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ISLAMIC 
INSURGENCY AND 
TACTICAL 
ADOPTION OF 
TERRORISM BY 
GLOBAL JIHADIST’S 
The Global Insurgency Paradigm, Tactical Adoption and Improving 
Operational and Analytical Capacity for Future Conflict against Radical 
Islamic Groups and Global Jihad 
Patrick Cannon 
BSST 332: Practices 
of Terrorism 
12/8/2014
Abstract 
Since the 1970’s, the Middle East has seen an increase in political activism and violence. 
The United States has been involved with efforts to counter extremist groups in this region, post 
9/11 our efforts have increased drastically, specifically in Iraq and the Afghanistan/Pakistan 
(AFPAK) region. Ten years after the both Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom many 
lessons have been learned and new perspectives have emerged. Globalization and increased 
connectivity have created a new view on insurgency and extremist activity. The purpose of this 
paper is to further look into this notion and address how the United States government has to re-define 
and re-think the violence of Global Jihad and Islamic Extremists as Radical Islamic 
Insurgency Based Terrorism. Along with looking at the role of tactical adoption to further make 
recommendations in research and policy to fix operational and analytical pitfalls in future 
conflicts. 
I. Radicals or Patriots? Unconventional Tactics in a Globalized World 
a. Terminology and Methodology 
b. Insurgency and Terrorism: Complementing and Competing Paradigms 
II. The Importance of Definition: Tactics, Logic and the Real World 
a. Guerilla Warfare and Terrorism as Tactics 
b. Failure of Old School Logic: Tactical Adoption and Group Efficacy 
c. Caliphates and Sharia Law: A Case Study of Radical Islamic Groups 
III. Gaps and Analysis: Redefine the Enemy and Rethink our Tactics 
a. Conclusion: Recommendations on the Enemy and Tactics
Radicals or Patriots? Unconventional Tactics in a Globalized World 
Change is inevitable, regimes change and new figures come to power. These shifts occur 
both violently and non-violently. More then not as history has shown most of these changes 
come at the end of a sword or in our modern era, the barrel of a gun. Insurgency and Terrorism 
are not new venues of warfare, we have seen their increase use post globalization and 
colonization of areas worldwide. What is new is our understanding of both concepts, post 9/11 
the government has increased focus and research of non-state actor groups. Insurgency can be 
traced back as far as the Roman Empire, but the earliest mention of insurgent and guerilla tactics 
is in the “Art of War” written by Sun Tzu. But it wasn’t until the 18th century that these state on 
non-state actor violence began to become noticeable. During this time of proper warfare these 
tactics were seen as cowardice and “a manifestation of criminality” (Sr & Gray, 2011). The 
French Revolution, The American Revolution, even the Napoleonic wars saw rise of these 
unconventional tactics of conflict manned by the common people. 
In the 20th century many insurgent conflicts were seen especially with the rise of anti-colonialism 
sentiments, the earliest being the rise of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) against 
British occupation. This conflict would in one shape or form until the Good Friday Agreement in 
1998. In the late 50’s to early 70’s, Americas fear of communism would lead us into a war in 
Vietnam were the Viet Cong army would employ these guerilla tactics against a well-trained and 
well equipped U.S. army that would eventually retreat in 1972. Last but not least the Soviet 
Union would attempt to occupy Afghanistan but were beaten back by the Mujahedeen. The 
mujahedeen fully employed guerilla tactics against the feared Russian army forcing them to 
retreat as well. This case of insurgency in Afghanistan during the 1980’s would lead to the 
problem we have today. It’s been thirteen years since the U.S. invasion of Afghanis tan and
eleven since the invasion of Iraq. The Islamic insurgence has reached new heights in violence 
and it global reach. Many lessons have been learned from this conflict, but one still remains; 
what are we actually fighting? 
In our post 9/11 world policy makers and the media have been so hung up on “Terrorism” 
because of the events of that day that the government has labeled everything following that day 
as “an act of terror”. But just because it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, doesn’t mean 
it is a duck. Terrorism is an issue of the modern day, like guerrilla warfare it is an asymmetrical 
tactic used by non-state actors to further agendas. But some experts and scholars in the various 
fields of terrorism, insurgency, and modern conflict view terrorism differently than those making 
policy. David Kilcullen one of the top experts in counter-insurgency and modern conflict has 
stated the he believes that we are not fighting a war on terror, but a war on insurgency on a 
global scale. This lead to my belief that many of the groups fighting this global jihad are not pure 
terrorist groups, rather they are insurgencies that have adopted terrorism as one their primary 
tactics because of its coercive effect and simplicity. 
Terminology and Methodology 
Much of my research is centered on the work of David Kilcullens and his notions and 
claims and the data set I am currently working on at START. My goal was to use this as a base to 
build a further case of why the United States Government need to re-define who we are fighting 
and in turn re-think our current strategy and policy. I also looked into Dr.Mark Lichbach and 
Robert Pape’s work. Mark Lichbach headed a dataset called Guerilla Insurgency: A Springboard 
for Terrorism, which I worked on as a START intern. The dataset looked at the correlation of 
insurgent groups and their use of terrorist tactics in a conflict. Dr. Robert Pape wrote Dying to 
Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism which analyzed the adoption of suicide tactics by
terrorist groups. All three of these figures work helped me establish a framework in which I 
could define what Radical Islamic Insurgency Based Terrorisms was and why we need to view 
jihadist violence as such. 
I also found that certain definitions were crucial for context and understanding of this 
topic. The definitions of insurgency and terrorism are not include because they have their own 
dedicated section. Operations definitions also have their own dedicated section. The following 
terms are important: 
 Nationalism- “is a belief, creed or political ideology that involves an individual 
identifying with, or becoming attached to, one's nation” (Rothi, Lyons, & Chryssochoou, 
2005) 
 Religious Nationalism- the relationship of nationalism to a particular religious belief, 
dogma, or affiliation. This relationship can be broken down into two aspects; the 
politicization of religion and the influence of religion on politics. (Xypolia, 2011) 
 Non-State Actor- are entities that participate or act in international relations. They are 
organizations with sufficient power to influence and cause a change even though they do 
not belong to any established institution of a state. 
 Globalization- the process of international integration arising from the interchange of 
world views, products, ideas and other aspects of culture. 
