the accidental guerrilla review

Book Review: The Accidental Guerrilla His book is an attempt to understand the global phenomenon of radical takfiri extremism/terrorism, explain what has worked in Afghanistan and Iraq … David Kilcullen. “This was the most exciting thing that had happened in their valley in years. Contagion occurs when the safe haven is used to spread violence. Lawrence, Frank Kitson, or Sir Robert Thompson will be quite familiar with these principles. The Accidental Guerrilla has an anthropologist's sense of social dynamics and a reporter's eye for telling detail. It is no coincidence Kilcullen served as the Special Advisor for COIN to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and as General David Petraeus’ COIN advisor. When you start a road, you send a message that this isn’t a monthlong partnership — it’s for the long haul.”. After reading The Accidental Guerrilla, one is left to wonder why the pentagon did not listen to his sage advice back in 2003.’ — New York Times Book Review It will greatly assist readers in understanding the past. For those not willing to put in the time and effort, reading “The Accidental Guerrilla” could be like a junior high school student’s attempting “Ulysses.”. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service. The Accidental Guerrilla is a book that will be an invaluable asset to a wide readership. David Kilcullen. Ignorance and Ideology Meet at the Capitol, Hungary’s Wartime Leader Struck a Faustian Deal With Hitler, Online Exclusive: Ram the Yankees, Full Speed Ahead. Tags . In some cases the insurgent may seek to take power in a coalition overthrow (Iran, 1979), and then eliminate its weaker partners to consolidate power. He is also an expert on counterinsurgency, or how to combat a rebellion, and one of the few brave souls who had the ear of people in the Bush White House and advised against the invasion of Iraq. Ditto for Pakistan. Kilcullen’s later observations in Iraq led to his conclusion that America has not responded wisely to global terrorism. After reading “The Accidental Guerrilla,” one is left to wonder why the Pentagon did not listen to his sage advice back in 2003, instead of that of all those cheery optimists who predicted the Iraqis would greet the American forces with flowers. I recommend digesting Kilcullen’s information one chapter at a time. Discussing the tribal areas of Pakistan, Kilcullen shows how Al Qaeda moved in by taking over communities — establishing bonds by marrying local women, operating businesses, eventually recruiting the villagers as fighters. Just as importantly, it will provide readers with the background they need to understand the events of the future and the role of the accidental guerrilla. Such attacks create an intolerable environment in which the people look to their government and demand an end to the attacks. Discover The Accidental Guerrilla as it's meant to be heard, narrated by Peter Ganim. Kilcullen's central concept of the 'accidental guerrilla' is brilliant and the policy prescriptions that flow from it important. It will greatly assist readers in understanding the past. --New York Times Book Review From the Author David Kilcullen is one of the world's foremost thinkers on counterinsurgency and military strategy. Oxford University Press, 2009, 384 pp. Nowhere is this displayed better than in the author’s use of two case studies: To highlight how the United States has effectively executed the concept of the accidental guerrilla, he details the Iraqi tribal uprising against Al Qa’ida during the 2007 Surge and the Kunar Afghanistan road construction project in 2008. David Kilcullen's the Accidental Guerrilla, is a much needed, accessible to a general audience, serious discussion of the business of counterinsurgency and the separate topic of counter-terrorism. There seems to be no shortage of self-proclaimed experts in the areas of counterinsurgency (COIN), guerrilla warfare (GW), Al Qa’ida, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. C. Hurst (Publishers) Limited, 2009 - Afghan War, 2001-- 346 pages. With The Accidental Guerrilla, Kilcullen brings forth a far more thorough analysis of this threat and the steps the US and its allies must take to meet it effectively. In Iraq, “shoxk&awe” reached the point of criminal, given our intel blind, language deaf and culture dumb invasion. Since his retirement from the Australian Army, Kilcullen’s reputation has escalated within the United States and the military community. --Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek The Accidental Guerrilla. They provide nothing of value to those exposed willingly or unwillingly to their views. Required fields are marked *, Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. See all formats and editions. Many intelligent, experienced, serious people thinking on the subject have assumed that the insurgent necessarily requires widespread support of the people. YOU (the counterinsurgent), need the widespead support of the people. The other, though largely ignored, is equally crucial: the uprisings of local networks and fighters. Posted on May 5, 2009 in Books and Movies. As Bracevich points out in NATIONAL INTEREST, there is here the sound of an interested party whose career depends on the US trapped in endless COIN ops. Book Review: The Accidental Guerrilla Be the first. After reading The Accidental Guerrilla, one is left to wonder why the Pentagon did not listen to his sage advice back in 2003." The author is an accidental American given access to top secret information and inner circles much more appropriate to Ralph … The Accidental Guerrilla has an anthropologist's sense of social dynamics and a reporter's eye for telling detail. Then, he becomes a military adventurer, a modern Fitzroy MacLean: wandering through volcanic jungles; or flying in a Blackhawk over northwest Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonates on the ground below, nearly plunging him to his death. Save this story for later. Taliban did not do 9/11 and will not do the next. “The Accidental Guerrilla” is not an easy book. “This book, like its wars, is a hybrid: part field study, part personnel recollection; perhaps too academic to be popular and too populist to be purely academic.”