The Maoist Insurgency in Nepal broke out when the international situation was unfavorable for the Communists, and it grew faster than anticipated. The Government of Nepal’s (GoN's) effort was not well planned; however, many of the...
Do Information Operations (IO) contribute to success in counterinsurgency campaigns? What IO measures of excellence exist to demonstrate achievement of success in counterinsurgencies? These questions currently challenge U.S. military forces...
This essay is a compare and contrast mainly focused on Marine tactics used in both the failed attempt to take Fallujah, Iraq in April, 2004 and the successful attempt to take Fallujah, Iraq in November, 2004. The two components of the Marine’s...
The Revolutionary War and Philippine Insurrection demonstrate the use of attraction and chastisement policies in counter insurgency and asymmetric operations; however efforts at attraction are most effective when chastisement efforts have been...
Controlling the population in any counterinsurgency is critical to the success of the counterinsurgent. Three historical theorists, Sir Robert Thompson, David Galula, and Robert Trinquier all agree on this pertinent issue. Success in Malaya hinged...
NCOs must not only be technically and tactically proficient to fight and win America’s wars, they must possess a knowledge and understanding of the history of past conflicts and battles. A Spanish philosopher in the 19th century named Santayana...
Strong public affairs activities and operational support promote a greater understanding of the Army and its contribution to the nation, relevant in obtaining international legitimacy and support. The problem is that current Army Public Affairs...
The term Medical Civic Action Program (MEDCAP) is often utilized as the sum total of the understanding of medical engagements conducted by the medical formations of the US military in the current environment. When utilized, the term MEDCAP quite...
It is critical to implement correct counterinsurgency tactics based on failure and success of previous operations. The U.S. Army has pursued deliberate counterinsurgency operations on the battlefield of today based on those previous operations....
To succeed in the Long War, the United States and its allies will need to develop new strategic approaches, adaptive operational concepts, and more cost-effective methods of coalition and Interagency coordination. As was the Cold War, the Long War...
The understanding of cultural norms, values, beliefs, and desired conflict resolution within any theatre of operation is paramount to the success of military operations.
World Powers and Third World Countries have clashed throughout time. Each...
One of the most difficult situations any Army can face during any conflict is a
counterinsurgency campaign. The United States Military has faced this problem in
numerous campaigns throughout history; during the Philippine Insurrection
1899 –...
The statements “History always repeats itself” and “we never learn from history” can lead a person to believe that the recording of history is not necessary. Similar events happen throughout the course of our lives and it is important to...
Contrary to popular belief, history does not repeat itself. At face value many of today’s current events seem to mirror what has occurred in the past. A more fitting analogy would be that today’s events parallel past occurrences but they have...
Today, thanks to resources like the internet, it has never been easier for the Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) to study history. This is a good thing, because there has never been a greater need for the NCO to study history. The Army too has...
In this edition of the Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL) Special Operations newsletter, we will examine the special operations forces (SOF) perspective of irregular warfare (IW) at the operational and tactical levels through a selection of...
This workshop was held by the IFPA to assist CENTCOM in devising a strategy to counter the arguments of radical Islamists and to discuss the appeal of these ideologies to Muslim audiences. They convened to review possible cultural trends, faith and...
Prior to the attacks of September 11th the United States Military founded defense plans on a threat-based model, with the nation being prepared to conquer adversaries with the most advanced combat power. The 2001 attacks and subsequent Global War...
At the core of U.S. counterinsurgency doctrine is the concept of “hearts and minds.” Although the concept has significantly deviated from its historical grounding and has become a nebulous concept that is frequently maligned, misunderstood, and...