 Guerilla Warfare- “a form of irregular warfare in which a small group of combatants 
such as armed civilians or irregulars use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, 
raids, petty warfare, hit-and-run tactics, and mobility to fight a larger and less-mobile 
traditional military”. (Department of Defense, 2014)
 Asymmetrical Warfare- “is war between belligerents whose relative military power 
differs significantly, or whose strategy or tactics differ significantly”. (Tomes, 2004 ) 
Insurgency and Terrorism: Complementing and Competing Paradigms 
Non-state actor violence comes in many forms, while terrorism and insurgency both stem 
from a political grievance and indifference they are very different. Insurgency is better defined 
then terrorism, the Department of Defense defines the concepts as: 
 Insurgency- “an organized resistance movement that uses subversion, 
sabotage and armed conflict to achieve its aims. Insurgencies normally seek to 
overthrow the existing social order and reallocate power within the country. 
They may also seek to” (Department of Defense, 2014); 
o Overthrow an established government without a follow-on social 
revolution Establish an autonomous national territory within the 
borders of the state, Cause withdrawal of an occupying power, Extract 
political concessions that are unattainable through non-violent means. 
 Terrorism- “the calculated use of violence or threat of violence to inculcate 
fear; intended to coerce or intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit 
of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological” (Department of 
Defense, 2014). 
Right of the bat one difference can be seen, terrorism (not terrorist’s or terrorists groups) is a 
tactic and nothing more. This has caused problems with our current strategy against global 
jihadist groups, we view them solely as terrorist groups and terrorism as a physical problem. The 
truth is, not all radical Islamic groups are solely terrorist groups, and rather they are insurgents
using terrorist tactics. There are benefits and fall backs to this, the benefit is that terrorist style 
attacks can significantly impact a large opposing force with just a few men and will coordinated 
execution. This seems similar to guerrilla warfare the key difference being that terrorist tactics 
are usually conducted in a manner that targets civilians to punish the government. 
The complementing and unifying factor between insurgency and terrorism is that both 
live and die by the populace they claim to fight for. A Non-State group relies on its people for 
funding, support, safe heavens and may other key needs to maintain a group’s capacity to 
operate. This can be swayed by a group’s ideology and tactics, if a groups demands are too 
unreasonable and there tactics to brutal a population will not support a given group. As stated 
before the real contrasting factor is target selection between the two tactics. Donald Black states 
that “terrorism is unilateral and covert…and its targets are civilian rather than military” (Black, 
2004), On the other hand insurgency has a covert nature but its actions are much more overt, so 
too is their presence once they come into full swing. Scholars like black also highlight that target 
selection can change for terrorist and insurgent groups, “those popularly known as guerillas may 
sometimes engage in terrorism, and those known as terrorists sometimes engage in guerilla 
warfare” (Black, 2004). This shows that there are pure terrorist groups and pure insurgencies, the 
trouble is that they are few and far between are pure or do not remain pure. 
Terrorism and Insurgency may thrive in the same environment but by no means are they 
exactly identical. Between the two concepts insurgency is much easier to disrupt, this is because 
an insurgency itself is a physical body as the DOD definition states “an organized resistance 
movement” (Department of Defense, 2014). The issue with radical groups in the Middle East is 
that they are not like traditional insurgencies. Killcullen argues that we are fighting a war on 
global insurgency in not global terrorism (Killcullen, 2004 ). This notion of a global paradigm
has shifted understandings and definitions which posse the challenge of new counter strategies 
(status quo strategy will be addressed in conclusion) to combat these non-state actor threats. 
The Importance of Definition: Tactics, Logic and the Real World 
The ability to define a person or concept is to show an understanding. What most people 
forget is that times change, so do perceptions and understandings. Pre 1945 warfare logic saw 
that the stronger side in a conflict not only instigated a fight, but almost always won it as well. 
This logic assumed that conflict was state on state combatants. Post 1945, that all changed “the 
modern action of nation building, insurgencies, and the use of guerilla and terrorist tactics” (Sr & 
Gray, 2011) have become cornerstones of political and social change. If we look at an 
insurgency as a physical being then tactics are “personalities” a way of expression that is dictated 
by influential factors in a non-state actors environment. Often insurgencies are swayed by 
government response, population interaction, amount of resources, and ideology. 
If the United States is to better its operational and analytical capacity it must do a better 
job of understanding why non-state actor groups adopt different tactics and view them as tactics 
and nothing more. “Terrorism has become merely another derogatory word, rather than a 
descriptor of a specific type of activity” (Merari, 1993 ). Further, the United States must 
distinguish the various tactics employed by non-state actors. Specifically terrorism and guerilla 
warfare as they are the most utilized by these groups. 
Guerilla Warfare and Terrorism as Tactics and the Difference between Them 
“As strategies of insurgency, however, terrorism and guerrilla are quite distinct” (Merari, 
1993 ). Merari speaks how the two words are used interchangeably but highlights there 
distinctness in many ways. First is the physicality, “unlike terrorism, guerilla tries to establish
physical control of a territory” (Merari, 1993 ). Guerrilla warfare is the primary tactic used by 
insurgencies, in the 1980’s the anti-Soviet jihad used these tactics to combat the Russians, and it 
was also very popular with South American revolutionary groups as well. These tactics include 
ambushes, raids and hit run style attacks. When guerilla tactics are utilized a group or 
movements goal is to assert dominance and control, this can be seen in some Islamic groups like 
the Taliban for example who in the 1990’s not only seized Kandahar but the province as well. 
Terrorism as a tactic does not dwell in a physical domain so to speak. The act itself is physical, 
the goal and consequence is not. “As a strategy, terrorism remains in the domain of 
psychological influence” (Merari, 1993 ). Coercion and fear are the endgames of a terrorist 
attack, to influence a target state government in too giving in or meeting “demands” of the non-state 
actor. This can include car bombing, suicide bombings and kidnappings. Simply put one 
tactic is used to gain physical progress, the other to sway an enemy and cause disruption among 
the populace. 
Size and target selection also plays a factor, with guerilla tactics targets are almost 
entirely of a military or of strategic importance (I.E. weapons depots). In guerilla warfare large 
forces are utilized by non-state actors “guerillas usually wage war in platoon or company size 
units” (Merari, 1993 ). When acts of terrorism are conducted size and target are the opposite of 
guerilla warfare. With terrorism non-state actors work in smaller and more convert units for their 
operations. This involves tactics such as bombings, kidnappings, and small arms conflict. As 
stated before the goal of terrorism is coercion of a psychological manner, this is accomplished by 
the unorthodox selection of civilian targets. Robert Pape discuss the strategies of denial vs 
punishment in non-state actor conflict. The trouble he says is “Denial is impossible, this is due to 
the fact that even groups that have state backing do not poses the means for full scale invasion”
(Pape, 2005). There by this logic terrorism uses punishment to produce a coercive effect on a 
state actor adversary. 
It’s easy to establish these concepts merely as tactics, the real question becomes what 
makes an insurgency decide between the two. Is the adoption of one tactic or another a choice of 
reason? Or one that comes out of necessity or forced adaptation based on event within a conflict? 
