Tequila Junction: 4th-Generation Counterinsurgency [Paperback]

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

Book Description

Publication Date: August 22, 2008

Don't look now, but there are only five "rightist" regimes left in the entire Western Hemisphere. Peru was last to elect a leftist president, and Mexico will be next. Al-Qaeda has had nothing to do with this. Herein is the culprit and its source of political advisors and campaign funding. Blocking this incursion before it can reach the homeland will take deploying lone infantry squads to isolated Combined Action Platoons (those shared with host-country police and soldiers) in Colombia, Panama, and Mexico. Part Three has the unconventional warfare techniques those squads will need to survive many times their number of drug traffickers and narco-guerrillas. As America's first narco-counterinsurgency manual, this book could turn the tide in Afghanistan.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"More of an intelligence brief [and tactics manual] than a book, 'Tequila Junction' ... warns of the very real threat drug smuggling and communist expansion in Latin America pose to the U.S.... Part Three talks about how specifically to run a fourth-generation counterinsurgency against narco-guerrillas, such as those in Colombia or Afghanistan." -- Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (GA), 5 January 2009

"Citing the combination of drug smuggling and communist expansion in Latin America as a major threat to the United States, H. John Poole details how ill-equipped the Pentagon and U.S. are for such a showdown with their continuing focus and fascination on technology and weaponry." -- Aerospace Daily and Defense Report, 19 September 2008

"A new book--actually, more of a military field-manual -- 'Tequila Junction' by author John Poole -- argues for Washington to refocus on the drug trade in Latin America and its growing ties with nations renown for their connections to insurgencies and terrorists, such as those in Afghanistan." -- Savannah Morning News, 2 October 2008

"'Tequila Junction' is the first narco-counterinsurgency manual to be published in the U.S., so its proposals could help to turn the tide in Afghanistan." -- Mil. Officers Assn. of America (MOAA) Magazine, August 2009

"[A] tactical-technique manual for narco-counterinsurgency. Like the FARC in Colombia, the Taliban funds itself through drug production. Thus, the book's later chapters could ... [help U.S. forces] to stabilize Afghanistan.... [P]leased with the factual content.... Always well written and thoroughly researched, this book is ... an outstanding training tool." -- Leatherneck, October 2008

"The entire Poole series, beginning with 'The Last Hundred Yards' ... through his most recent 'Tequila Junction' ... provide unique insight into terrorists, insurgents, and guerrillas that is underappreciated within defense and security hierarchies." -- The Counter Terrorist, January 2009

"While the U.S. is focused on conflicts half a world away, Fourth Generation war is coming through our back door. As always, John Poole offers the best small-unit tactics and techniques for meeting the new 4GW threat (father of 4th-Generation Warfare theory)." -- William S. Lind, June 2008

"Recalling my exploits as a PFC and then alone [as a young officer] as Vietnam was falling, I can see that Poole is right. Only through the initiative ... of hundreds of tiny and well-dispersed U.S. enlisted contingents will we be able to stabilize a worldwide insurgency.... Poole's ... new training method [in the book's annex] should ... be seriously considered by all U.S. combat commanders.... I highly recommend this book to all U.S. military professionals (former commander of Camp Lejeune)."-- Maj.Gen. Ray L. Smith USMC (Ret.), July 2008

"John Poole has written a thought-provoking and intriguing work in 'Tequila Junction.' He has masterfully made the case for attention and action toward threats being ignored due to our myopic focus on Islamic extremism. This is another exceptional volume to add to his superb collection of works dealing with the new forms of conflict we face." --Gen. Anthony C. Zinni USMC (Ret.), June 2008

"Our current threat is multi-dimensional and multi-directional.... John Poole, cautions us to broaden our concerns beyond our ... distant threats to those much closer to home. The thought-provoking premise of 'Tequila Junction' warns us of a global insurgency emerging to operate from within (former commander of 1st Marine Division)." --Maj.Gen. John H. Admire USMC (Ret.), 2008

"Poole's methods are an example of a decentralised approach to counterinsurgency that may provide a tactical level solution that ensures we ... keep the insurgents off balance in Uruzgan [Afghanistan]." -- Australian Army Journal, Volume VII, Number 3

"'Tequila Junction' warns of a huge threat to ... the country: the pernicious influence of China ... in Latin America. Through exhaustive search and clear thinking, John Poole details the influence of drug ... smuggling ... [and gives] our military a clear way of combatting this problem ... with light infantry acting like police: convert[ing] enemies instead of killing them. This is a must read for all levels of the military (publisher emeritus of Presidio Press)." -- Col. Robert V. Kane U.S. Army (Ret.), July 2008

