Air Power in the New counterinsurgency Era The Strategic Importance of USAF Advisory and Assistance Missions

by Vick, Alan J.; Grissom, Adam; Rosenau, William; Grill, Beth; Mueller, Karl P.

• ISBN13: 9780833039637
• ISBN10: 0833039636
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-12-12
• Publisher: RAND Corporation

Summary

Often treated by Americans as an exceptional form of warfare, insurgency is anything but. Spanning the globe, centuries, and societies, insurgency is quite common. Given the threat insurgency presents to U.S. interests and allies around the world, the importance of counterinsurgency is no surprise. However, history has shown that insurgencies are rarely defeated by outside powers. Rather, the best role for outsiders is an indirect one: training, advising, and equipping the local nation, which must win the war politically and militarily. And while counterinsurgency might seem to be a task most suited to ground forces, air power has much to contribute. These facts combine to suggest that advising, training, and equipping partner air forces will be a key component of U.S. counterinsurgency efforts worldwide. The authors note that, if the Air Force is to participate in these tasks, it will need to make counterinsurgency an institutional priority, developing the capabilities of its personnel both as advisors and trainers and as combatants, as well as developing the necessary institutional support structures. Book jacket.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. iii
Figures	p. xi
Tables	p. xiii
Summary	p. xv
Acknowledgments	p. xix
Abbreviations	p. xxiii
Introduction	p. 1
Background	p. 1
The Dilemma of Intervention	p. 4
Purpose and Organization of This Monograph	p. 6
The Evolving Insurgency Challenge	p. 7
Introduction	p. 7
Defining Insurgency	p. 8
Categorizing Insurgencies	p. 12
Sources of Insurgency	p. 16
Insurgency and U.S. Security	p. 20
Conclusion	p. 25
The Challenge of Counterinsurgency: Lessons from the Cold War and After	p. 27
Introduction	p. 27
Four Principles	p. 32
Understand the Adversary	p. 32
Build State Capacity and Presence	p. 37
Control the Population	p. 41
Keep the Use of Force to a Minimum	p. 45
Conclusion	p. 50
Grand Strategy and Counterinsurgency	p. 53
Introduction	p. 53
Assessing Insurgent Threats to U.S. National Security	p. 54
When Do Insurgencies Threaten U.S. Security Interests?	p. 54
The Importance of Insurgency and Counterinsurgency in Future U.S. Grand Strategy	p. 57
Grand Strategies for Small Wars	p. 59
Differences Between Counterinsurgency and Conventional Military Requirements	p. 59
Differences Between Counterinsurgency and Conventional Military Strategy	p. 62
Coercion in Counterinsurgency	p. 64
Options for Counterinsurgency Intervention	p. 69
The Diversity of Counterinsurgency	p. 69
Ideal Types: Precautionary and Remedial Counterinsurgency	p. 70
Advantages and Limitations of Precautionary Counterinsurgency	p. 72
Investing in Counterinsurgency Capabilities	p. 74
Optimizing Military Capabilities for Counterinsurgency	p. 74
When, How, and Where Will the United States Intervene?	p. 76
The Roles of Allies in Counterinsurgency	p. 77
A New Framework for Understanding and Responding to Insurgencies	p. 81
The Application of Military Power to Counterinsurgency	p. 81
Security Cooperation and Foreign Internal Defense	p. 93
Some Caveats on Early Intervention	p. 100
The Power and Limitations of Military Assistance: The El Salvador Experience	p. 101
El Salvador: Lessons for Future Counterinsurgency Operations	p. 107
The USAF Role in Countering Insurgencies	p. 109
The Role of Air Power in Counterinsurgency Operations	p. 109
How Should We Think About the Role of Air Power in Counterinsurgency?	p. 112
Limiting Adversary Conventional Options	p. 113
Balancing Insurgent Advantages	p. 113
Gaining the Initiative	p. 114
Current USAF Operational Aviation Advising Activities	p. 115
6 SOS History	p. 115
Mission	p. 117
Typical Engagements	p. 118
Squadron Organization	p. 119
Manning and Training	p. 120
Trends in Operational Aviation Activity Since 9/11	p. 121
Estimating Demand for Operational Aviation Advising	p. 126
Estimating the Personnel Required for Aviation Advising Missions	p. 130
Applying the Metric: Manpower Requirements for an Illustrative Precautionary Strategy	p. 131
Expanding and Deepening USAF Capabilities to Counter Insurgencies	p. 132
Make Counterinsurgency an Institutional Priority	p. 133
Create Organizations and Processes to Oversee USAF Counterinsurgency Efforts	p. 133
Develop and Nurture Counterinsurgency Expertise Throughout USAF	p. 135
Create a Wing-Level Organization for Aviation Advising	p. 136
Enhance USAF Combat Capabilities for Counterinsurgency	p. 146
Conclusions	p. 149
Final Thoughts	p. 150
Appendixes
States Afflicted by Insurgency	p. 153
Estimating Manpower Requirements for Advisory Assistance	p. 155
Bibliography	p. 159
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