If the might of a state actor force outweighs most non-state actor and insurgent groups, why do 
governments have such a tough time extinguishing and dismantling these groups? 
Failure of Old School Logic: Tactical Adoption and Darwinian Selection 
When it comes to warfare “most models of human conflict tend to focus on military 
power, predicting that- all else equal- the stronger side will prevail” (Johnson, 2009). While this 
logic has proven true many times, post WWII it does not hold the argument that it used to. The 
reason being that before 1945 most conflicts where state on state conflict. Today’s modern 
conflicts have been primarily sate on non-state actors, this is due to more globalized network of 
interaction between different parts of the world. When states go head to head with a non-state 
actor group, whether in their own country and another recent history has shown that traditional 
warfare and “cold war” tactics cannot prevail against an insurgency. Killcullen talks about an 
insurgency and the environment it works in as biological system. In terms of tactics, Darwinian 
Selection has been applied to why non-state groups change and adopt tactics to take on more 
powerful state actors. 
According to Johnson application on Darwinian selection shows “stronger sides may 
suffer a disadvantage” (Johnson, 2009). The three areas he highlights are Variation, Selection, 
and Replication. Essentially “weaker sides adapt faster and more effectively” (Johnson, 2009) in
this case Islamic insurgencies, whom Johnson also looked at as well. Johnson states that much 
like in the wild, insurgencies change tactics through natural selection. The reason this is 
applicable is “organisms must constantly adapt just to stay in the same strategic position relative 
to their enemies” (Sagrain, 2003), such is the case with any insurgency. Non-state actors have to 
adapt to counter-reactions by state actors as well as stay one step ahead. But have Islamic groups 
used variations of tactics? Selected the successful ones and continue to replicate these tactics? 
Caliphates and Sharia Law: A Case Study of Radical Islamic Groups 
Tactical adoption and Darwinian Selection sound good in theory, but what of its real 
world application? Have we seen Islamic groups go from traditional insurgencies to insurgencies 
utilizing terrorism? With the Islamic resurgence the world began to see an increase Islamic 
activism, starting with the Iranian revolution in 1979. This is an example of a pure insurgency, 
and others have occurred such as the Sunni Insurgency in Iraq and the Houthi Rebellion in 
Yemen. The well-known insurgency that has come out of the conflict in the Middle East is the 
Taliban in Afghanistan. The Center of Security Studies in Switzerland recently published an 
article discussing what they call the “Talibanization of Insurgency” (Mahadevan, 2014). The 
Taliban got its start with the mujahedeen that fought against the soviet invasion in the 1980’s but 
was officially founded by Mullah Omar in 1994 as a milita that then took over governmental 
control until 2001. The Taliban serves as a forefather of sorts within the present day Islamic 
insurgent groups. 
The Taliban 
Post-soviet invasion there was a power vacuum in Afghanistan, one that the Taliban filled 
quickly and efficiently. “The Taliban have long had an innate understanding of guerrilla tactics
at the field level, based on the accumulated wisdom of three decades of civil war in Afghanistan” 
(Mahadevan, 2014), this has allowed them to sustain a prolonged insurgency against the afghan 
government and U.S. forces. The Taliban has used guerilla tactics against U.S. forces, Taliban 
fighters were notorious for ambushes and raids against U.S convoys and patrols in the Helmand 
and Kandahar provinces. Subversion was also part of the Taliban arsenal, “It is known that the 
Taliban spent the years 2002–05 infiltrating large numbers of cadres into Afghanistan, from safe 
havens in Pakistan” (Mahadevan, 2014). This would allow the Taliban to expand its insurgency 
across Afghanistan, thus gaining territory and a foothold. 
While original Taliban tactics were successful, counter measures by U.S. and Afghan 
forces forced them to adopt new tactics to keep an edge. Post 2005 the Taliban increased its use 
of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s) against U.S. and Afghan forces, this terrorist style 
tactic proved effective, “Afghan IEDs can be built for as little as $265 apiece. The US 
government, in contrast, spent $ 18 billion on designing and manufacturing bomb-detection 
equipment” (Mahadevan, 2014). Not only has the Taliban changed the existing social order 
before but wishes to do so again, which makes them an insurgency. However as the fight has 
raged new tactics have been adopted to react to pressure. The Haqqini network, a faction within 
the Taliban has used Kidnapping for Ransom as a fear tactic and as way to raise funds. But some 
scholars believe this has left Afghanistan, many Taliban fighters came from outside of 
Afghanistan and such have taken those tactics back home. “Although the Taliban model of 
insurgency has yet to be exactly replicated in other contexts, some aspects can already be noticed 
elsewhere” (Mahadevan, 2014), this shows the influence of the global paradigm that has 
developed from globalized jihad into other areas such as North Africa. 
Al Shabbab in Somalia
Al-Shabbab is a radical Islamic group out of Somalia that formed out of the Islamic 
Courts union in 2006. From their beginnings Al-Shabbab was an insurgency, engaging Ethiopian 
forces and forming strongholds. However when African Union and other governmental forces 
began to successfully combat them Al-Shabbab shifted its tactics. “Late September 2013, a small 
team of gunmen attacked the upscale Westgate shopping center” (Bryden, 2014). This attack 
highlighted Al-Shabbab’s shift into implementing terrorist attacks to further their agenda. They 
have also employed suicide bombings and “suicide infantry”. This and the July 2010 bombings 
were both conducted by Al-Shabbab’s Martyrdom Brigade. This brigade carries out many 
terrorist style suicide missions, usually outside of Somalia. In comparison the group utilizes its 
insurgency component in country. On a global perspective Al-Shabbab is not hiding trade secrets 
“ Jacob Zenn, an expert on Boko Haram who has advised the State Department on the terror 
group, said worrying signs have emerged of the extremists communicating and sharing tactics 
with al Shabaab” (Vos & Smith , 2014). 
Boko Haram in Nigeria 
Organized by Mohammed Yusuf in 2002 out of Northern Nigeria Boko Haram is radical 
Islamic group that despite having been around for more than a decade has recently gained 
momentum in their cause. Originally Boko Haram was seen as a pure terrorist group employing 
suicide bombing attacks and drive by assassinations of key political figures. The group has 
become a full- fledged insurgency, attacking government forces to remove them a seize territory 
to establish bases of operation. “Boko Haram's tactics have changed accordingly, from smash 
and dash attacks, killing thousands, into attempts to grab and hold territory” (Grossman & 
Joscelyn, 2014). Despite this image change Boko Haram still utilizes terrorist tactics, their latest 
being kidnapping. “Perhaps less sophisticated than other tactics, kidnapping has become one of
the group’s primary funding sources, a way to extract concessions from the Nigerian state and 
other governments” (Zenn, 2013). The spotlighted kidnapping was that of 276 young girls from a 
school in northern Nigeria. 
