Militant Tricks: Battlefield Ruses of the Islamic Insurgent [Paperback]

H. John Poole (Author), Mike Leahy (Illustrator), Ray L. Smith (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 17, 2005

Over the last 10 years, our deployed troops have experienced many things. Though the war in Afghanistan is still going, their hard-won lessons have yet to be assimilated by the Stateside bureaucracy. To help, Militant Tricks recounts America's progress in Iraq and Afghanistan from the standpoint of East Asian battlefield deception. Both countries were part of the Mongol Empire for over 200 years and thus prone to every sort of ancient Chinese illusion. Militant Tricks also contains the tactical "techniques" with which to counter a Muslim urban offensive. While some of these nontraditional techniques were risked during the Baghdad Surge, they may all too soon be forgotten.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[John] Poole ... is America's best writer on small unit tactics and techniques.... If the people at the top will give John Poole's work the attention it is rightly receiving at the battalion level and below, we would have a better chance of winning [wars]." -- United Press International, 19 November 2005

"Poole's book examines war at the tactical level, the level of small units and individuals, and tries to explain the insurgents' way of thinking and fighting." -- North County Times (San Diego), 31 December 2005

"[R]ead two excellent and relevant books by retired Marine H. John Poole. 'Tactics of the Crescent Moon' and 'Militant Tricks' would give all soldiers the knowledge base for defeating this enemy." -- Stars and Stripes, 9 March 2006

"[This] 412-page book features 45 illustrations and serves as both an intelligence reference manual and an in-depth solution to the enemy's formula." -- Newport News Daily Press, 8 January 2006

"'Militant Tricks' is a worthy supplement to John Poole's previous, excellent books on the Eastern way of war (father of 4th-Generation Warfare theory)." -- William S. Lind, Fall 2005

"The best book on how to fight militants, resistance fighters, insurgents, or what ever you want to call them, is 'Militant Tricks' .... Poole ... has a keen insight [in]to the Islamic [warriors'] combat tactics and how they wage jihad in all its forms." -- Military.com, 21 December 2005

"[This is] a detailed description of how our opponents in Iraq and Afghanistan fight.... [Poole] provides exactly the sort of material our soldiers and Marines need ... if they are to understand their enemies."-- U.S. Marine Corps Center for Lessons Learned newsletter, March 2006

"This book gauges America's progress in Iraq and Afghanistan from a unique perspective--that of East Asian battlefield trickery.... In combination, those [famous 36] stratagems ... [can] make a losing adversary think he is winning. They have done so to America before."-- Mil. Officers of America Assn. (MOAA) Magazine, 2006

"On the tactical level, Poole agrees with virtually every other expert on counter-insurgency that the key to success [in Iraq and Afghanistan] ... is a variant of the Vietnam war CAP [Combined Action Platoon] program, where the troops defended the local population instead of becoming it."-- Washington Monthly, November 2005-January 2006

"[F]or those who wish to better understand today's confused events, it [this book] is well worth reading (former head of History & Museums Division, HQMC)." -- B.Gen. Edwin Howard Simmons USMC (Ret.), Fall 2005

"Poole's books should be read by the Secretary of Defense on down to the grunt in the field and more ... outfits should go through his course.... [T]his particular book ... should be MANDATORY READING for every soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan." --Baseops.net, October 2006

"Our missions in Iraq and Afghanistan are simple. But, is it possible to win on all fronts?... This book is a must read for anyone who has a stake in the newest war and for every American who wants to see our values upheld." --Leatherneck Magazine, Fall 2005

"While many speak and write about war at the strategic level and focus on the plans of senior headquarters, John Poole instinctively knows that battles are won at the tactical level by the actions of junior leaders and small units.... 'Militant Tricks' helps those who fight, to fight better and to fight smarter (former commander of 1st Marine Division)." --Maj.Gen. John H. Admire USMC (Ret.), Fall 2005

"This book must be required reading at the War Colleges and ... by all our military leaders. It is based on meticulous ... research coupled with on-site experience. John Poole is a master of military history (frigate commander at the Battle of Leyte Gulf)." -- Vice Adm. Thomas R. Sargent USCG (Ret.), Fall 2005

