[Reader-list] Counterinsurgency Manual

[Monica Narula]

FYI :-)
(cross posted from incom list)
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Counterinsurgency Manual
http://www.fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm3-24.pdf

In December 2006 the U.S. Department of the Army
issued a new counterinsurgency manual, the first in 25
years.FM 3-24 is a very interesting document, even if
you just skim some of the 280 pages. Where else might
you find quotes from The New Yorker, T.E. Lawrence's
27 Articles from the Arab Bulletin of August 1917, a
discussion of social network analysis, and solatia
(payments to a victim's family as an expression of
condolence).

It  of course draws lessons from Algeria, Vietnam,
China, Colombia, Malaya, and present day Iraq. Given
the falling level of support by most Americans, it may
be too late to be applied very effectively if the
conflict is primarily a civil war.  However, for those
whose interests lie with NGOs and development in
general, it may provide insights in the way civil
assistance intertwines with counterinsurgency
strategy. At least that is the goal of the U.S. State
Department and its "transformative diplomacy."

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Monica Narula
Raqs Media Collective
Sarai-CSDS
29 Rajpur Road
Delhi 110054
www.raqsmediacollective.net
www.sarai.net