Trends in Outside Support for Insurgent Movements

by Byman, Daniel L.; Chalk, Peter; Hoffman, Bruce; Rosenau, William; Brannan, David

• ISBN13: 9780833030528
• ISBN10: 0833030523
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-12-12
• Publisher: RAND Corporation

Summary

The most useful forms of outside support for an insurgent movement include safe havens, financial support, political backing, and direct military assistance. Because states are able to provide all of these types of assistance, their support has had a profound impact on the effectiveness of many rebel movements since the end of the Cold War. However, state support is no longer the only, or indeed necessarily the most important, game in town. This book assesses post-Cold War trends in external support for insurgent movements and describes the frequency with which states, diasporas, refugees, and other non-state actors back guerrilla movements.

Table of Contents

Preface	iii
Figure	ix
Tables	xi
Summary	xiii
Acknowledgments	xxi
Acronyms	xxiii
Introduction	1	(8)
What Is an Insurgency?	4	(2)
Methodology	6	(2)
Organization	8	(1)
State Support for Insurgencies	9	(32)
State Support for Insurgencies in the 1990s: An Overview	9	(8)
Where State Support Occurs	17	(1)
State Supporters and the Democratic Republic of the Congo	18	(2)
The Benefits of State Support	20	(3)
Motivations of State Supporters	23	(18)
Regional Influence	23	(9)
Destabilize Neighbors	32	(1)
Regime Change	33	(1)
Payback	34	(1)
Ensuring Influence Within the Opposition	34	(1)
Internal Security	35	(1)
Prestige	36	(1)
Support Coreligionists	36	(1)
Support Co-Ethnics	37	(1)
Irredentism	38	(1)
Leftist Ideology	39	(1)
Plunder	39	(2)
Diaspora Support for Insurgencies	41	(20)
The LTTE and the Tamil Diaspora	42	(13)
Publicity and Propaganda	43	(6)
Fundraising	49	(5)
Conclusion	54	(1)
Motivations for Diaspora Support	55	(2)
Why Host Governments Do Not Block Diaspora Support	57	(2)
The Limited Range of Diaspora Support	59	(2)
Refugee Support for Insurgencies	61	(10)
The Taliban and Afghanistan's Refugees	62	(3)
Refugee Motivations	65	(2)
The Limited Range of Refugee Support	67	(4)
Other Non-State Supporters of Insurgencies	71	(12)
Liberia and the Creation of the RUF	74	(3)
The Impact of NPFL External Activities	77	(2)
Religious Leaders and Organizations	79	(1)
Wealthy Individuals	80	(1)
Aid Agencies and Human Rights Groups	80	(1)
Limits to Support	81	(2)
Assessing the Impact of External Support	83	(20)
Insurgent Requirements	83	(1)
Critical Forms of Support	84	(8)
Safe Haven and Transit	84	(3)
Financial Resources	87	(1)
Political Support and Propaganda	88	(3)
Direct Military Support	91	(1)
Valuable Forms of Support	92	(3)
Training	92	(1)
Weapons and Materiel	93	(2)
Minor Forms of Support	95	(5)
Fighters	95	(2)
Intelligence	97	(1)
Organizational Aid	98	(1)
Inspiration	99	(1)
The Costs of External Support	100	(3)
Implications for the Analysis of Insurgency	103	(20)
Moving Beyond the Cold War	103	(1)
Distinguishing Among Insurgency Stages	104	(2)
The Importance of Passive Support	106	(1)
Final Words	107	(2)
Appendix
A. Outside Support for Insurgencies, 1991-2000	109	(8)
B. The Ltte's Military-Related Procurement	117	(6)
References	123

Excerpts

Outside supporters, including state and non-state sponsors, of insurgent movements offer various forms of assistance to insurgents based on a wide range of motivations.