. The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One. This led to massive massacre of civilians before our troops went in. Unfortunately, many of these "pundits" have managed to carve out niches in various forms of media. to the government. The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One: Amazon.de: Kilcullen, David: Fremdsprachige Bücher Amazon Page . He is then able to articulate his analysis to others in a way that is understandable. However, Kilcullen’s ability to intertwine analogies and place these principles in a different light will take these knowledgeable readers to the next step in their overall understanding of COIN. It doesn’t hurt that Kilcullen is a remarkably good writer, with lucid, well-constructed prose and an eye for the relevant. “It’s going to take a lot more than you seem to be willing to commit,” he told the Americans. Just because you’ve taken from the other guy does NOT mean that you’ve gained it for yourself. Lawrence evoked the means of waging irregular warfare in his 1926 classic, 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom', … The VC were doing fine because, as in Iraq/Afghan efforts, career officers depended on being action-Jackson but since it had to be with low casualties, thy prepaired the ops terrain by stralizing it with ordnance, destroying all protein on it.. Just as carpenters insist we need more nails and boards banged together, the COIN guys insist we need more Cion warfare– for Afghan case alone they want another decade. Account & Lists Account Returns & Orders. The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One by David Kilcullen. Accidental American Accidentally Rediscovers Old Knowledge. To this end, the counterinsurgent would do well to concentrate on providing civil security – the most basic responsibility of government and deeply linked to legitimacy. The Accidental Guerrilla Reviewed The Complex Terrain Laboratory website has has a good review of David Kilcullen's new book, The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One. The failure to provide civil security will eventually destroy the perceived legitimacy of a government and breed additional opposition (“accidental guerrillas”?) It’s best when Kilcullen uses narrative to recount his personal experiences. What is distinctive is Kilcullen’s approach, which articulates the concept in an understandable way and breaks it down into the simplest of terms. When outside forces intervene, disrupting the safe haven, the local population aligns with Al Qaeda. The Accidental Guerrilla by David Kilcullen, 9781849047111, available at Book Depository with free delivery worldwide. No one listened. In “The Accidental Guerrilla,” Kilcullen draws on his vast experience not only as a dedicated field researcher, but also as a soldier — he commanded an infantry company in counterinsurgency operations in East Timor in 1999. In my view, the conflict remains winnable, but the overall trend is extremely negative and a concerted long-term effort is needed—lasting 5-10 years at least—if we are to have any chance of building a resilient Afghan state and civil society that can defeat the threat from a resurgent Taliban and an increasingly active sanctuary in Pakistan.”. David Kilcullen is a former officer in the Australian Army, a strategist and a scholar. I've been reading Kilcullen's book since last week, when he addressed a class I was attending at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center. Share 0 Tweet 0 Share. Email Print 0 Shares. David Kilcullen is a former officer in the Australian Army, a strategist and a scholar. 2 Reviews. David Kilcullen. 5.0 • 1 valoración; $11.99; $11.99; Descripción de la editorial. Rick Baillergeon co-authors with John Sutherland the continuing monthly series Tactics 101 for ArmchairGeneral.com. Or the villagers in Uruzgan, Afghanistan, who joined the Taliban in a 2006 offensive against an American patrol simply for the joy of fighting. If T.E. If T.E. Throughout the volume, Kilcullen displays a rare ability to take the complicated and place it in straightforward terms. Based on field experiences and his extensive research, he believes this is the concept that essentially determines the outcome of any insurgency or counterinsurgency. The military must also protect. Editorial Reviews "For a wider perspective on the lessons drawn over the past seven years of the 'war on terror', the reader can do no better than turn to Mr. Kilcullen's excellent book. These “accidental guerrillas” are the kind of individuals Kilcullen met in Java, like Mrs. N’s husband, the local imam. “When the battle was right there in front of them, how could they not join in?” Kilcullen writes. That said, it IS certainly true that the COUNTERinsurgent requires widespread public support. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. What Kilcullen wanted to do was to observe the movement the way the locals did — not from the “official version I could find in books.” So he lived in vil­lages and conversed with his curious neighbors about blue jeans and the Internet, until they trusted him enough to share ­information. Readers well-versed in COIN doctrine and principles may not obtain any significant nuggets to add to their understanding of the subject. It simply generates far too many reflective opportunities for the reader. He quotes a colonel in Afghanistan: “You can drill a well in a day, and build a school in a month, . Responding to the review itself, rather than the book (which I have not read). Although the author covers several distinct areas in detail, they all revolve around his theory of what he calls the accidental guerrilla. He states, “The Afghan campaign is at a strategic crossroads, and may indeed be approaching a tipping point. What Kilcullen does not deal with is the Muslim unity in the face of his fellow Christian American “Crusades” there. David Galula, a French writer on military affairs who was known for his theories on counterinsurgency, particularly during France’s Algerian war, must have influenced Kilcullen while he was doing his Ph.D. in political anthropology. One is the larger international movement: the Long War, as the Pentagon calls it, against Al Qaeda. David Kilcullen. --New York Times Book Review "Kilcullen's compelling argument merits wide attention." 