David Galula
- French army officer
- fought in WWII, Vietnam and Algeria
- wrote Counterinsurgency Warfare: Theory & Practice
- Galula and colleagues were some of the worlds most prepared generals.
- he dealt with urban insurgents in Algeria
- he dealt with communist insurgents in Vietnam
what is the role of civilians in COIN?
Two Models of COIN
1. French
2. Anglo Americans
1. french
- Vietnam and Algeria
- often associated with defeat b/c the country lost almost every war it fought
2. Anglo American
- Malaya and Kenya
- associated with victory b/c it almost one every victory
- victory was achieved through hearts and minds
- civil liberties, casualties, and due process are not abandoned in war
- idealistic: British actions in Kenya were better characterized by the french model
- Throughout 1950s and 60s the argument b/w two models of how you deal with insurgent operations reverberated in these operations
- ‧ French model was
- o Created divide b/w mainland and insurgent fighters; the army was split – two French armies: elite and mass army
- ‧ As war dragged on, intra-military fissures grew and ultimately resulted in a coup against the government of France
- ‧ 1961 of old Sherman tanks being towed on the champs-elysees to protect capital
- ‧ French army tried to overthrow the state only 45 years ago!
How far will we go to win a war:
- concentration camp
- death squad
- assasination
- torture
Tangent
European fear of Muslim is bone-deep
rooted in the historical conflict b/w Europe and Islam;
Islam had been "predatorial" to Europe
Galula' Prerequisites:
- Cause
- Geography
- Outside Support
Insurgent Doctrine: Orthodox
1. Party
2. United front
3. Guerrilla
Conventional War
Annihilate
Nationalist/Shortcut
1. Terrorism (mass)
2. Terrorism (selective)
3. Terrorism
tangent
people are most likely to be ambushed in the morning
this is b/c it is when people are the most cognitively slack and likely to form habits
attackers can best reach you at the first intersection where you'll arrive in the morning>
removing the intersection removes your options for escape plans
- one of the greatest restrictions facing combatants is that they have to think with no time
- it is a live or die situation which provides minimal time for prospective thinking.
Question
- however, isn't a definitive trait of a soldier not to think and only to react.
- be it a reaction to an order or a rehersed instinctive action
Demonstration effect
- after a few deaths the army is much more suspicious and much less inclined to risk life on giving others the benefit of the doubt.
- for example:
Blackwater
- contracters are despised by army whereas military soldiers are feared
- Reliance on contractors is new (presence of contractors is not new);
- contractors are subject to the universal military code of justice
- Congress passed legislation requiring the Pentagon to extend the code of justice to contractors
- Blackwater's primary client is the Department of State;
- it regulates what blackwater can do in service to a particular mission (ie – they can not carry explosives);
- this is a significant restriction b/c they do not have the air support of the US military at their disposal
- If you need a service provided quickly,
- often the only way you will be able to do it is to go via the private sector;
- you will not always have the option of going with a civil service
- Esp if you are in a hurry you might not have time to set up oversight, negotiate best contract, etc.
- One of the realities in war is that you almost never have any time.
Question
isn't this ideological though (neoliberal perhaps)
on the other hand I guess the private sector can be less bureaucratic
but bureaucracy serves a function - oversight
why can't governments through bureaucracy to the (war measures act anyone?)
quote of the week
"Iraq is like Toronto with guns."
covering your ass
- That is why professional bureaucrats are so careful w/sticking to the rules
- b/c they are so easy to be fired; they are gambling w/their careers
- Having a mortgage or kid changes your risk calculus in life;
- shows why bureaucrats are so reluctant to veer away from established procedures
Peace Dividend theory
- the military was demobilized after the cold war
- budgets were slashed
- this left us unprepared for Iraq
- hindsight is 20/20 you can't look back and say we shouldn't have cut the budget
- the peace dividend did some wonderful things
- the price of not being prepared for the current war was worth the benefits of the dividend