While Boko Haram does not fall into a straight forward transition of insurgency adopting 
terrorism, they still qualify. Not only is Boko Haram another example of an insurgency utilizing 
terrorist tactics, it reinforces the global paradigm threat as both groups not only have affiliation 
with each other, but Al-Qaeda as well. 
Gaps and Analysis: Redefine the Enemy and Rethink our Tactics 
When it comes to insurgency and the ins and outs of its practice there is an abundance of 
literature and scholarly research. Even with this abundance, there are area that have yet to be 
covered or thoroughly explored. Most insurgency literature still follows classical thought process 
a structure, meaning they still view individual insurgencies as singular entities. As Killcullen 
discusses in his thesis, he views these insurgencies as a global movement. These Islamic 
insurgencies are united through their common religious beliefs. Add our fast paced globalized 
society and you have a vast network. On top of this when it comes to globalized insurgency 
practitioners and academics have not studied if this globalized is unique to radical Islam or if it 
can be replicated. When it comes to terrorism vs insurgency, many scholars have done extensive 
work on both areas and compared and contrasted them. The areas that need to be covered is the 
pressing of terrorism as at tactic and not a living thing. 
In the realm of tactical adoption there were some gaps to consider. Much literature covers 
how tactical adoption occurs and that in fact it’s a phenomena; but why does it occur? Many 
scholars have looked into the histories and timelines of groups like the Taliban and Boko Haram
adopting terrorism as tactic along with distinguishing pure terrorists from insurgency movements 
but the real how has not been established. What kind of government actions push non-state actors 
to terrorism in an insurgency? When do these groups find it acceptable to target their own 
population that they are relying on for support? Is there a point of no return for the use of 
terrorism, one this tactic is adopted can the use of guerilla tactics not make up for the use of 
terrorism? 
Conclusion: Recommendations on the Enemy and Tactics 
If there is anything Killcullen and Lichbach agree on is this “Terrorism is only a means to 
an end” (Killcullen, 2004 ). Lichbach’s work has also shown that the adoption of terrorism by 
insurgency groups is not a new thing. Along with the global paradigm perspective one thing is 
clear, we need to re-think our adversary and the use of tactics on both sides. Through some 
research and my own viewpoints I have defined these two terms: 
 Radical Islamic Insurgency- Non-State actors who use insurgent tactics in hope to 
obtain the goals of a radical Islamic ideology as well as overthrow the existing social 
order and establish shria law or other radical Islamic influences as the governing body. 
 Insurgent Based Terrorism- Non-State/Insurgent actors that adopt the use of terrorism 
as a tactic in their armed/guerilla conflict against a state actor. 
As other scholars have shown that classic logic and classic counter paradigms have become 
archaic and present day logic and understanding must come into play. But to change logic, must 
change definition and enhance our understanding. Insurgencies are complex but have simple 
motivations and needs, they become part of the very environments they wish to change making 
them difficult to up root.
What I recommend is not more research or new policy, it is both. We do need to change 
policy to improve the effectiveness of both counter-terrorism (CT) and counter-insurgency 
(COIN) operations. This is a tweak of Killcullen’s proposal of focusing on COIN operations. 
Both forms of counter-operations are required but both need to be formatted to a global scale. 
Unlike traditional insurgencies which are usually tied to an individual areas, the campaigns of 
the Taliban, Boko Haram, Al-Shabbab and other radical groups are tied together through 
religious nationalism of Radical Islam (I say radical because the schools of thought and 
ideologies of these groups differ from non-radical Islam). This has allowed the global jihadist 
movement to extend far beyond the mountains of Afghanistan or the Arabian Peninsula. So how 
do we improve? There are four areas of effectiveness we need to improve: 
1. Tactical Adoption Factors- we must understand how and why a group decides to use 
guerilla or terrorist tactics 
2. Advising and Low Key Presence- if U.S. intervention is required, we do not need an 
invasion force, teach and monitor should be our motto. 
3. Accurate Framework- goals and objectives must be set before stepping foot in-country. 
Eradicating a group is not enough, we have to stabilize. 
4. Networking and Cultural Awareness- proposed by Killcullen, one must understand the 
area he is in. outsiders have the disadvantage of no local knowledge. 
At the end of the day, most insurgencies must be dealt with by the locals, that being said in our 
highly globalized world outside interventions from super powers and other countries is 
inevitable. The line between a radical and a patriot is a thin one and only time and a final 
outcome will decide what the history books will say. Knowledge is said to be power, but is 
useless unless it is utilized to better yourself and any situation that needs resolution. If this logic
is adopted then we can effectively combat non-state extremist violence and the global jihadist 
movement more effectively, maybe to bring an end but at least turn the tide.
Bibliography 
Black, D. (2004). The Geometry of Terrorism . Charlottesville: University of Virginia . 
Bryden, M. (2014). The Reinvention of Al-Shabbab: A Strategy of Choice or Necessisty? . Washington D.C. 
: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) . 
Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Department of State. (2009). U.S. Goverment Counter Insurgency 
Guide . Washington D.C. : United States Department of State . 
Central Intelliegence Agency (CIA). (2009). Guide to the Analysis of Insurgency . Langley . 
Collings, D., & Rohozinski, R. (2013). Shifting Fire: Information Effects in CounterInsurgency and Stability 
Operations. Cambridge : U.S. Army War College: University of Cambridge . 
Grossman, L., & Joscelyn, T. (2014). Analysis: Boko Haram focuses on seizing territory. Washington D.C. : 
The Long War Journal. 
Johnson, D. (2009). Darwinian Selction in Aysymetrical Warfare: The Natrual Advantage of Insurgents 
and Terrorists. Edinburgh : Univeristy of Edinburgh . 
Killcullen, L. (. (2004 ). Countering Global Insurgency . Australia . 
Mahadevan, P. (2014). Strategic Trends in 2014: The Talibanization of Insurgency . Zurich : Center for 
Security Studies. 
Merari, A. (1993 ). Terrorism as a Strategy of Insurgency . London: Frank Cass. 
Pape, R. (2005). Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism . New York : Random House . 
Rothi, D., Lyons, E., & Chryssochoou, X. (2005). National Attachment and Patriotism in a European 
Nation: A British Study. Middlesex University. 
Sagrain, R. (2003). Adapt or Die: What Charles Darwin can Teach Tom Ridge about Homeland Security . 
Washington D.C. : Foregin Policy . 
Sr, A. M., & Gray, D. H. (2011). Insurgency, Guerilla Warfare, and Terrorism: Conflict and its Application 
for the Future. Global Security Studies . 