"[E]excellent new book detailing how ... how America's enemies thrive on the chaos caused by drugs, terrorism and unrest. The lessons of ... the Marines' ... CAP program point the way to victory (professional military historian)." --Kim B. Holien, June 2008

"'Tequila Junction' is a narco-counterinsurgency manual. Closely following this book's proposals, says H. John Poole, a military author and a Marine combat veteran of Vietnam, should allow U.S. victory in Afghanistan." -- Oberlin Alumni Magazine, Spring 2009

"[T]his book describes a growing trend in the Western Hemisphere that bears serious consequences ... if it is not addressed soon.... The research is amazing and the bibliography extensive (frigate commander at the Battle of Leyte Gulf)." --Vice Adm. Thomas R. Sargent USCG (Ret.), July 2008

About the Author

Through an inverted military career, H. John Poole has discovered a few things that more promotable people miss. After spending his first two years as a combat commander, he did his last seven as an enlisted tactics instructor. That allowed him to see why U.S. troops have always had so much trouble with counterinsurgency. Their tactical techniques are quite simply outmoded. Those techniques are so unlikely to surprise anyone as to be "premachinegun" in format. This oversight on their commanders' part and how it can be corrected forms much of the framework of Poole's work. Since retirement from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1993, Poole has has traveled extensively in the Communist and Islamist worlds and written eight other U.S. tactics manual supplements. He has also conducted multiday training sessions for 39 U.S. battalions, 9 schools, and 7 special operations units. As most U.S. intelligence personnel know too little about the Eastern thought process and evolution of squad tactics, these supplements also provide currently deployed GIs with a rare glimpse into their enemy's mind. Since 2000, Poole has gone to Mainland China (twice), its hermit neighbor, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, Sudan, and Tanzania. Over the course of his lifetime, he has been to the following Caribbean nations: Bahamas, Turks & Cacos, Caymans, Haiti, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Martin, Antigua, Guadaloupe, Martinique, St. Lucia, Barbados, Trinidad, and Aruba. He has lived in Mexico and Panama and revisited both places on several occasions. He has also been through every other Central American country except Belize. As for South America, he has traveled within the last year to Venezuela, and previously throughout Brazil, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. Between early tours in the Marine Corps (from 1969 to 1971), Poole worked as a criminal investigator for the Illinois Bureau of Investigation (IBI). After attending the State Police Academy for several months in Springfield, he worked out of the IBI's Chicago office.

Product Details

• Paperback: 364 pages
• Publisher: Posterity Press; Illustrated edition (August 22, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963869515
• ISBN-13: 978-0963869517
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #803,972 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Through an inverted military career, H. John Poole has discovered a few things that more promotable people miss. After spending his first two years as a combat commander, he did his last seven as an enlisted tactics instructor. That allowed him to see why U.S. troops have always had so much trouble with counterinsurgency. Their tactical techniques are quite simply outmoded. Those techniques are so unlikely to surprise anyone as to be 'premachinegun' in format. This oversight on their commanders' part and how it can be corrected forms much of the framework of Poole's work.

Since retirement from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1993, Poole has has traveled extensively in the Communist and Islamist worlds and written eight other U.S. tactics manual supplements. He has also conducted multiday training sessions for 39 U.S. battalions, 9 schools, and 7 special operations units. As most U.S. intelligence personnel know too little about the Eastern thought process and evolution of squad tactics, these supplements also provide currently deployed GIs with a rare glimpse into their enemy's mind.

Since 2000, Poole has gone to Mainland China (twice), its hermit neighbor, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, Sudan, and Tanzania. Over the course of his lifetime, he has been to the following Caribbean nations: Bahamas, Turks & Cacos, Caymans, Haiti, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Martin, Antigua, Guadaloupe, Martinique, St. Lucia, Barbados, Trinidad, and Aruba. He has lived in Mexico and Panama and revisited both places on several occasions. He has also been through every other Central American country except Belize. As for South America, he has traveled within the last year to Venezuela, and previously throughout Brazil, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.

