to overcome this through his thorough research and balanced approach. His history of the region and the post-Soviet phase is especially well done…strongly recommend -- Journal of Military History

"Scrupulously researched" -- The National Interest

“Incisive, insightful – in short, invaluable.” -- Liz Fuller, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Caucasus Report

Thoughtful and comprehensive analysis … useful to the policymaker … helps answer the paradox that most of those who have studied the region grappled with: Why have the Russians never succeeded in extinguishing this 300-year old insurgency while, at the same time, the Chechens have never been able to win their independence? -- Parameters

"comprehensive and informative … Schaefer’s informed analysis of the Chechen insurgency makes this a book that every student of counterinsurgency or the Caucasus region should own." -- Military Writers Society of America

"Demystifies our longest running graduate-level conflict."
-- Col. "Nick" Pratt, USMC (ret.), Director of the Program on Terrorism and Security Studies, G.C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies

"A 'must read' for those who are looking for answers about how to stop the brutality and violence in Southern Russia." -- The New Book Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 303 pages
• Publisher: Praeger; 1 edition (February 18, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031338634X
• ISBN-13: 978-0313386343
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.3 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,085 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > International & World Politics > Russian & Former Soviet Union
  • #43 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > International & World Politics > European
  • #44 in Books > History > Asia > Russia

More About the Author

LIEUTENANT COLONEL ROBERT SCHAEFER is a U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Beret) and Eurasian Foreign Area Officer. For over twenty five years he has served in a variety of special units and participated in virtually every U.S. overseas operation since 1990. He has extensive experience with counterinsurgency and counter-terrorist operations around the world and has lived and worked in many countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia as a diplomat and adviser to foreign governments and militaries. He is uniquely qualified to analyze the conflict in the North Caucasus because of his first-hand experience planning and executing counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations in the Caucasus region. LTC Schaefer is the 2001 recipient of the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), and the Office of Strategic Services Society's Award of Excellence as the U.S. Special Operations Command Person of the Year for his historic achievements with Russian airborne forces. He obtained his M.A. from Harvard University's Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia program, and is the host of National Public Radio's Memorial Day Special 2007 - 2012. He is a member of the Editorial Board for the Caucasus Survey, a consultant to several government agencies and a frequent commentator for news programs and seminars focusing on the North Caucasus insurgency. His critically-acclaimed book "The Insurgency in Chechnya and the North Caucasus" won multiple national awards and was named to Kirkus Reviews "Best of 2011," and the "Top 150 Books on Terrorism and Counterterrorism." He has also written about Russian military reforms in an anthology entitled, "The Fire Below, How the Caucasus Changed Russia," to be released in March, 2013. He is also a contributor to "Operation Homecoming"

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Like a sword cutting through the Gordian Knot December 19, 2010

By R. Bunn

Format:Hardcover

I was a bit skeptical at first - after all, another book on Chechnya, what else is there to say? Wow, was I wrong. This book is not another re-hashing of the events or even a solid military analysis of battles and tactics, this book is a re-conceptualization of the entire conflict - a re-conceptualization that should have been done long ago. Perhaps it requires a certain amount of time and distance to pass before a conflict can be seen for what it really is; perhaps it takes a counterinsurgency expert to drill down to the bottom of a conflict and lay it all out for us before we can really see what's going on. Regardless, that's exactly what this book does. There is clarity here - and if ever there was a conflict that needed clarity -- needed a sword to cut through the Kavkaskii Uzel (Caucasian Knot) -- it's the insurgency in the Caucasus. Schaefer is able to achieve this clarity because, as he states from the beginning, he uses an "amoral" approach to the analysis. He's not interested in the "right" or "wrong" of a particular action as much as he is interested in showing how that action (insurgent, terrorist, police, military or political) either feeds the fire or helps to make the area more secure. Every serious student of Russia, the Caucasus, or counterinsurgency should read this book. Moreover, we would all be served best if the journalists covering the conflict read this book before making pronouncements or deciding how to report a story.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Meticulous and Illuminating! December 21, 2010

By Jennifer Hunt

Format:Hardcover

Beginning this book as a complete novice on the subject, I now feel as though I have completed a graduate seminar on insurgency in Chechnya and the North Caucasus. Author Robert W. Schaefer meticulously examines and explains a problematic historical conflict in a little understood region. I appreciate that what is typically a difficult topic is painstakingly elucidated through the lens of an expert. Schaefer's study delivers the breadth and substance of a doctoral dissertation, with a refreshingly accessible structure and tone. The book's comprehensive framework and historical context are bolstered by the author's first-hand experience. Simply illuminating!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A phenomenally well-informed book. December 16, 2010

By B. O'Connor

Format:Hardcover

In writing this book, LTC Robert Schaefer continues his legacy of service. I have recently completed my second reading of "The Insurgency in Chechnya and the North Caucasus: From Gazavat to Jihad," and I may seriously consider going through it a third time. The multiple readings were necessary because this book is so full of information and insight. I have read other books on the lingering situation in the North Caucasus; however, nothing I have previously read approaches the historical information provided in this book. The transition from the provision of an objective history of the region and the historically-shaped perspective on the current situation is seamless. In fact, the objectivity with which LTC Schaefer wrote this book may also be one of its strongest points. His ability to divorce himself from a nation-centric perspective while analyzing this conflict makes this book nearly unique amongst its peers. However, at no time does the book have the hollow ring of an overly academic text--the author's experiences are reflected throughout. Perhaps out of subjective bias, I was most impressed with the portions pertaining to internationally-recognized laws of conflict and rules of engagement. I would recommend this book to any serious student of modern conflict, counterinsurgency, or anyone who has a strong interest in the region. Be forewarned, however, this is neither light nor brief reading; it is a serious text overflowing with information and lessons for anyone who is interested in the subject matter.