The modern war, (counterinsurgency) fighting the war of the flea.
I'm currently reading "The War ofthe Flea", a classic book on guerilla warfare.

Many Americans look at war inthe world war II fashion, where many Americans watch moveies about war and/or look on the military or dsicovery channel about war. Aftertalking with many different people many still have the idea in their heads that we must declare war first and we are fighting an enemy that wears a uniform and promptly engages our forces. That thinking is old thinking and doesn't solve the problems that go on in insurgent or guerilla operations. Many more are also, but will deny it, stuck into losing wars. They feel that any war after Vietnam we will lose or that if we fight against a guerilla army we will lose because supposedly we lost in Vietnam.

Vietnam wasn't our first fight against guerilla warfare but it was in the 20th century the first guerilla war with television cameras present. Vietnam was our learning ground for these types of conflicts. We "lost" not because of our lack of militarily might but because ofthe strategies and tactics we employed.

We fought Vietnam with a conventional mindset. Our troops weren't prepared for this type of war. Our veterans of the time were stuck into WWII tactics which were far different. Our higher mission was never accomplished because the tactics and trategies we used went against the higher mission of winning the hearts and minds. Now John F Kennedy to some extent understood this and sent advisors in to help establish the government without enhacing an American footprint. that was the best strategy, but of coursemore was needed but when Gen. Westmoreland came in and used a general conventional strategy,it only aggravated the locals thus creating more enemies to fight than ever. No-one is really to blame here but more of our country learning lessons the hard way unfortunately.

I remember when I was in college and we used to talk about helping Africa. Well in my opinion these talks actually are the new footprint for our modern wars against terror. Terrorists and insurgents rely upon weak governments and oppressive governments to give cause to their ideals and/or thrists for power. The government must look inept so their message can spread. They must not be able to give basic supplies or protect the local civilians or at the least the IMAGE of that must seem to happen. So the insurgent's job is fighting the war of the flea.

Why do I say the war of the flea ? The government is like agiant dog and the insurgent is like a flea. The dog spends time after time trying to get rid of the flea expending energy while the flea bites small marks into the dog. The dog after time becomes exhausted and tires due to such an attack while the flea multiplies. This in general how guerilla war is waged and how unconventional groups like insurgents win out against conventional Armies.

But what is the way to fight such a war. Well the counterinsurgents and insurgents have to work within the local populace the fight is within their arena and the insurgents are trying to influence the population as much as the government forces. This is why a strategy of freezing assetts to terrorists works as well as providing security and resources to the local populace. The sphere of this war is on influence more than militarily might,but you must have militarily might to defend the populace against insurgent attacks.

The government can win out when the local populace go against the insurgents and then the insurgents are seperated from the local populace and with this happening the insurgent threat is contained.

Our enemies also use goodwill strategies as well like the Hesbollah which have a very good medical and social program along with of course a terrorist wing. Osama Bin Laudin prior to 911 owned a construction company that did projects within the Sudan before the UN forced him out to Afghanistan.

So our strategy of freezing assetts of our enemies does work in our favor along with our goodwill projects. But remember that we must make the government take all the credit or else the government looks enept and/or that country becomes unduly dependent upon the US which is fighting the flea's war again. So what is it that terrorists, insurgents and guerilla warfighters fear.

1) Economic prosperity brought on by the government.
2) A Strong government sided with the US.
3) being seperated from the local populace.
4) A lack of influence.

Today we are still learning but the learning curve is getting shorter. We have learned the lessons from Vietnam in Iraq and Afghanistan, but granted we are still learning. I think the largest learning curve lies within the American people, where many I have talked to still think of only vietnam, and many others simply say "nuke those bastards", probably because they have a lack of understanding themselves. Politically liberal democrats are more apt to say, "we should withdraw our military", "just give them food", "leave them alone", while many conservative republicans would say, "Nuke em", "bomb the S^%$ out of them", "leave them alone, why get invoved in other peoples affairs", "the constitution says we need to declare war first". Both sides wil lnot admit it but one thing they do say together and blame the other for saying it: "We have problems in the US so why are we so concerned with another country". In general the largest learning cure lies within the American people.

The war of the flea is very much political as it is militaristic. The area of warfare is with influence of the local population. Also to fight such a war you have to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the guerilla fighter and exploit their weaknesses and hinder their strengths.

Seperating the insurgent from the local population can come in two ways you can kill off or seperate the hardcore insurgents and influence the sypathyzers into siding with the friendly to the US government.