Terrorist Trail: Backtracking the Foreign Fighter [Paperback]

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

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2006

This book is about secretly interdicting the enemy heartland along the ground. At the height of the Iraq War, it was selling to GIs at a rate of 200 per month. That's because it helped them to win. First, it describes the West's most effective counter-guerrilla force. This was not the British in Malaysia, but Rhodesia's Selous Scouts. Their ability to operate safely as tiny teams deep in enemy territory is the model to which all GIs should aspire. Never fond of apartheid, they regularly converted former foes into loyal members. Then, it shows how to follow enemy footprints in the city. Finally, it provides a spellbinding history of "terrorism" in Africa--the most recent arena for Islamist and Communist expansion.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Poole examines ongoing events in Iraq, the Middle East and Africa through the enemy's perspective.... 'Terrorist Trail' has been widely applauded as a valuable handbook containing historical and tactical information that could help military strategists." -- El Paso Times, 11 February 2007

"This book combines current events with historical detail, a rare combination in the book industry.... Delving into national histories of African jihadists entering Iraq, it stumbles upon major issues." -- Mil. Officers Assoc. of America (MOAA) Magazine, February 2007

"The book details the growing interest by China in African ... resources, and the exportation of African or Chinese guerrilla fighting tactics into Iraq and other parts of the Middle East." -- Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, 27 December 2006

"[F]illed with mind-stirring information not easily found elsewhere, this [book is] on terrorism and insurgency, where and how they have been fought, and some of the organizations, tactics, and techniques that have worked (former head of Hist. & Museums Div., HQMC)." -- B.Gen. Edwin Howard Simmons USMC (Ret.), September 2006

"[A]nother brilliant and insightful work.... [It has] a depth of research and understanding that ... those facing today's challenges [will need] ... to clearly grasp the nature of the conflict and the enemy.... [A]nother must read ... if you want to understand the true global ... connection of the threats we face (former head of CENTCOM)." -- Gen. Anthony C. Zinni USMC [Ret.], September 2006

"Poole's ability to place you inside the clandestine world of the international terrorist is profound.... The underlying message drives home our overall need to evolve [tactically]."-- Leatherneck Magazine, October 2006

"Well-written and thoroughly researched, the book is a bastion of knowledge and an unequalled training tool. It traces the world's terrorist problems without taking political alliances."-- Quantico Sentry, 12 October 2006

"Poole ... writes ... to supplement military training manuals.... [He] finds that al-Qaeda has been shipping fighters from Somalia to Afghanistan, Chechnya and Kenya, and [that] ... Iranian-backed Hezbollah is sending fighters to the Middle East through Sudan."-- Savannah Morning News, 28 October 2006

"Once again, John Poole has made a substantial contribution to understanding a 21st-Century world likely to be dominated by 4th-Generation war (father of 4th-Generation Warfare theory)." --William S. Lind, September 2006

"China ... has become ... [a] player in the terrorist wars of the Middle East and elsewhere.... Poole recognizes this and has written a brilliant analysis of these two ... theaters of ... war that would make Orde Wingate and T.E. Lawrence proud.... This is a guide to victory over a determined foe (professional military historian)." --Kim Holien, September 2006

"[B]ook ... has historical and tactical information essential to the containment of terrorism. The research and detail are amazing!... [It says] pure massive power is counterproductive.... In all military schools, [it] ... should be the bible for changing our philosophy and tactics to contain and defeat terrorism (frigate commander at the Battle of Leyte Gulf)." --Vice Adm. Thomas R. Sargent USCG (Ret.), Fall 2005

"Poole provides the insight we need to win the war on terror.... [S]mall near-autonomous units of truly light infantry ... [must] play the role of police force rather than occupiers." --G2-forward.org, 31 January 2007

"Only a few military thinkers have given us the insight and practical help that John Poole has over the years. In 'Terrorist Trail,' 'Gunny' Poole provides the insight we need to win the war on terror." -- Unconventional Warfare Review, 31 January 2007

"[W]ithout seriously contemplating this thought-provoking book, U.S. military men should not expect much of a change to the current situation (former commander of Camp Lejeune)." --Maj.Gen. Ray L. Smith USMC (Ret.), Fall 2005

"[B]ook is a chilling description of the nature and extent of the constantly evolving and emerging [terrorist] threat as well as a ... surprising expose of those countries funding and fueling the hatreds.... Its true value, however, may be in outlining tactics and strategies to defeat today's terrorism threat (former commander of 1st Marine Division)." -- Maj.Gen. John H. Admire USMC (Ret.), 2006

"'Terrorist Trail' analyzes current events in world terrorism and terrorist tactics and provides methods for dealing with them. Poole ... has spent much of his [military] retirement researching foreign military tactics." -- Oberlin Alumni Magazine, Spring 2008

"Poole is one of the most innovative and creative thinkers to have served in the U.S. military.... Get the book ... [and] share it with military people.... Help spread the word.... [O]nly with the clamor of a great crowd will it be heard." --Defense and the National Interest, 31 January 2007

From the Publisher

This book contains a paradoxical, yet fully feasible, blue-print for winning the so-called "War on Terror." To fully appreciate it, one must temporarily shelve any military, political, economic, or religious preconceptions.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 348 pages
• Publisher: Posterity Press; Illustrated edition (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963869590
• ISBN-13: 978-0963869593
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.9 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: #708,910 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #40 in Books > History > Africa > Somalia

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

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A voice in the wilderness, November 29, 2006

By 

Christian E. De Leon-Horton (Iraq) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Terrorist Trail: Backtracking the Foreign Fighter (Paperback)

H. John Poole provides yet another volume of hard-hitting information in his quest to reveal the motives and tactics of America's enemies and refocus the efforts of the American military on victory.

