Small Wars Journal

counterinsurgency

Shifting Militia Allegiances and the Prospects for Ending the Small War in Northern Mali

Wed, 08/14/2019 - 12:20am
Unfortunately, there is no easy fix to the situation in northern Mali. The Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation still provides a blueprint for a more just, inclusive, and peaceful social contract to regulate relations between the government and the people and between different communities in the area.

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Assessment of French Intervention in the Sahel Region, 2013-2019

Mon, 08/12/2019 - 7:01am
Despite the initial success of Operation Serval in 2013, French intervention in the Sahel region has now reached impasse. The already intricate situation is further complicated by France’s status as a former colonizer operating in the region. Understanding how France’s former colonial status translates into relationships between local communities, French troops, and armed terrorist groups will influence long term engagement.

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Making Headway Against the Sinai Insurgency

Sat, 08/10/2019 - 1:27pm
Countering this insurgency has been at the forefront of Egyptian president Abdelfattah al-Sisi’s agenda since he assumed office in 2013. Roughly 1,000 security personnel have been killed in the region during this period. However, despite brutal methods and substantial military effort, the Egyptian government has little to show from the past five-plus years of counterinsurgency operations in the Sinai aside from hundreds of military and civilian casualties and an undeterred adversary.

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“Malice in Blunderland” - J. P. Cross and the Royal Lao Army - 1972-75 SWJED Fri, 07/12/2019 - 7:13am
There are many reasons (political/diplomatic/financial) why Laos was taken over by the Pathet Lao in 1975. Perhaps the overriding reason was the state of its military. The Royal Lao Army was one of the most ineffective forces of modern times. Despite being funded by a near inexhaustible American bankroll, it was a very poor shadow of its model, the ARVN.

Unintended Consequences of the Message Surrounding US Withdrawal from Afghanistan and Syria

Sat, 07/06/2019 - 5:12pm
This study determines what trends, if any, may be associated with the announcements of US troop withdrawals in both Syria and Afghanistan on December 19 and 20, respectively. It examines the extent to which linkages exist between the unintended consequences and the announcement of the US military’s withdrawal by examining activities and commentary associated with the Taliban, the SDF, and the Daesh.

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Options for Maintaining Counterinsurgency Capabilities in the Great Power Era SWJED Tue, 07/02/2019 - 9:17am
This article is published as part of the Small Wars Journal and Divergent Options Writing Contest which ran from March 1, 2019 to May 31, 2019.

Assessment of the Efficacy of the French Military Intervention in the Northern Mali Conflict

Mon, 05/13/2019 - 1:22am
This article is published as part of the Small Wars Journal and Divergent Options Writing Contest which runs from March 1, 2019 to May 31, 2019. The French military intervention in the Northern Mali Conflict in 2013 (Operation Serval) was a military success and met the criteria for success established by civilian leadership, however, it did not alter the trajectory of conflict in the region. It subsequently became conjoined to a United Nations liberal peacebuilding effort in Mali with low prospects for rapid success, resulting in a lengthy “forever war” in the Sahel.

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