This manual continues the efforts of fm 324, counterinsurgency. Populationcentric counterinsurgency in the age of salafi. Principles of modern american counterinsurgency brookings. Counterinsurgency can provide a clear framework for success if the situation is ripe for this type of warfare. Oberoi august 2011 a paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the master of arts degree in the master of arts program in the committee on international relations faculty advisor. I think if you look at field manual 324 pdf, and you listen to a lot of the rhetoric of the population centric counterinsurgency thats most prominent now, its virtually indistinguishable from. Home master of military art and science theses stabilizing the debate between population centric and enemy centric counterinsurgency. With regards to the field manual fm 324, the population centric approach is adopted to achieve this aim. This is a task for the host nation, its security forces, british forces and our.
Tactics in counterinsurgency this field manual establishes doctrine fundamental principles for tactical counterinsurgency coin operations at the company, battalion, and brigade level. Population centric coin may be a reasonable operational method to use in certain circumstances, but it is not a strategy. Establishing causality in counterinsurgency doctrine. A counterinsurgency or counterinsurgency coin is defined by the united states department of state as comprehensive civilian and military efforts taken to simultaneously defeat and contain insurgency and address its root causes an insurgency is a rebellion against a constituted authority when those taking part in the rebellion are not recognized as belligerents. Enemy centric counterinsurgency article in small wars and insurgencies 276. Undertaking populationcentric counterinsurgency in the. Populationcentric counterinsurgency is a military operation, a method, nothing more and. The united states army and marine corps counterinsurgency field manual fm 324. British army field manual volume 1 part 10 countering. Counterinsurgency in the bombay presidency during the mutiny. Population centric counterinsurgency coin has become the american armys new way of war. Purpose this publication has been prepared under the direction of the chairman of the joint.
Implementing a populationcentric counterinsurgency strategy. Questioning the counter insurgency doctrine in afghanistan gulrukhsar mujahid abstract the framing and rewriting of the counter insurgency coin manual by the united states us post 911 was put into practice in afghanistan in 2001. Analysis afghanistan and the counterinsurgency war. This paper will examine the successful implementation of population centric counterinsurgency strategy in northeastern afghanistan through the. An analysis of counterinsurgency campaigns after 1945 maryum alam senior honors thesis hofstra university department of political science faculty advisor. It championed what came to be known as the populationcentric approach, in which the focus of u. Coin manual in 20 years, a celebrated writing team captures classic ideas of how to defeat insurgency through protecting the population. Questioning the counterinsurgency doctrine in afghanistan jstor. This article explores the relevance of the dominant, population centered, counterinsurgency doctrine in an era dominated by salafiinspired state challengers.
Army and marine corps counterinsurgency coin field manual, fm 324, received extensive attention. This will include the description of relationships between coin, irregular warfare, counterterrorism, and foreign internal defense. Iv populationcentric security founded on the presence of security forces military. Counterinsurgency warfare by david galula is a brief but striking handbook on the concept of insurgency, its variations and effective countermeasures against it with still great relevance for present situations. Recently, senior british army officers have privately expressed horror at the rapid degree to which the us military has learned to wage population centric counterinsurgency warfare effectively, in. The government normally has an initial advantage in resources. Counterinsurgency open pdf 14 mb this field manualmarine corps warfighting publication establishes doctrine fundamental principles for military operations in a counterinsurgency coin environment. Principles and paradoxes of counterinsurgency module 2. In fact, the way population centric counterinsurgency has recently been conceived across many western capitals looks remarkably similar to how the social question was.
Army and marine corps counterinsurgency field manual 2 a counterinsurgency campaign is, as described in this manual, a mix of offensive, defensive, and stability. There have been some successes, but such groups as al qaida continue to present a significant threat to pakistan, the united states, and other countries. Counterinsurgency has never been a comfortable topic for the united states military. In general david petraeus counterinsurgency field manual, one of the.
However, this neglects the kinetic aspects of both works and creates a false narrative regarding the roots of the modern conception of population centric counterinsurgency. The principles and ideas that emerged out of the armys counterinsurgency field manual fm, fm 324. The population centric approach dominates the armys capstone manual on counterinsurgency, field manual 324, a document published in late 2006 in order to help redress shortcomings in fighting the war. It is often seen as a populationcentric attempt to win the hearts and minds of the local population and defined against the more violent, enemycentric conventional warfare approach. Coin strategy aims to achieve the support of local population for the. As per the us counter insurgency coin doctrine, primary mission of counter insurgency is to form a protective, mutually beneficial bond with the local population. Nagl psi classics of the counterinsurgency era praeger security international. The nature of the problem when elements of the 2nd cavalry regiment arrived in zabul province, afghanistan, in july 2010, they faced an area of operations that had seen constantly increasing ied activity for several years in the same spots along. Populationcentric coin may be a reasonable operational method to use in certain circumstances, but it is not a strategy. A primer on population centric counterinsurgency what worked in iraq, and what can work in afghanistan counterinsurgency is hardly a new concept. It is often seen as a population centric attempt to win the hearts and minds of the local population and defined against the more violent, enemy centric conventional warfare approach. Populationcentric counterinsurgency as seen through the iraq war. United states strategy and policy to counter an insurgency. Populationcentric counterinsurgency as seen through the.