In this latest work, Poole begins with a wide-angle focus on the connection between Africa, China, and Islamic terrorists. In his signature style he outlines the history of the current conflict, drawing in threads that are often overlooked by the mainstream of reporting. He closely studies motivations, strategy, and tactics used by America's enemies. But this is no mere work of theory--Poole also takes the next step and makes specific recommendations for how to restructure our own military doctrine and tactics to achieve victory over the terrorists. Though more detail would be helpful here (and Poole lists every reference he has used) the later chapters of this book could almost be applied as a training manual for troops currently engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan.

More important still, Poole sheds light on what is wrong with our own military. From his first book Poole has decried the use of the doctrine of overwhelming firepower and called for a return to flexible, small-unit tactics and innovative leadership. Only in this manner can the sons and daughters of America engage the terrorist and win. His words may sound like heresy to commanders who have grown up believing in heavy armament and overwhelming firepower. But as conflicts drag on in Iraq and Afghanistan to no particular resolution, Poole's words take on a hint of prophecy. Poole has been a voice in the wilderness for far too long. It is time for military and intelligence leaders to take a good hard look not only at our enemies but at our own forces and doctrine. Poole's work is perhaps the best place to start.

This book, and indeed all of Poole's previous works, deserve a place of honor on any military leader's bookshelf, and are worth their weight in a deploying soldier's rucksack. I referred to Poole's previous works regularly when I was last deployed to Iraq.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrorist Trail, November 7, 2006

By 

Col. G. I. Wilson (Carlsbad, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Terrorist Trail: Backtracking the Foreign Fighter (Paperback)

Every military, law enforcement, and national security professional needs to read Poole's Terrorist Trail and his other books. You can bet our enemies are reading and studying them. My personal experiences in Iraq (2 tours)coincides with Poole's writings. The tactics, techniques, procedures and grand strategy of Islamic extremists fighting U.S. and coalition forces continue to improve marked by a distinctive appreciation of fourth generation warfare. John Poole's Terrorist Trail poignantly reminds us how successful Islamic extremists are taking on our conventional modern armed forces with low or no technologies and tactics using IEDs, RPGs, snipers, suicide bombers, and small arms at very close ranges.Poole describes how Islamic extremists using fourth generation warfare thinking and tactics are steadily expanding and creating new battlefronts. This book is a must read to understand the fourth generation threat to Western culture and how our fourth generation enemies use terrorism to undermine and counter conventional forces.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No better trail to winning, redefining the war on terror, January 31, 2007

By 

Stratiotes Doxha Theon "2 Thes 2:15" (Richmond, Missouri) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Terrorist Trail: Backtracking the Foreign Fighter (Paperback)

Only a few military thinkers have given us the insight and practical helps that John Poole has over the years. In this work, "Gunny" Poole provides the insight we need to win the war on terror. Poole helps us see that it is not so much a military problem or even a political problem as it is a law enforcement problem. The problems have no quick solutions like bombing and killing as many insurgents as possible. It is a fourth-generation-war (4GW) that requires a 4GW solution. 4GW is marked by non-national networked entities who provide too few targets for bombing to have any effect other than the effect of creating more recruits for their ranks. 4GW forces thrive on devastation and insecurity of the people; increasing the devastation and insecurity, as in with most military approaches, is counterproductive in that they are nothing more than greenhouses for terror. What are needed, according to Poole, are small near-autonomous units of truly light infantry that can play the role of police force rather than occupiers in the greenhouses of terror. It requires a paradigm shift in the military away from centralized control and micromanagement much as the late Col. John Boyd often argued. It requires truly creative thought more than top-down bureaucratic mandates or emphasis on force protection at the expense of population protection. It requires a new way of seeing insurgent recruits as the dispossessed who can be won to our side rather than being martyrs for theirs.

The primary hurdle for such reform is, as so often, money. Light infantry police forces do not require the high-tech gadgets that so enamour the big military establishment and supporting defense corporations. No amount of common sense will likely overcome those pressures on American politics. Yet the John Poole's of the world cannot and hopefully will not remain silent.

Poole is perhaps, one of the most innovative and creative thinkers to have served in the US military. He understands from experience that his observations will not likely create the revolution in military and political thinking required to bring about these changes. Yet, he is one more voice crying in the wilderness, and we can pray that his observations can be heard before long. Get it, recommend it to your congressman, share it with military people on your gift lists. Help spread the word any way you can; it is a serious matter that needs to be addressed and only with the clamour of a great crowd will it be heard.