A two folded assay concerning group size and effectiveness.

Is the SWC itself reaching the group size dynamics as described in Chapter 7? Especially, page 140.

His analysis (replete with examples) shows that there is a gradual falloff in effectiveness of online groups at 80 members, with an absolute falloff at 150 members. The initial falloff occurs, according to Allen, because of an increasing amount of effort spent on "grooming" the group to maintain cohesion. The absolute falloff occurs at 150 members, when grooming fails to stem dissatisfaction and dissension within the group. This will cause the group to cleave apart into smaller subgroups (although some may remain affiliated with the original group).
John Robb goes on to give an example of the Mafia group size in the United States directly related to the organizations' periods of peak effectiveness:

The Genovese Family; 152 members
The Gambino Family; 130 members
The Luchese Family; 113 members

As one can see it doesn't take a lot of members to make headlines that would give the false impression that the organization is much larger than its actual size.

Is the insurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan much lower than they actual appear in the press?