Strategic Role of Armed Non-State Actors

The latest research being started by Defence Research and Development Canada - this, from the MERX public tendering site:

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.... Defence Research and Development Canada, Toronto, ON requires services for the support of research aimed at advancing our understanding of the strategic roles of Armed Non-state Actors (ANSAs) in the context of persistent social conflict within fragile or failing states. The research contract is entitled "Towards a Theory of ANSA Strategic Decision-making: Review of the Relevant Scientific Literature". The purpose of the work is to deliver an integrative review of the relevant scientific literature such as Integrative Literature Review (ILR)1 so that it will assess scientific literature of relevance to elaborating a theory of ANSA decision-making. It will evaluate the state of the art of the extant scientific literature, identify gaps in that literature, and suggest future research to fill those gaps .... The maximum funding available for the Contract resulting from the bid solicitation is $50,000.00 <~$47.9K US dollars> (Goods and Services Tax or Harmonized Sales Tax extra, as appropriate) ....

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A little bit more from the Statement of Work (available here):

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.... In simple terms, the goal of this ... project is to shed soem light upon what ANSAs do and why they do it .... this framework will serve as the theoritical basis for subsequent development of an integrated (operational- or strategic-level) knowledge management tool to assist Candian Forces... in the production of combat and strategic intelligence in support of future Peace Support Operations ... and Counterinsurgency Operations ... in fragile or failing states ....

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Plain English? What does current research say about what armed anti-government groups do, and why they do it? We want to know so we can develop a framework - a set of lenses, if you will - for military folks to look through to help them produce intelligence during "peacekeeping" or counterinsurgency operations in fragile or failing states.

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Originally Posted by milnews.ca

Plain English? What does current research say about what armed anti-government groups do, and why they do it?

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So you want to know why irregular forces use violence to gain political objectives? Wouldn't the context provide the answer?

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We want to know so we can develop a framework - a set of lenses, if you will - for military folks to look through to help them produce intelligence during "peacekeeping" or counterinsurgency operations in fragile or failing states.

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So how does answering the first question have any relevance to producing an a useful intelligence product? Without specific contexts, this is meaningless.

The statement of work seemed to be written in gibberish for anyone whose first language is English.

Moderators Note this link does not work, see next post - which does.

http://http://fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm3-19-50.pdf

Sounds like this

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Originally Posted by William F. Owen

So you want to know why irregular forces use violence to gain political objectives? Wouldn't the context provide the answer?

So how does answering the first question have any relevance to producing an a useful intelligence product? Without specific contexts, this is meaningless.

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You're right - it'll be interesting to see how "generic" they can make the framework they seek.

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Originally Posted by William F. Owen

The statement of work seemed to be written in gibberish for anyone whose first language is English.

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Ironically containing the phrase "In simple terms", no less...

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Originally Posted by OfTheTroops

http://http://fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm3-19-50.pdf

Sounds like this

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Link doesn't work - maybe this one?
Police Intelligence Operations