You're not likely to hear from any talking-head on TV, or read in your paper, the fact that for the past few hundred years (or 2000 if you include Rome) military super-powers have been rather adept at defeating opposing military powers, but remarkably deficient at "counter-insurgency".
I remember, 30 years ago, reading about the success of the British Army in Burma as an example U.S. forces should have emulated in VietNam, and I suppose one could argue that the U.S. Army achieved it's objectives against the native population of America, but those are the only examples I can think of, off the top of my head, to describe a "successful" counter-insurgency. I presume there are others, but I am struck by the fact that I can think of many examples, again off the top of my head, of dismaying and unpredicted defeats.
Just in the last century:
The Irish Revolt of 1916
The Arab Revolt 1917
The Israeli Uprising after WW2
France / IndoChina
France / Algeria
U.S. / VietNam
U.S.S.R. / Afghanistan
Even the vaunted Wehrmacht was often crippled by "Partisans" in WW2. The Russian Revolution of 1917 and the American Revolution of 1776 are perhaps also examples of "insurgencies" that required outside assistance/intervention to succeed, as did almost every
"freedom-fighter"
"Patriot"
"Founding Father"
"Terrorist"
(Revolutionary)
force that ever achieved the goal of replacing an occupier's (tyrant's) power with their own.
Yet even with such ancient examples in addition to those of less than 20 or 30 years ago, you would think some responsible "reporter" would hasten to inform his readers/viewers of the dismal historic record. (if only to at least demonstrate what a difficult task it is?)
But it is likely you will never hear such things from the mouths and typewriters of they who serve an employer whose financial interests are intimately and irrevocably intertwined with those of the "super-power" governments and their enablers. Indeed, many of the most read, heard (we mustn't forget the radio) and watched media organs are owned and directed by corporate boards with financial ties to armaments makers and banking institutions.
And the only reference to the past you will hear from any "Government official" is that "this time will be different".
So if you want to truly understand the interplay between the economic, military, and political forces on the regional and global stage, you had best turn off the TV and the radio, cancel your newspaper and newsmagazine subscriptions, and get thee hence to a library or bookstore. (even the Internet)
You will have to educate yourself, for anyone who insists on doing it for you most likely has an interest other than yours in mind.
stephenhsmith
30July2006