Tomes, R. R. (2004 ). Relearning CounterInsurgency Warfare . Carlisle: U.S. Army War College . 
Vos, S. D., & Smith , A. (2014, Decemebr 2). Boko Haram Trades Terrorist Tactics With Somolia's Al- 
Shabbab. Retrieved from NBCNews.com: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/missing-nigeria-schoolgirls/ 
boko-haram-trades-terrorist-tactics-somalias-al-shabaab-n140456 
Xypolia, I. (2011). Cypriot Muslims Amoung Ottamans, Turks, and Two World Wars. Stanfordshire: Keele 
University. 
Zenn, J. (2013). Boko Haram's Evolving Tactics and Alliances in Nigeria . West Point : Counter Terrorism 
Center .

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History of TerrorismHistory of Terrorism
History of Terrorism
 
Terrorism
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Terrorism
 

Tactical Adoption of Terrorism by Islamic Insurgency

  • 1. ISLAMIC INSURGENCY AND TACTICAL ADOPTION OF TERRORISM BY GLOBAL JIHADIST’S The Global Insurgency Paradigm, Tactical Adoption and Improving Operational and Analytical Capacity for Future Conflict against Radical Islamic Groups and Global Jihad Patrick Cannon BSST 332: Practices of Terrorism 12/8/2014
  • 2. Abstract Since the 1970’s, the Middle East has seen an increase in political activism and violence. The United States has been involved with efforts to counter extremist groups in this region, post 9/11 our efforts have increased drastically, specifically in Iraq and the Afghanistan/Pakistan (AFPAK) region. Ten years after the both Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom many lessons have been learned and new perspectives have emerged. Globalization and increased connectivity have created a new view on insurgency and extremist activity. The purpose of this paper is to further look into this notion and address how the United States government has to re-define and re-think the violence of Global Jihad and Islamic Extremists as Radical Islamic Insurgency Based Terrorism. Along with looking at the role of tactical adoption to further make recommendations in research and policy to fix operational and analytical pitfalls in future conflicts. I. Radicals or Patriots? Unconventional Tactics in a Globalized World a. Terminology and Methodology b. Insurgency and Terrorism: Complementing and Competing Paradigms II. The Importance of Definition: Tactics, Logic and the Real World a. Guerilla Warfare and Terrorism as Tactics b. Failure of Old School Logic: Tactical Adoption and Group Efficacy c. Caliphates and Sharia Law: A Case Study of Radical Islamic Groups III. Gaps and Analysis: Redefine the Enemy and Rethink our Tactics a. Conclusion: Recommendations on the Enemy and Tactics
  • 3. Radicals or Patriots? Unconventional Tactics in a Globalized World Change is inevitable, regimes change and new figures come to power. These shifts occur both violently and non-violently. More then not as history has shown most of these changes come at the end of a sword or in our modern era, the barrel of a gun. Insurgency and Terrorism are not new venues of warfare, we have seen their increase use post globalization and colonization of areas worldwide. What is new is our understanding of both concepts, post 9/11 the government has increased focus and research of non-state actor groups. Insurgency can be traced back as far as the Roman Empire, but the earliest mention of insurgent and guerilla tactics is in the “Art of War” written by Sun Tzu. But it wasn’t until the 18th century that these state on non-state actor violence began to become noticeable. During this time of proper warfare these tactics were seen as cowardice and “a manifestation of criminality” (Sr & Gray, 2011). The French Revolution, The American Revolution, even the Napoleonic wars saw rise of these unconventional tactics of conflict manned by the common people. In the 20th century many insurgent conflicts were seen especially with the rise of anti-colonialism sentiments, the earliest being the rise of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) against British occupation. This conflict would in one shape or form until the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. In the late 50’s to early 70’s, Americas fear of communism would lead us into a war in Vietnam were the Viet Cong army would employ these guerilla tactics against a well-trained and well equipped U.S. army that would eventually retreat in 1972. Last but not least the Soviet Union would attempt to occupy Afghanistan but were beaten back by the Mujahedeen. The mujahedeen fully employed guerilla tactics against the feared Russian army forcing them to retreat as well. This case of insurgency in Afghanistan during the 1980’s would lead to the problem we have today. It’s been thirteen years since the U.S. invasion of Afghanis tan and
  • 4. eleven since the invasion of Iraq. The Islamic insurgence has reached new heights in violence and it global reach. Many lessons have been learned from this conflict, but one still remains; what are we actually fighting? In our post 9/11 world policy makers and the media have been so hung up on “Terrorism” because of the events of that day that the government has labeled everything following that day as “an act of terror”. But just because it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, doesn’t mean it is a duck. Terrorism is an issue of the modern day, like guerrilla warfare it is an asymmetrical tactic used by non-state actors to further agendas. But some experts and scholars in the various fields of terrorism, insurgency, and modern conflict view terrorism differently than those making policy. David Kilcullen one of the top experts in counter-insurgency and modern conflict has stated the he believes that we are not fighting a war on terror, but a war on insurgency on a global scale. This lead to my belief that many of the groups fighting this global jihad are not pure terrorist groups, rather they are insurgencies that have adopted terrorism as one their primary tactics because of its coercive effect and simplicity. Terminology and Methodology Much of my research is centered on the work of David Kilcullens and his notions and claims and the data set I am currently working on at START. My goal was to use this as a base to build a further case of why the United States Government need to re-define who we are fighting and in turn re-think our current strategy and policy. I also looked into Dr.Mark Lichbach and Robert Pape’s work. Mark Lichbach headed a dataset called Guerilla Insurgency: A Springboard for Terrorism, which I worked on as a START intern. The dataset looked at the correlation of insurgent groups and their use of terrorist tactics in a conflict. Dr. Robert Pape wrote Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism which analyzed the adoption of suicide tactics by
  • 5. terrorist groups. All three of these figures work helped me establish a framework in which I could define what Radical Islamic Insurgency Based Terrorisms was and why we need to view jihadist violence as such. I also found that certain definitions were crucial for context and understanding of this topic. The definitions of insurgency and terrorism are not include because they have their own dedicated section. Operations definitions also have their own dedicated section. The following terms are important:  Nationalism- “is a belief, creed or political ideology that involves an individual identifying with, or becoming attached to, one's nation” (Rothi, Lyons, & Chryssochoou, 2005)  Religious Nationalism- the relationship of nationalism to a particular religious belief, dogma, or affiliation. This relationship can be broken down into two aspects; the politicization of religion and the influence of religion on politics. (Xypolia, 2011)  Non-State Actor- are entities that participate or act in international relations. They are organizations with sufficient power to influence and cause a change even though they do not belong to any established institution of a state.  Globalization- the process of international integration arising from the interchange of world views, products, ideas and other aspects of culture.  Guerilla Warfare- “a form of irregular warfare in which a small group of combatants such as armed civilians or irregulars use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, hit-and-run tactics, and mobility to fight a larger and less-mobile traditional military”. (Department of Defense, 2014)
