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"Counterinsurgency Warfare" by David Galula is a classic in the works on insurgency and counterinsurgency. Galula lays out both the theory and practice of insurgency and coutnerinsurgency in the most succinct prose and complete prose of any work available.
The great value of Galula's book is the clear road map for opposing an insurgency. Caveat; clear is not necessarily simple, and even if it is simple, to quote Clausewitz "Everything is very simple in war, but the simplest thing is difficult."
"Counterinsurgency Warfare" makes it clear that a counterinsurgency campaign is more about domestic (for the afflicted nation) politics and law enforcement than it is about the use of traditional miltiary combat power. In the words of Galula, "a mimeograph machine may turn out to be more useful than a machine gun" (a mimeograph is an archaic, low resolution printer, for the younglings in the audience).
The only aspect of insurgency that I would have liked to seen explored a bit more explicitly would have been the role of sanctuaries for insurgents. There are some references to insurgents having access to areas outside those controlled but the government they oppose, but the need for either exterior sanctuaries (like the Vietcong use of Laos and Cambodia, or the way Iraqi insurgents have trained in Iran) or interior sanctuaries ('no-go' zones like the FARC and other narco-terrorists establish, or parts of Sadr City) for insurgents, and the reciprocal need to for counterinsurgents to deny sanctuaries to the adversary was not expounded on.
The other shortcoming is that Galula was writing in the 1960s. While there have been linear, evolutionary improvements in small arms, and other military technology, there has been explosive change in communications technology since this book was written. The role and impact of internet and cell phones is far beyond what Galula had experienced in his lifetime, and has had significant impact on the conduct of insurgency and counterinsurgency.
If you have any professional or personal interest in insurgency or counterinsurgency, this is a "must read".
E. M. Van Court
- Series: PSI Classics of the Counterinsurgency Era
- Paperback: 128 pages
- Publisher: Praeger Security International; New edition edition (August 30, 2006)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0275993035
- ISBN-13: 978-0275993030
- Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 0.3 x 9.2 inches
- Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
- Customer Reviews: 50 customer reviews
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Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
#74,787 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #24 in Military Sciences
- #84 in Military History (Books)
- #103 in Terrorism (Books)
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