Why We Are Unable To Defeat The Insurgencies
Alex Zakson
July 18, 2006
Why is it that we are unable to defeat the insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan? No doubt that our armed forces are enormously superior to the insurgents. Our forces are better trained and better equipped and better in every respect. Yet the insurgency continues to thrive. In fact, insurgents defeated USSR in Afghanistan. They rain destruction on Russia in Chechnya.
The insurgents beat France and then the U.S. in Viet Nam. Why is that? It’s the nature of insurgency; they follow no rules, the major powers must and do.
In both Afghanistan and Iraq, we, the U.S., fight limited wars; the insurgents engage in all out war. We follow established rules of war; the enemy does not. Our troops wear uniforms that clearly identify them; the insurgents wear clothes that locals wear, to hide in the civilian population.
We aim to contain the insurgency; they aim to spread disorder. We try to bring about finality; they try to prolong the conflict. We attempt to prevent civilian casualties; the insurgents have no regard for civilian lives. Our troops attempt to minimize destruction of civilian property and infrastructure; the insurgents relish such destruction. We value human life; they seek death. We respect Afghan and Iraqi religious shrines; the insurgents thinks nothing of destroying them. We aim to bring order; the insurgents strive for chaos. We try to bring unity to the various factions in these countries; the insurgents promote division. We work to establish a central government; each insurgent faction tries to gain power at the expense of others.
If our troops behave improperly, we put them on trial; the insurgents unashamedly boast about their violence and cruelty. We are one group united by common goals; they are an assemblage of groups with many conflicting goals. We seek tranquility; they seek chaos. We promote consensus; they flourish on division. When we defeat one group, another group comes into prominence. We attack them where they are strongest; they attack us where we are weakest. The fact is that we are fighting two different wars in the same
arena: a conventional limited war versus an insurgency with no rules.
The only way the insurgency can be rooted out is if the Afghans and the Iraqis decide that they have had enough, and that they will no longer support, encourage, or turn a blind eye to insurgency. Eventually we will leave their countries. Therefore, I submit that only the Afghans and Iraqis can determine who will prevail, and whether they will live in peace or in chaos.
The insurgents beat France and then the U.S. in Viet Nam. Why is that? It’s the nature of insurgency; they follow no rules, the major powers must and do.
In both Afghanistan and Iraq, we, the U.S., fight limited wars; the insurgents engage in all out war. We follow established rules of war; the enemy does not. Our troops wear uniforms that clearly identify them; the insurgents wear clothes that locals wear, to hide in the civilian population.
We aim to contain the insurgency; they aim to spread disorder. We try to bring about finality; they try to prolong the conflict. We attempt to prevent civilian casualties; the insurgents have no regard for civilian lives. Our troops attempt to minimize destruction of civilian property and infrastructure; the insurgents relish such destruction. We value human life; they seek death. We respect Afghan and Iraqi religious shrines; the insurgents thinks nothing of destroying them. We aim to bring order; the insurgents strive for chaos. We try to bring unity to the various factions in these countries; the insurgents promote division. We work to establish a central government; each insurgent faction tries to gain power at the expense of others.
If our troops behave improperly, we put them on trial; the insurgents unashamedly boast about their violence and cruelty. We are one group united by common goals; they are an assemblage of groups with many conflicting goals. We seek tranquility; they seek chaos. We promote consensus; they flourish on division. When we defeat one group, another group comes into prominence. We attack them where they are strongest; they attack us where we are weakest. The fact is that we are fighting two different wars in the same
arena: a conventional limited war versus an insurgency with no rules.
The only way the insurgency can be rooted out is if the Afghans and the Iraqis decide that they have had enough, and that they will no longer support, encourage, or turn a blind eye to insurgency. Eventually we will leave their countries. Therefore, I submit that only the Afghans and Iraqis can determine who will prevail, and whether they will live in peace or in chaos.
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