"By changing our current dependence on firepower and mechanized warfare and adopting an almost decentralized approach, as found in Chapter 13,... we stand a chance of turning things around in both Iraq and Afghanistan (publisher emeritus of Presidio Press)." --Col. Robert V. Kane U.S. Army (Ret.), Fall 2005

"John Poole has written another superb work on the nitty-gritty lessons to be drawn from the complex conflict our forces face today. He gives our troops a clear understanding of the nature of the enemy and the tactical lessons needed to defeat him (former Head of CENTCOM)." -- Gen. Anthony C. Zinni USMC (Ret.), Fall 2005

"John Poole's new book ... provides a detailed 'blueprint for victory' in not only Iraq, but also Afghanistan.... For all Americans who want to see ... [the Muslim militant's] so-far-successful method defeated, I can't recommend this book highly enough (former commander of Camp Lejeune)." --Maj.Gen. Ray L. Smith USMC (Ret.), Fall 2005

From the Publisher

At every echelon, U.S. decision makers (whether of policy, strategy, or tactics) need to get interested in this book. It depicts an enemy who is quite different from the officially accepted model. In war, one cannot afford the luxury of partial truth.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 412 pages
• Publisher: Posterity Press; Illustrated edition (October 17, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963869582
• ISBN-13: 978-0963869586
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #218,941 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Only the best!, March 28, 2006

By 

R. Adrian "TheBodyguard" (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Militant Tricks: Battlefield Ruses of the Islamic Insurgent (Paperback)

LTC John Poole hits the X-ring again with a book every military officer should be required to read before heading over to the sandbox. No other military writer puts more meat on the table than Poole. The book contains information that is amazingly well researched & is not fluffy and esoteric. "Militant Tricks" is a continuation of his fantastic book called, "The Tigers Way: A US Private's Best Chance for Survival". "The Tigers Way" should be read by all soldiers & marines. I've sent my son at the 82nd Airborne a copy & he has passed it around and he reports that it is well liked. He loved it & now has "Militant Tricks" as well. Besides looking at the war in Iraq, Poole also goes into current tactics of the Afghani guerillas. One Chapter is called, "The Afghan Guerillas Tactical Trends" & it is very current, according to my intelligence sources who have recently spent time in A-Stan.
A common theme in all of Poole's book is that the US military is overly fond of high-tech weaponry & firepower & that our future battles will be fought at the low end of the high-tech sprectrum of war where individual warrior skills (such as combat tracking) will keep a soldier alive better than a Pentagon budget buster computer system! The enemy knows how to get around our superior technology & firepower, but do our Generals know how to properly counter the insurgents? They could, if they read books from LTC Poole such as "Militant Tricks"!!

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PLACE IT IN A ZIPLOCK BAG AND PUT IT IN YOUR RUCKSACK!, April 12, 2006

By 

Michael D. Rose "Ambassador for Christ" (Washington State, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Militant Tricks: Battlefield Ruses of the Islamic Insurgent (Paperback)

First off, all John Poole's books should be read by the Secretary of Defense on down to the grunt in the field and more military outfits should go through his course. [...] Secondly, this particular book and his previous work Tactics of the Crescent Moon: Militant Muslim Combat Tactics should be MANDATORY READING for every soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan. If you're headed that way buy these books! Put them in a ziplock bag and place them in your rucksack. If you have a loved one who's deploying to these theaters of operation and they don't know about these books buy them these books! These books may very well save their lives!

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book from H. John Poole, January 13, 2006

By 

weirdo_106 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Militant Tricks: Battlefield Ruses of the Islamic Insurgent (Paperback)

This work by LTC (R) Poole is an excellent treatise of not only current events in the Middle East, but also their relevence to ancient military history. In addition, even though some people dismiss the growing trend, "Militant Tricks" explains extensively in detail how Iraq has some unfortunate similarities to Vietnam (e.g. tunneling, over-use of firepower tactics, etc.). His work is both entertaining and enlightening. I would not only recommend this to the lay reader, but also to my fellow servicemen and servicewomen who may deploy to OIF soon.