The political impossibility of modern counterinsurgency : strategic problems, puzzles, and paradoxes /

The counterinsurgency (COIN) paradigm dominates military and political conduct in contemporary Western strategic thought. It assumes future wars will unfold as 'low intensity' conflicts within rather than between states, requiring specialized military training and techniques. COIN is under...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Smith, M. L. R. 1963- (Author), Jones, David Martin, 1950- (Author)
Format: Book
Language:English
Published: New York : Columbia University Press, [2015]
Series:Columbia studies in terrorism and irregular warfare.
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Summary:The counterinsurgency (COIN) paradigm dominates military and political conduct in contemporary Western strategic thought. It assumes future wars will unfold as 'low intensity' conflicts within rather than between states, requiring specialized military training and techniques. COIN is understood as a logical, effective, and democratically palatable method for confronting insurgency - a discrete set of practices that, through the actions of knowledgeable soldiers and under the guidance of an expert elite, creates lasting results. Through an extensive investigation into COIN's theories, methods, and outcomes, this book undermines enduring claims about COIN's success while revealing its hidden meanings and effects.
Physical Description:xxiii, 262 pages ; 24 cm.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN:9780231170000
0231170009