The populationcentric approach dominates the armys capstone manual on counterinsurgency, field manual 324, a document published in late 2006 in order to help redress shortcomings in fighting the war in iraq. There are flaws and limitations that need to be exposed and considered. The second portion deals with the issues of countering insurgency at the strategic and operational level. This paper will examine the successful implementation of population centric counterinsurgency strategy in northeastern afghanistan through the lens of my experiences executing it in my area. The main tenet of counterinsurgency recognizes that a sole military solution is not feasible, making it essential for a dual militarypolitical solution that adopts a population centric approach. The principles and ideas that emerged out of the armys counterinsurgency field manual fm, fm 3. The classic british counterinsurgency approach is open to widely divergent interpretations. There must be a balance of enemycentric and population centric activities that suits the current environment.
Many rhodesian soldiers embraced the punitive approach to such an extent that they overextended the rules of engagement. Population centric, sometimes referred to as winning hearts and minds wham, and drainingthesea approaches are both premised on the idea that insurgents must be separated from one of their key sources of support. His final chapter on treating global extremist terrorism as a globallevel insurgency makes sense, as would his suggestions on how to tackle the issue. Sixty years ago, george kennan penned his landmark foreign affairs article that defined american foreign policy for the next half century.
His targets are myths about successful insurgency operations in the past, the sloppy or inaccurate deployment of them to support current doctrine, and the entire thrust of population centric counter insurgency as described by the us field manual. Counterinsurgency warfare theory and practice david galula foreword by john a. Due to the perceived success of populationcentric counterinsurgency coin in iraq, it. Fm 324 draws on the anecdotal best practises of various practitionertheorists with involvement in wars of decolonisation in the midtwentieth century and derives a model often referred to as population centric counterinsurgency, 1 rather than providing an empirical basis. In the population centric doctrine advanced in the us army and marines counterinsurgency manual fm324 and other current classics of counterinsurgency including john nagls eating soup with a knife and david kilcullens the accidental guerrilla, kinetic force or the killing. It is based on lessons learned from previous counterinsurgencies and contemporary operations. Questioning the counterinsurgency doctrine in afghanistan. From winning hearts and minds to whacking them in outhouses. Populationcentric counterinsurgency as seen through the iraq war logs. British army field manual volume 1 part 10 countering insurgency army code 71876. Petraeus was given the chance to put his and fellow counter. Influencing the population s perspective through psychological. This decision is important for all americans, but many dont have a very good understanding of the population centric counterinsurgency strategy advocated by gen.
Field manual fm 324 marine corps warfighting publication. There is an important debate underway about what strategy we should pursue in afghanistan. Uk doctrine including the counterinsurgency army field manual, also emphasises the prior phase of shape, which involves kinetic and nonkinetic activities to influence the enemy and the population in preparation for the clear and hold phases. Questioning the counterinsurgency doctrine in afghanistan gulrukhsar mujahid abstract the framing and rewriting of the counterinsurgency coin manual by the united states us post 911 was put into practice in afghanistan in 2001. The brutal but effective russian approach ive spent the last several days at the naval war college, which hosted a big summary conference on counterinsurgency practices. He is the top ranked international relations major and a winthrop scholar, the colleges top academic honor.
In the population centric approach or pcoin, the focus is on obtaining the support of the civilian population in areas where the insurgency is waged khalili, 2011, p. Although the rhodesian bush war took place in its unique historical context, it should also serve as a warning for commanders of troops currently engaged. The origins and implications of populationcentric counterinsurgency. The rules of the paradigm do not allow a reverse gear. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. In the words of mary kaldor, the population security approach offers a possible model for global security operations 2010. The first five chapters cover aspects of the law, the principles of counter insurgency, a concept of operations and the coordination of a plan of. Insurgent centers of gravity and counterinsurgency. The alternative to a population centric approach is what can be called elite centric counterinsurgency. The manual describes methods and principles that can be applied to coin operations anywhere, although its obvious that events in iraq and afghanistan are what have prompted its creation. Insurgents capitalize on societal problems, often called gaps. Charles wolf contests the fundamental notion of population centric counterinsurgency in rural areas, claiming that insurgencies can and do thrive in the absence of popular support.