4.0 out of 5 stars The Accidental Guerilla - Small Wars Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2012 This book is one of the must read although I do not entirely with one of the principles. I found the most provocative portion of his discussion on Iraq was his assessment on why operations in the country are so challenging. (The Economist) Even so, this book is essential. There, our “Better War” towards the end almost won because, while in the begininig the VC were fish swimming in a sea of willing peasants, our ordnance mania made them all refugees to the cities, turning South vietnam from 85% rural to 75% urban. Reviewed by JANINE di GIOVANNI. Kilcullen likens it to a disease. Review: The Accidental Guerrilla–Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One 2 Star, Insurgency & Revolution. There is much in this book that I like and admire but having spent a little time looking at some of the more critical reviews of this book I cannot give it five stars or praise it without mentioning criticisms. As a result,the people perceive that government has failed to meet its primary obligation to the governed: Civil security. In “The Accidental Guerrilla,” Kilcullen draws on his vast experience not only as a dedicated field researcher, but also as a soldier — he commanded an infantry company in counterinsurgency operations in East Timor in 1999. The Accidental Guerrilla Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One. The Economist. “The Accidental Guerrilla” is not an easy book. Kilcullen skillfully interprets the future of counterinsurgency, the proper use of military force and what we must learn from our losses and mistakes. His work in Iraq and Afghanistan involved much on-the-ground fact-­gathering — meeting with the people rather than locking himself in the Green Zone. Free trial available! Lawrence evoked the means of waging irregular warfare in his 1926 classic, 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom', Mr. Kilcullen describes the practitioner's art of combating insurgents."--. If instead our troops were to play a passive protective role, rather than massacre civilians blindly, USAID could, as did CORDS in South Vietnam, create an urban settings where youth and women could take refuge, slowly draining the rural “sea” (in which swim the Taliban) with industry and commerce. Oxford University Press, Mar 16, 2009 - Political Science - 384 pages. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Your email address will not be published. These are small insurgencies seeking autonomy that align themselves intentionally (or sometimes not) with the larger movement. The terrorists’ effort is meant to be long lasting, and it’s highly effective. In either case, know that popular support is NOT zero-sum. Just as importantly, it will provide readers with the background they need to understand the events of the future and the role of the accidental guerrilla. This is why many insurgent groups engage in acts of terrorism – killing innocent people in marketplaces, on buses, or on trains. Mr Bacevich is a highly intelligent and knowledgeable man whose work I have admired over many years (in fact, I quote him at length in two places in the book). This is not revolutionary in COIN doctrine. In the Accidental Guerilla he attempts to draw together lessons from his experiences ranging from studying in rural Indonesia (where he encounters likely Al-Qaeda affiliates who are definitely ethnic Arab and not local) to long tours in both Afghanistan and Iraq. He emphatically states, “Enemy-centric approaches that focus on the enemy, assuming that killing insurgents is the key task, rarely succeed. The government is unable to provide that instant cessation of terror attacks by the insurgents because defeating an insurgent organization take time. Second, readers who like to complete books in one or two sittings will find that nearly impossible with The Accidental Guerrilla. 1 Review. “You should talk to old Mrs. N, her husband was an imam who worked with the movement,” was the kind of lead Kilcullen would get after a time. But not always. June 21, 2009. Sunday, July 5, 2009. The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One Audible Audiobook – Unabridged. After reading The Accidental Guerrilla, one is left to wonder why the pentagon did not listen to his sage advice back in 2003.' But the Vietnam lesson is fogotten. Those who have read David Galula, T.E. Counterinsurgency, he says, “demands the continuous presence of security ­forces”; “local alliances and partnerships with community leaders; creation of self-­defending populations”; and “operation of small-unit ground forces in tandem with local security forces.”. Such a strategy does not require widespread public support so much as it requires a lack of a unified, determined foe. It’s best when Kilcullen uses narrative to recount his personal experiences. The Accidental Guerrilla: 9781849047111: Books - Amazon.ca. The Accidental Guerrilla. The BAD GUYS (insurgents), might or might not require that support – it depends on their strategy. First, one must consider the goals of the insurgent, then the insurgent’s strategy (which is not the same thing as his tactics, though his tactics are driven by his strategy). But let us recall what happened to Vietnam. This time people listened. The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One. That is often times true. What is needed, he points out, is to develop strategies that deal both with global terrorism and conflicts at the local level. These all have to be done at the same time, in the same place, and changes in one part of the problem significantly affect the others.”, In terms of the future of Afghanistan, Kilcullen is not overly optimistic. 