  • 6.  Asymmetrical Warfare- “is war between belligerents whose relative military power differs significantly, or whose strategy or tactics differ significantly”. (Tomes, 2004 ) Insurgency and Terrorism: Complementing and Competing Paradigms Non-state actor violence comes in many forms, while terrorism and insurgency both stem from a political grievance and indifference they are very different. Insurgency is better defined then terrorism, the Department of Defense defines the concepts as:  Insurgency- “an organized resistance movement that uses subversion, sabotage and armed conflict to achieve its aims. Insurgencies normally seek to overthrow the existing social order and reallocate power within the country. They may also seek to” (Department of Defense, 2014); o Overthrow an established government without a follow-on social revolution Establish an autonomous national territory within the borders of the state, Cause withdrawal of an occupying power, Extract political concessions that are unattainable through non-violent means.  Terrorism- “the calculated use of violence or threat of violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological” (Department of Defense, 2014). Right of the bat one difference can be seen, terrorism (not terrorist’s or terrorists groups) is a tactic and nothing more. This has caused problems with our current strategy against global jihadist groups, we view them solely as terrorist groups and terrorism as a physical problem. The truth is, not all radical Islamic groups are solely terrorist groups, and rather they are insurgents
  • 7. using terrorist tactics. There are benefits and fall backs to this, the benefit is that terrorist style attacks can significantly impact a large opposing force with just a few men and will coordinated execution. This seems similar to guerrilla warfare the key difference being that terrorist tactics are usually conducted in a manner that targets civilians to punish the government. The complementing and unifying factor between insurgency and terrorism is that both live and die by the populace they claim to fight for. A Non-State group relies on its people for funding, support, safe heavens and may other key needs to maintain a group’s capacity to operate. This can be swayed by a group’s ideology and tactics, if a groups demands are too unreasonable and there tactics to brutal a population will not support a given group. As stated before the real contrasting factor is target selection between the two tactics. Donald Black states that “terrorism is unilateral and covert…and its targets are civilian rather than military” (Black, 2004), On the other hand insurgency has a covert nature but its actions are much more overt, so too is their presence once they come into full swing. Scholars like black also highlight that target selection can change for terrorist and insurgent groups, “those popularly known as guerillas may sometimes engage in terrorism, and those known as terrorists sometimes engage in guerilla warfare” (Black, 2004). This shows that there are pure terrorist groups and pure insurgencies, the trouble is that they are few and far between are pure or do not remain pure. Terrorism and Insurgency may thrive in the same environment but by no means are they exactly identical. Between the two concepts insurgency is much easier to disrupt, this is because an insurgency itself is a physical body as the DOD definition states “an organized resistance movement” (Department of Defense, 2014). The issue with radical groups in the Middle East is that they are not like traditional insurgencies. Killcullen argues that we are fighting a war on global insurgency in not global terrorism (Killcullen, 2004 ). This notion of a global paradigm
  • 8. has shifted understandings and definitions which posse the challenge of new counter strategies (status quo strategy will be addressed in conclusion) to combat these non-state actor threats. The Importance of Definition: Tactics, Logic and the Real World The ability to define a person or concept is to show an understanding. What most people forget is that times change, so do perceptions and understandings. Pre 1945 warfare logic saw that the stronger side in a conflict not only instigated a fight, but almost always won it as well. This logic assumed that conflict was state on state combatants. Post 1945, that all changed “the modern action of nation building, insurgencies, and the use of guerilla and terrorist tactics” (Sr & Gray, 2011) have become cornerstones of political and social change. If we look at an insurgency as a physical being then tactics are “personalities” a way of expression that is dictated by influential factors in a non-state actors environment. Often insurgencies are swayed by government response, population interaction, amount of resources, and ideology. If the United States is to better its operational and analytical capacity it must do a better job of understanding why non-state actor groups adopt different tactics and view them as tactics and nothing more. “Terrorism has become merely another derogatory word, rather than a descriptor of a specific type of activity” (Merari, 1993 ). Further, the United States must distinguish the various tactics employed by non-state actors. Specifically terrorism and guerilla warfare as they are the most utilized by these groups. Guerilla Warfare and Terrorism as Tactics and the Difference between Them “As strategies of insurgency, however, terrorism and guerrilla are quite distinct” (Merari, 1993 ). Merari speaks how the two words are used interchangeably but highlights there distinctness in many ways. First is the physicality, “unlike terrorism, guerilla tries to establish
  • 9. physical control of a territory” (Merari, 1993 ). Guerrilla warfare is the primary tactic used by insurgencies, in the 1980’s the anti-Soviet jihad used these tactics to combat the Russians, and it was also very popular with South American revolutionary groups as well. These tactics include ambushes, raids and hit run style attacks. When guerilla tactics are utilized a group or movements goal is to assert dominance and control, this can be seen in some Islamic groups like the Taliban for example who in the 1990’s not only seized Kandahar but the province as well. Terrorism as a tactic does not dwell in a physical domain so to speak. The act itself is physical, the goal and consequence is not. “As a strategy, terrorism remains in the domain of psychological influence” (Merari, 1993 ). Coercion and fear are the endgames of a terrorist attack, to influence a target state government in too giving in or meeting “demands” of the non-state actor. This can include car bombing, suicide bombings and kidnappings. Simply put one tactic is used to gain physical progress, the other to sway an enemy and cause disruption among the populace. Size and target selection also plays a factor, with guerilla tactics targets are almost entirely of a military or of strategic importance (I.E. weapons depots). In guerilla warfare large forces are utilized by non-state actors “guerillas usually wage war in platoon or company size units” (Merari, 1993 ). When acts of terrorism are conducted size and target are the opposite of guerilla warfare. With terrorism non-state actors work in smaller and more convert units for their operations. This involves tactics such as bombings, kidnappings, and small arms conflict. As stated before the goal of terrorism is coercion of a psychological manner, this is accomplished by the unorthodox selection of civilian targets. Robert Pape discuss the strategies of denial vs punishment in non-state actor conflict. The trouble he says is “Denial is impossible, this is due to the fact that even groups that have state backing do not poses the means for full scale invasion”
