Quote Originally Posted by Rex Brynen View Post
One can equally say that 99% of all military defeats inflicted on irregular forces have been the direct result of politics (that is, sustaining a state capable of extracting resources and projecting military power; developing ideologies and recruitment systems that place motivated soldiers on the battlefield; shaping a domestic political environment in which killing insurgents enjoys a degree of popular acceptance or support among vital constituencies, and doesn't destabilize the regime; etc.).
Well as all war is political, I hope that is true! .. but my wider point being very few insurgencies, that have ever developed into insurgencies have ever gone away because they realised they lacked popular support. It is an absolute myth the irregular forces, be they insurgents or not, require the support of the population to succeed militarily.
Virtually no one in Sierra Leon supported the RUF, yet they controlled 75% of the country at one time, and thrived whilst doing so.
Actually Wilf, as I'm sure you know, we didn't do a lot of "capturing" against the 12th SS in June 1944, once dead Canadian PoWs started showing up.
Yep. Barb wiring prisoners to the glacis plate of your Sherman's can be be mis-understood!