Why Counterinsurgency Fails - The US in Iraq and Afghanistan

This book examines why the U.S. counterinsurgency campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan have failed and presents a solution for future counterinsurgency campaigns that was developed and tested in Afghanistan in the hope that it will spark a conversation that will shape the next counterinsurgency war to U.S. advantage. The author argues that both development assistance and counterinsurgency campaigns - which often go hand in hand -  overwhelm weak states with too much money, too many projects, and too many consultants, leading to weaker rather than stronger governments. The solution proposed, was initially developed by David Petraeus but never effectively implemented. Using an insider's perspective, this volume explains the details of this solution and the problem with its mis-implementation in Afghanistan.

List of contents

1: How It Ended in Afghanistan, How It Started in Iraq.- 2: Reflections on Iraq, 2008.- 3: On to Afghanistan.- 4: Reflections on Afghanistan.- 5: Postscript, 2008: Why Counterinsurgency Is Still Flawed.

About the author

Dennis de Tray is Senior Non-Resident Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and Principal at the Results for Development Institute, both in Washington, D.C.

Product details

• Authors: Dennis de Tray
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 04.10.2018
• EAN: 9783319979922
• ISBN: 978-3-31-997992-2
• No. of pages: 142
• Dimensions: 156 mm x 219 mm x 16 mm
• Weight: 320 g
• Illustrations: XXIX, 142 p. 16 illus. in color.
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Comparative and international political science; C, Peace, Conflict Studies, International Relations, Warfare & defence, Political Science and International Studies, International Relations Theory, Peace studies & conflict resolution, International Security Studies, Security, International, Politics and war, Military and Defence Studies