  • 10. (Pape, 2005). There by this logic terrorism uses punishment to produce a coercive effect on a state actor adversary. It’s easy to establish these concepts merely as tactics, the real question becomes what makes an insurgency decide between the two. Is the adoption of one tactic or another a choice of reason? Or one that comes out of necessity or forced adaptation based on event within a conflict? If the might of a state actor force outweighs most non-state actor and insurgent groups, why do governments have such a tough time extinguishing and dismantling these groups? Failure of Old School Logic: Tactical Adoption and Darwinian Selection When it comes to warfare “most models of human conflict tend to focus on military power, predicting that- all else equal- the stronger side will prevail” (Johnson, 2009). While this logic has proven true many times, post WWII it does not hold the argument that it used to. The reason being that before 1945 most conflicts where state on state conflict. Today’s modern conflicts have been primarily sate on non-state actors, this is due to more globalized network of interaction between different parts of the world. When states go head to head with a non-state actor group, whether in their own country and another recent history has shown that traditional warfare and “cold war” tactics cannot prevail against an insurgency. Killcullen talks about an insurgency and the environment it works in as biological system. In terms of tactics, Darwinian Selection has been applied to why non-state groups change and adopt tactics to take on more powerful state actors. According to Johnson application on Darwinian selection shows “stronger sides may suffer a disadvantage” (Johnson, 2009). The three areas he highlights are Variation, Selection, and Replication. Essentially “weaker sides adapt faster and more effectively” (Johnson, 2009) in
  • 11. this case Islamic insurgencies, whom Johnson also looked at as well. Johnson states that much like in the wild, insurgencies change tactics through natural selection. The reason this is applicable is “organisms must constantly adapt just to stay in the same strategic position relative to their enemies” (Sagrain, 2003), such is the case with any insurgency. Non-state actors have to adapt to counter-reactions by state actors as well as stay one step ahead. But have Islamic groups used variations of tactics? Selected the successful ones and continue to replicate these tactics? Caliphates and Sharia Law: A Case Study of Radical Islamic Groups Tactical adoption and Darwinian Selection sound good in theory, but what of its real world application? Have we seen Islamic groups go from traditional insurgencies to insurgencies utilizing terrorism? With the Islamic resurgence the world began to see an increase Islamic activism, starting with the Iranian revolution in 1979. This is an example of a pure insurgency, and others have occurred such as the Sunni Insurgency in Iraq and the Houthi Rebellion in Yemen. The well-known insurgency that has come out of the conflict in the Middle East is the Taliban in Afghanistan. The Center of Security Studies in Switzerland recently published an article discussing what they call the “Talibanization of Insurgency” (Mahadevan, 2014). The Taliban got its start with the mujahedeen that fought against the soviet invasion in the 1980’s but was officially founded by Mullah Omar in 1994 as a milita that then took over governmental control until 2001. The Taliban serves as a forefather of sorts within the present day Islamic insurgent groups. The Taliban Post-soviet invasion there was a power vacuum in Afghanistan, one that the Taliban filled quickly and efficiently. “The Taliban have long had an innate understanding of guerrilla tactics
  • 12. at the field level, based on the accumulated wisdom of three decades of civil war in Afghanistan” (Mahadevan, 2014), this has allowed them to sustain a prolonged insurgency against the afghan government and U.S. forces. The Taliban has used guerilla tactics against U.S. forces, Taliban fighters were notorious for ambushes and raids against U.S convoys and patrols in the Helmand and Kandahar provinces. Subversion was also part of the Taliban arsenal, “It is known that the Taliban spent the years 2002–05 infiltrating large numbers of cadres into Afghanistan, from safe havens in Pakistan” (Mahadevan, 2014). This would allow the Taliban to expand its insurgency across Afghanistan, thus gaining territory and a foothold. While original Taliban tactics were successful, counter measures by U.S. and Afghan forces forced them to adopt new tactics to keep an edge. Post 2005 the Taliban increased its use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s) against U.S. and Afghan forces, this terrorist style tactic proved effective, “Afghan IEDs can be built for as little as $265 apiece. The US government, in contrast, spent $ 18 billion on designing and manufacturing bomb-detection equipment” (Mahadevan, 2014). Not only has the Taliban changed the existing social order before but wishes to do so again, which makes them an insurgency. However as the fight has raged new tactics have been adopted to react to pressure. The Haqqini network, a faction within the Taliban has used Kidnapping for Ransom as a fear tactic and as way to raise funds. But some scholars believe this has left Afghanistan, many Taliban fighters came from outside of Afghanistan and such have taken those tactics back home. “Although the Taliban model of insurgency has yet to be exactly replicated in other contexts, some aspects can already be noticed elsewhere” (Mahadevan, 2014), this shows the influence of the global paradigm that has developed from globalized jihad into other areas such as North Africa. Al Shabbab in Somalia
  • 13. Al-Shabbab is a radical Islamic group out of Somalia that formed out of the Islamic Courts union in 2006. From their beginnings Al-Shabbab was an insurgency, engaging Ethiopian forces and forming strongholds. However when African Union and other governmental forces began to successfully combat them Al-Shabbab shifted its tactics. “Late September 2013, a small team of gunmen attacked the upscale Westgate shopping center” (Bryden, 2014). This attack highlighted Al-Shabbab’s shift into implementing terrorist attacks to further their agenda. They have also employed suicide bombings and “suicide infantry”. This and the July 2010 bombings were both conducted by Al-Shabbab’s Martyrdom Brigade. This brigade carries out many terrorist style suicide missions, usually outside of Somalia. In comparison the group utilizes its insurgency component in country. On a global perspective Al-Shabbab is not hiding trade secrets “ Jacob Zenn, an expert on Boko Haram who has advised the State Department on the terror group, said worrying signs have emerged of the extremists communicating and sharing tactics with al Shabaab” (Vos & Smith , 2014). Boko Haram in Nigeria Organized by Mohammed Yusuf in 2002 out of Northern Nigeria Boko Haram is radical Islamic group that despite having been around for more than a decade has recently gained momentum in their cause. Originally Boko Haram was seen as a pure terrorist group employing suicide bombing attacks and drive by assassinations of key political figures. The group has become a full- fledged insurgency, attacking government forces to remove them a seize territory to establish bases of operation. “Boko Haram's tactics have changed accordingly, from smash and dash attacks, killing thousands, into attempts to grab and hold territory” (Grossman & Joscelyn, 2014). Despite this image change Boko Haram still utilizes terrorist tactics, their latest being kidnapping. “Perhaps less sophisticated than other tactics, kidnapping has become one of
