The Accidental Guerrilla Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One (Audible Audio Edition) David Kilcullen Peter Ganim Audible Studios Books
Download As PDF : The Accidental Guerrilla Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One (Audible Audio Edition) David Kilcullen Peter Ganim Audible Studios Books
David Kilcullen is one of the world's most influential experts on counterinsurgency and modern warfare. A senior counterinsurgency advisor to General David Petraeus in Iraq, his vision of war dramatically influenced America's decision to rethink its military strategy in Iraq and implement "the surge". Now, in The Accidental Guerrilla, Kilcullen provides a remarkably fresh perspective on the War on Terror. Kilcullen takes us "on the ground" to uncover the face of modern warfare, illuminating both the big global war (the "War on Terrorism") and its relation to the associated "small wars" across the globe Iraq, Afghanistan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Chechnya, Pakistan, and North Africa.
Kilcullen sees today's conflicts as a complex pairing of contrasting trends local social networks and worldwide movements; traditional and postmodern culture; local insurgencies seeking autonomy and a broader pan-Islamic campaign. He warns that America's actions in the war on terrorism have tended to conflate these trends, blurring the distinction between local and global struggles and thus enormously complicating our challenges. Indeed, the US had done a poor job of applying different tactics to these very different situations, continually misidentifying insurgents with limited aims and legitimate grievances (whom he calls "accidental guerrillas") as part of a coordinated worldwide terror network. We must learn how to disentangle these strands, develop strategies that deal with global threats, avoid local conflicts where possible, and win them where necessary.
Colored with gripping battlefield experiences that range from the jungles and highlands of Southeast Asia to the mountains of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to the dusty towns of the Middle East, The Accidental Guerrilla will, quite simply, change the way we think about war. This much anticipated book will be a must listen for everyone concerned about the war on terror.
The Accidental Guerrilla Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One (Audible Audio Edition) David Kilcullen Peter Ganim Audible Studios Books
This is an ambitious work, with Kilcullen attempting to encompass everything from tactical to grand strategic responses to insurgency and terrorism in the one relatively short and accessible volume. Key to this work is Kilcullen's understanding of the fundamental difference between "Tier 1" guerrillas (or the 25% or so of most insurgent movements motivated by higher-order ideological grievances) and the "Tier 2" insurgents - or the "Accidental Guerrillas" of the title - who tend to be motivated by more local and parochial concerns. Kilcullen's theory of COIN and/or counterterrorism relies on the distinction he draws between the two, and the prospect of (ideally) preventing the rise of Tier 2 insurgents in the first place, or at the least co-opting them, while being reconciled to the military and political defeat of Tier 1. While only slightly more complex than schools of thought at either end of the spectrum that range from "Global Islamist Al-Qaeda conspiracy" or "root causes thanks to capitalism and US foreign policy" (or, everybody is Tier 1 or Tier 2 respectively), Kilcullen's perspective is a valuable corrective to either view.Kilcullen's policy prescriptions are in my view more clearly enunciated the closer he gets to the tactical level than the grand strategic. This is in part due to his reliance on case studies focused squarely on tactical and operational experience (considerable analysis/personal experience from Afghanistan and Iraq and somewhat more succinct studies of East Timor, Southern Thailand and Pakistan's Tribal Areas), which are mostly excellent. The discussion of Australian operations in East Timor is a little cringe-worthy - by not conceding there was no real, enduring Tier 1 threat against INTERFET that had any prospect of mobilising Tier 2 guerrillas, Kilcullen here sounds a bit too self-congratulatory and reminded me a bit of Running the War in Iraq: an Australian general, 300,000 troops, the bloodiest conflict of our time. His discussion of possible wider strategic responses to Islamic fundamentalist militancy is less prescriptive (if inclusive of a lot of good sense, in particular redressing the balance of military versus non-military means of state power) and not quite as compelling - I suspect partly due to the author's own ambivalence as to how serious the threat is. If it is largely a law enforcement problem as he argues in part, what is the necessity of a ARCADIA-style conference to hammer out a grand strategy between major powers struggling for national survival (as in 1942)? I fear that an ARCADIA between states not facing a perceived existential threat (or hoping to buck-pass their way out of it) would end up being more like a Munich Conference - somebody would end up being the people of which we know little getting their liberty traded away - perhaps better in these circumstances for liberal democracies to consider the issue "one campaign or crisis at a time"?
For those with an interest in counterinsurgency, this is a "must read", if for no other reason that everybody else with an interest will have read it and formed an opinion. Fortunately, it is accessible, sensible and with a few real insights thrown in, and is worth the investment in time. A tiny bit under the five stars Amazon will let me give it, and I will take it with me when I deploy again in the near future - that has to be some sort of recommendation.
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The Accidental Guerrilla Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One (Audible Audio Edition) David Kilcullen Peter Ganim Audible Studios Books Reviews
An excellent broad overview of on the ground conditions in our current conflict, with several in-depth studies of success and failure patterns by district, with analysis of patterns and historical trends. Includes a basic cultural overview as it applies to conflict and relations between locals and outsiders, both from a specific traditional mindset in the middle east and an attempt to judge macro psychiatric tendencies as applied to default human group association and willingness to engage in active conflict.