Between early tours in the Marine Corps (from 1969 to 1971), Poole worked as a criminal investigator for the Illinois Bureau of Investigation (IBI). After attending the State Police Academy for several months in Springfield, he was assigned to the IBI's Chicago office.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tequila Junction by H. John Poole: Outstanding Resource, Informative and Forward Thinking, September 27, 2008

By 

Fred Leland "F. Leland" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tequila Junction: 4th-Generation Counterinsurgency (Paperback)

I just finished reading the latest book by John Poole, "Tequila Junction 4th-Generation Counterinsurgency." The book is outstanding. I could not put it down. It's not a novel, but if your interest or responsibility is security, it reads like one. Tequila Junction is, a lesson on current world events including intelligence gathered on non-Muslim threats to America from Central and South America and their links to China. The first part of the book discusses this intelligence and the possibility of politically oriented and drug funded threats to the United States. Yes back to drugs funding political oriented cartels, gangs or maras (MS13, M18 and others) as well as terrorist groups all cooperating in this effort. Poole talks of the United states narrow focus on Al-Qaeda has had its attention diverted from this part of the world. "Latin America provides the perfect example of what can happen from to narrow a focus. Because so little al-Qaeda activity there, U.S. leaders have all but ignored a potential catastrophe at their doorstep. In a place where the two biggest threats to personal freedom combine (drugs and revolution), they have settled for another of their patented "top-down" solutions. Such a solution will have little chance where the source of the problem has yet to be determined." A reader can easily see based on Americas past and current craving for drugs where the implications at home to security and the law enforcement community are obvious if these threats are allowed to go undisputed.

In the second part of the book, Poole describes the unconventional tactics necessary, the military will need in counterinsurgency efforts. These unconventional methods are indirect and involve methods related to police problem solving and indirect conflict. Poole describes 4GW methods of recognizing the gangs and maras as part of the solution-that it is more important to "convert ones foe than to kill him." He talks about, "wars of the future must be won by some other way than expert snipers and pinpoint bombing. The name of the game is no longer to kill as many foes as possible, but rather to sway the allegiance of as many as possible." This is related to law enforcement methods utilized today that are paramount to forming community partnerships and winning community members over in an effort to curtail crime and solve crime problems here at home. Poole discusses these links between law enforcement and military efforts in a way that is easy to understand.

In the latter parts of the book Poole describes methods to use and how to implement these methods effectively. He talks of leadership and the importance of front line personnel being able to think and make decisions on their own based on the overall mission of winning foes over. The book in its appendix titled "Bottom-up Training" describes better training methods to prepare those whose job it is to solve these serious problems at home and abroad.

Those in Law Enforcement and Homeland Security should read this book. The implications from abroad have in the past and currently effect the climate on the streets here at home. Understanding yourself and the adversary are key to success, our efforts will be greatly enhanced by the information contained in this outstanding resource Tequila Junction.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ON TARGET WITH TEQUILA JUNCTION!!, November 29, 2008

By 

Donald E. Vandergriff (Woodbridge VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tequila Junction: 4th-Generation Counterinsurgency (Paperback)

John Poole keeps doing it. Doing what you may ask?

He keeps providing our military leaders, of all ranks, excellent books on how to train and develop U.S. forces to deal with threats today and in the future that understand 4th Generation Warfare. I like Tequila Junction because I agree totally with John, that the biggest threat to the U.S. right now is just across our Southern border. Not from the state of Mexico itself, but from the non-state groups, the drug cartels that are starting to dismantle the state of Mexico and are pouring violence across our borders. And as the political leadership of Mexico (not all), but most continue to put self before service, and remain corrupt, the masses will continue to turn toward these groups to provide them a way to live. This, coupled with our own political leaders failing to secure our border, now seven years after 9/11 due to back channel political deals with the government of Mexico, has become the biggest threat to our nation.

But, as John has done in his other excellent books, he outlines the problem, but recommends a workable solution. It will just take leaders of character to implement it. I think so highly of John's books that I made his Last Hundred Yards one of my two main text books when I taught ROTC at Georgetown University (the other one was the Maneuver Warfare Handbook by William S. Lind). I also have pushed all his other books to my multitude of contacts as recommended mandatory reading for their students. In recent visits I have seen his books on the shelves and in the hands of instructors and students at the U.S. Army Infantry School, Military Intelligence School, and in ROTC programs,as well as the United States Military Academy at West Point (all of which are using my book Raising the Bar to teach adaptability).

Keep it up John,

Don

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Politically Incorrect, but True!!, November 2, 2011

By 

Army Reserve DI - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Tequila Junction: 4th-Generation Counterinsurgency (Paperback)

The military industrial complex will not like this book. Neither will the wealthy private bankers that own the Federal Reserve like it. Because, this book demonstrates how the drug traffic, firearms, and human traffic that ply across the US border can be halted without expensive toys. It also is amazingly accurate about the situation that exists in Mexico, even though the book was written a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, according to my Guatemalan friends (who fled their land when their fathers were killed), Mexico is currently going through what Guatemala has already experienced. It is sad that this information will fall on deaf ears. If you are concerned about the future of America, you need this information. "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."