  • 14. the group’s primary funding sources, a way to extract concessions from the Nigerian state and other governments” (Zenn, 2013). The spotlighted kidnapping was that of 276 young girls from a school in northern Nigeria. While Boko Haram does not fall into a straight forward transition of insurgency adopting terrorism, they still qualify. Not only is Boko Haram another example of an insurgency utilizing terrorist tactics, it reinforces the global paradigm threat as both groups not only have affiliation with each other, but Al-Qaeda as well. Gaps and Analysis: Redefine the Enemy and Rethink our Tactics When it comes to insurgency and the ins and outs of its practice there is an abundance of literature and scholarly research. Even with this abundance, there are area that have yet to be covered or thoroughly explored. Most insurgency literature still follows classical thought process a structure, meaning they still view individual insurgencies as singular entities. As Killcullen discusses in his thesis, he views these insurgencies as a global movement. These Islamic insurgencies are united through their common religious beliefs. Add our fast paced globalized society and you have a vast network. On top of this when it comes to globalized insurgency practitioners and academics have not studied if this globalized is unique to radical Islam or if it can be replicated. When it comes to terrorism vs insurgency, many scholars have done extensive work on both areas and compared and contrasted them. The areas that need to be covered is the pressing of terrorism as at tactic and not a living thing. In the realm of tactical adoption there were some gaps to consider. Much literature covers how tactical adoption occurs and that in fact it’s a phenomena; but why does it occur? Many scholars have looked into the histories and timelines of groups like the Taliban and Boko Haram
  • 15. adopting terrorism as tactic along with distinguishing pure terrorists from insurgency movements but the real how has not been established. What kind of government actions push non-state actors to terrorism in an insurgency? When do these groups find it acceptable to target their own population that they are relying on for support? Is there a point of no return for the use of terrorism, one this tactic is adopted can the use of guerilla tactics not make up for the use of terrorism? Conclusion: Recommendations on the Enemy and Tactics If there is anything Killcullen and Lichbach agree on is this “Terrorism is only a means to an end” (Killcullen, 2004 ). Lichbach’s work has also shown that the adoption of terrorism by insurgency groups is not a new thing. Along with the global paradigm perspective one thing is clear, we need to re-think our adversary and the use of tactics on both sides. Through some research and my own viewpoints I have defined these two terms:  Radical Islamic Insurgency- Non-State actors who use insurgent tactics in hope to obtain the goals of a radical Islamic ideology as well as overthrow the existing social order and establish shria law or other radical Islamic influences as the governing body.  Insurgent Based Terrorism- Non-State/Insurgent actors that adopt the use of terrorism as a tactic in their armed/guerilla conflict against a state actor. As other scholars have shown that classic logic and classic counter paradigms have become archaic and present day logic and understanding must come into play. But to change logic, must change definition and enhance our understanding. Insurgencies are complex but have simple motivations and needs, they become part of the very environments they wish to change making them difficult to up root.
  • 16. What I recommend is not more research or new policy, it is both. We do need to change policy to improve the effectiveness of both counter-terrorism (CT) and counter-insurgency (COIN) operations. This is a tweak of Killcullen’s proposal of focusing on COIN operations. Both forms of counter-operations are required but both need to be formatted to a global scale. Unlike traditional insurgencies which are usually tied to an individual areas, the campaigns of the Taliban, Boko Haram, Al-Shabbab and other radical groups are tied together through religious nationalism of Radical Islam (I say radical because the schools of thought and ideologies of these groups differ from non-radical Islam). This has allowed the global jihadist movement to extend far beyond the mountains of Afghanistan or the Arabian Peninsula. So how do we improve? There are four areas of effectiveness we need to improve: 1. Tactical Adoption Factors- we must understand how and why a group decides to use guerilla or terrorist tactics 2. Advising and Low Key Presence- if U.S. intervention is required, we do not need an invasion force, teach and monitor should be our motto. 3. Accurate Framework- goals and objectives must be set before stepping foot in-country. Eradicating a group is not enough, we have to stabilize. 4. Networking and Cultural Awareness- proposed by Killcullen, one must understand the area he is in. outsiders have the disadvantage of no local knowledge. At the end of the day, most insurgencies must be dealt with by the locals, that being said in our highly globalized world outside interventions from super powers and other countries is inevitable. The line between a radical and a patriot is a thin one and only time and a final outcome will decide what the history books will say. Knowledge is said to be power, but is useless unless it is utilized to better yourself and any situation that needs resolution. If this logic
  • 17. is adopted then we can effectively combat non-state extremist violence and the global jihadist movement more effectively, maybe to bring an end but at least turn the tide.
  • 18. Bibliography Black, D. (2004). The Geometry of Terrorism . Charlottesville: University of Virginia . Bryden, M. (2014). The Reinvention of Al-Shabbab: A Strategy of Choice or Necessisty? . Washington D.C. : Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) . Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Department of State. (2009). U.S. Goverment Counter Insurgency Guide . Washington D.C. : United States Department of State . Central Intelliegence Agency (CIA). (2009). Guide to the Analysis of Insurgency . Langley . Collings, D., & Rohozinski, R. (2013). Shifting Fire: Information Effects in CounterInsurgency and Stability Operations. Cambridge : U.S. Army War College: University of Cambridge . Grossman, L., & Joscelyn, T. (2014). Analysis: Boko Haram focuses on seizing territory. Washington D.C. : The Long War Journal. Johnson, D. (2009). Darwinian Selction in Aysymetrical Warfare: The Natrual Advantage of Insurgents and Terrorists. Edinburgh : Univeristy of Edinburgh . Killcullen, L. (. (2004 ). Countering Global Insurgency . Australia . Mahadevan, P. (2014). Strategic Trends in 2014: The Talibanization of Insurgency . Zurich : Center for Security Studies. Merari, A. (1993 ). Terrorism as a Strategy of Insurgency . London: Frank Cass. Pape, R. (2005). Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism . New York : Random House . Rothi, D., Lyons, E., & Chryssochoou, X. (2005). National Attachment and Patriotism in a European Nation: A British Study. Middlesex University. Sagrain, R. (2003). Adapt or Die: What Charles Darwin can Teach Tom Ridge about Homeland Security . Washington D.C. : Foregin Policy . Sr, A. M., & Gray, D. H. (2011). Insurgency, Guerilla Warfare, and Terrorism: Conflict and its Application for the Future. Global Security Studies . Tomes, R. R. (2004 ). Relearning CounterInsurgency Warfare . Carlisle: U.S. Army War College . Vos, S. D., & Smith , A. (2014, Decemebr 2). Boko Haram Trades Terrorist Tactics With Somolia's Al- Shabbab. Retrieved from NBCNews.com: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/missing-nigeria-schoolgirls/ boko-haram-trades-terrorist-tactics-somalias-al-shabaab-n140456 Xypolia, I. (2011). Cypriot Muslims Amoung Ottamans, Turks, and Two World Wars. Stanfordshire: Keele University. Zenn, J. (2013). Boko Haram's Evolving Tactics and Alliances in Nigeria . West Point : Counter Terrorism Center .