The previous reviewers have extensively explained what this book is about so I won't repeat their efforts. Suffice it to say that if you read this book with an open mind you will understand not only the misnamed and vastly misunderstood "War on Terror" but counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism both in general and as applied to specific environments past and present, and the best way to combat violent extremism; which is our true enemy.
I agree with Fareed Zakaria that everyone who has anything to do with combating violent extremism should read this book. The author's analysis is insightful, thorough and honest. While not avoiding analysis of past mistakes he is very tactful and non-accusatory in his wording. I suppose that is due, at least in part, to his ongoing relationship with and employment by our government in counter-insurgency study and advice. Or perhaps just good manners. But while he is careful not to point fingers he pulls no punches about what has been and is being done wrong.
This book ranks with David Galula's "Counterinsurgency Warfare" and extends his principles into today's world. I cannot more strongly recommend this book.
This is one of the best books I have read on Counter-insurgency doctrine and the Global War on Terror.
I have read Kilcullen's book Counter-Insurgemcy. It was also great, but this one has give me a different perspective on Counter-insurgency and the Global War on Terror. He makes some important points and also illuminates the problems with the U.S.'s strategy in the Global War on Terror. He differentiates domestic groups with grievance against their government and the global radical religious movement, which is seen as a global insurgency. The radical religious movements will exploit situations where local groups contest government rule. According to Kilcullen, the US has made a mistake in treating the local verus the global insurgents as the same movement. Kilcullin lays out the mistakes that have been made in the GWT and offers practical guidance to policymakers.
This book is one of the must read although I do not entirely with one of the principles. Mr. Kilcullen asserts his experience shows that the presence of counterinsurgency (COIN) forces may cause the creation of insurgency and migration of international terrorist organizations. Thus, by the introduction of a force, the local population will resist and welcome outsiders to combat the COIN forces, regardless if they are fellow countrymen or foreign forces invited by the host nation. Thus, the host nation 'accidentally' creates guerillas or the insurgency. It is sure that any new person or organization will have an effect on the local population but it is not certain that COIN will cause the insurgency to birth, grow, and attract foreign support. This dynamitic is present but I do not think it is the dominant cause. I think it can be accelerant to the dynamic when lethal and security measures are the only means used by the government to fight an insurgency, especially force not apply with precision, or in despotic nations with crushing, widespread, consisnt, and inhumane violence
This is an ambitious work, with Kilcullen attempting to encompass everything from tactical to grand strategic responses to insurgency and terrorism in the one relatively short and accessible volume. Key to this work is Kilcullen's understanding of the fundamental difference between "Tier 1" guerrillas (or the 25% or so of most insurgent movements motivated by higher-order ideological grievances) and the "Tier 2" insurgents - or the "Accidental Guerrillas" of the title - who tend to be motivated by more local and parochial concerns. Kilcullen's theory of COIN and/or counterterrorism relies on the distinction he draws between the two, and the prospect of (ideally) preventing the rise of Tier 2 insurgents in the first place, or at the least co-opting them, while being reconciled to the military and political defeat of Tier 1. While only slightly more complex than schools of thought at either end of the spectrum that range from "Global Islamist Al-Qaeda conspiracy" or "root causes thanks to capitalism and US foreign policy" (or, everybody is Tier 1 or Tier 2 respectively), Kilcullen's perspective is a valuable corrective to either view.
Kilcullen's policy prescriptions are in my view more clearly enunciated the closer he gets to the tactical level than the grand strategic. This is in part due to his reliance on case studies focused squarely on tactical and operational experience (considerable analysis/personal experience from Afghanistan and Iraq and somewhat more succinct studies of East Timor, Southern Thailand and Pakistan's Tribal Areas), which are mostly excellent. The discussion of Australian operations in East Timor is a little cringe-worthy - by not conceding there was no real, enduring Tier 1 threat against INTERFET that had any prospect of mobilising Tier 2 guerrillas, Kilcullen here sounds a bit too self-congratulatory and reminded me a bit of Running the War in Iraq an Australian general, 300,000 troops, the bloodiest conflict of our time. His discussion of possible wider strategic responses to Islamic fundamentalist militancy is less prescriptive (if inclusive of a lot of good sense, in particular redressing the balance of military versus non-military means of state power) and not quite as compelling - I suspect partly due to the author's own ambivalence as to how serious the threat is. If it is largely a law enforcement problem as he argues in part, what is the necessity of a ARCADIA-style conference to hammer out a grand strategy between major powers struggling for national survival (as in 1942)? I fear that an ARCADIA between states not facing a perceived existential threat (or hoping to buck-pass their way out of it) would end up being more like a Munich Conference - somebody would end up being the people of which we know little getting their liberty traded away - perhaps better in these circumstances for liberal democracies to consider the issue "one campaign or crisis at a time"?
For those with an interest in counterinsurgency, this is a "must read", if for no other reason that everybody else with an interest will have read it and formed an opinion. Fortunately, it is accessible, sensible and with a few real insights thrown in, and is worth the investment in time. A tiny bit under the five stars will let me give it, and I will take it with me when I deploy again in the near future - that has to be some sort of recommendation.
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