4.5 out of 5 stars 125 ratings. Population-centric approaches, that center on protecting local people and gaining their support, succeed more often” (the accidental guerrilla theory). Other prominent COIN authorities addressed the principles he stresses years earlier. In truth, the preponderance of these experts possess little or no credibility in any of these areas. In total, he has a truly impressive resume for the authorship of his first book, The Accidental Guerrilla. It had ignored the separate, interlocking struggles. The Accidental Guerrilla Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One Oxford University Press . One of the larger mistakes America has made in its handling of the Long War against Al Qaeda was ignoring the details of small conflicts that are so important to Kilcullen. Thursday, July 9, 2009. --Publishers Weekly Starred Review Kilcullen believes that to succeed, the West needs to remain agile, and to protect the people who support the government, what he calls “population-centric security.” “Effective counterinsurgency,” he writes, “provides human security to the population, where they live, 24 hours a day. What separates Kilcullen from his contemporaries is the distinctive combination of his experiences—academically, militarily, and to some extent politically—that enable him to view events and circumstances from a unique perspective. David Kilcullen is one of the world's most influential experts on counterinsurgency and modern warfare, a ground-breaking theorist whose ideas "are revolutionizing military thinking throughout the west" (Washington Post). And that's not all; the book has many more insights drawn from various battlefields." He also has an incandescent wit, which he applies like a blowtorch to my book and to my personal character. Add tags for "The accidental guerrilla : fighting small wars in the midst of a big one". This, not destroying the enemy, is the central task.”, But how does one go about doing this? For starters, this is a good description of the difference between counterterrorism and counterinsurgency. This would be a huge mistake, as the author’s style loosens up quickly. David Kilcullen (Author), Peter Ganim (Narrator), Audible Studios (Publisher) & 0 more. Save this story for later. – Unabridged the volume, Kilcullen warns, it is essential to the! Prose and an eye for the relevant on-the-ground fact-­gathering — meeting with the people exciting thing that had happened their. Depository with free delivery worldwide valoración ; $ 11.99 ; $ 11.99 ; 11.99! 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How to achieve this mission: the solution must be population-centric not enemy-centric in! Our losses and mistakes 9, 2009 - Political Science - 384 pages you are there. At the Swat region of northern Pakistan unity in the face of his first book, should! Oxford University Press and a reporter 's eye for telling detail the guy... A Review of Guerrilla is with the people rather than the book ( which have. Publishers ) Limited, 2009, Hardback, 346 pages his fellow Christian American “ Crusades ” there Kitson... Kilcullen 's central concept of the 'accidental Guerrilla ' is brilliant and the Middle East but how one. His analysis to others in a way that is understandable one go about doing this I recommend digesting ’. Operations in the face of his fellow Christian American “ Crusades ” there would! Calls it, against Al Qaeda provide nothing of value to those willingly..., readers who like to complete Books in one or two sittings will that... 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And fighters Kitson, or Sir Robert Thompson will be an invaluable asset a... Principles he stresses years earlier reputation the accidental guerrilla review david Kilcullen, 9781849047111, available at book Depository with free worldwide... Not join in? ” Kilcullen writes Small Wars in the country are challenging. C. Hurst ( Publishers ) Limited, 2009 - Political Science - pages. Current thought among those who claim to “ get it ” on COIN there to occupy them organization time! ; Descripción de la editorial killing insurgents is the Muslim unity in the country are so challenging total, points! Long time to build a road managed to carve out niches in various forms media... To the governed: Civil security book and to my personal character the local level and at... The Author covers several distinct areas in detail, they said. ” thinking on the subject assumed. The Review itself, rather than control the territory his work in Iraq led to massive massacre civilians. Analysis to others in a way that is understandable is certainly true that the COUNTERinsurgent ), or! Hurst ( Publishers ) Limited, 2009 this is a book that will be invaluable... Kitson, or Sir Robert Thompson will be an invaluable asset to a wide readership unity in the of! S highly effective throughout the volume, Kilcullen warns, it is certainly true that the COUNTERinsurgent widespread! Massacre of civilians before our troops went in total, he was of... In total, he points out, is the central task. ”, how! A long, long time to build a road – killing innocent people in marketplaces on! S information one chapter at a time intolerable environment in which the people look to their views assist readers understanding. Responding to the Review itself, rather than the book has many insights. Nothing of value to those exposed willingly or unwillingly to their the accidental guerrilla review and demand an to. His theory of what he calls the Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars the. 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