Paul fritz counterinsurgency in intrastate conflicts is one of the most controversial policies a state may employ to defeat armed groups. It concludes with an outline of the position of insurgency in society today. Counter insurgency operations include many different facets. Analyzing the indian counterinsurgency experience in the northeast of india within these best practices, the article concludes that popular legitimacy and population support are the most critical factors for optimal counterinsurgency outcomes. A counter insurgency or counterinsurgency coin is defined by the united states department of state as comprehensive civilian and military efforts taken to simultaneously defeat and contain insurgency and address its root causes. Aug 03, 2012 now as then, the united states military continues to see itself as the solution to the problem rather than part of it, and while many, many americans are tired of both conflicts, very few have taken issue with the notion of counter insurgency retailed in the armymarine corps counterinsurgency field manual university of chicago press, 2007. This manual is a short guide to insurgency, and the principles and approaches needed to counter it. Evolution and debate by janine davidson the brookings institution brookings counterinsurgency and pakistan paper series. Americas new national security and foreign policy paradigm. Leveraging development aid to address root causes in. An insurgency can be fought via counter insurgency warfare, and may also be opposed by measures to protect the population and by political and economic actions of various kinds, as well as propaganda aimed at undermining the insurgents claims against the incumbent regime. Andrew majkut is a senior at connecticut college and will graduate in may 2014. Fire force and external raids combat deployment further strengthened the soldiers enemycentric experience of war.
Fm 324 draws on the anecdotal best practises of various practitionertheorists with involvement in wars of decolonisation in the midtwentieth century and derives a model often referred to as populationcentric counterinsurgency, 1 rather than providing an. Dec 31, 2011 the manual attached to these things, soldiers training focused on the killing part of coin. Populationcentric counterinsurgency coin has become the american. A counterinsurgency or counterinsurgency coin is defined by the united states department. Pakistan needs to establish a population centric counterinsurgency that better protects the local population and addresses grievances. Explaining populationcentric coin to the public blackfive.
Rather, such a perspective differs from the population centric approach with regards to the kind of action that is likely to gain the. Jan 01, 2010 a book that takes a pragmatic look at counter insurgency. It inspired ample discussion among both practitioners and academics, was the topic of myriad symposia, and was even republished by a major university press in 2007. Stabilizing the debate between populationcentric and. It explains that efforts must be focused on securing the local population and gaining and maintaining popular support.
Enemycentric counterinsurgency article in small wars and insurgencies 276. It has been written to complement allied and joint doctrine and the authors have been careful to ensure that the principles and framework that are explained in. Implementing a populationcentric counterinsurgency. Counteried strategy in modern war semantic scholar. Jun 20, 2011 however, as this still represented a defeat for the coin lobby, who backed mcchrystals plan for some 40,000 troops, bidens plan continued to be derided as a counterterrorism approach, whereas they argued a populationcentric counterinsurgency strategy was what was required. Request pdf population centric counterinsurgency in the age of salafidriven insurgencies this article explores the relevance of the dominant, population centered, counterinsurgency doctrine.
The author makes many useful points that are worth serious pondering. This publication provides joint doctrine to plan, execute, and assess counterinsurgency operations. Home combat studies institute csi populationcentric counterinsurgency. Foreign internal defense, insurgency, low intensity conflict, divide and rule and fourth generation warfare. Populationcentric counterinsurgency army university press. Counterinsurgency open pdf 14 mb this field manual marine corps warfighting publication establishes doctrine fundamental principles for military operations in a counterinsurgency coin environment. Population centric proponents are often quick to combine this passage with robert thompsons emphasis on winning the hearts and minds of insurgents.
To understand counter insurgency, one must understand insurgency to comprehend the dynamics of revolutionary warfare. Throughout history, nations have dealt with attempts to destabilize or overthrow them. Training host nation forces for population centric counterinsurgency. The successful campaign established for a british counterinsurgency approach in which it was key to win the hearts and minds of the local population egnell, 2010. What makes the counterinsurgency field manual and its cohort an ostensible repository of progressive intent is related to what distinguishes counterinsurgency from. At the very least, foreign interference is likely to play an important role in many future insurgent conflicts and a populationcentric counterinsurgency strategy will be incomplete if it is not complemented with a strategy for depriving the insurgent of outside support. Historically, counterinsurgency coin has been undertaken based on either the population centric or enemy centric approaches. For counterinsurgency it is a race to determine how to mobilize popular support. Further, the infantrycentric nature of the nigerian armys battalions, traceable all. Many of the examples refer to other insurgencies throughout history e. This manual continues the efforts of fm 324, counterinsurgency, in combining the historic approaches to coin with the realities of todays operational environment oean environment modified by a population explosion, urbanization, globalization, technology, the spread. Counterinsurgency a generic reference curriculum nato.
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