Civilian Casualties, Religion, and COIN Operations

[davidbfpo]

Randy,

Check this thread where the issues are shown: http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=2299

Note comments are by on the ground SWC members.

davidbfpo

[davidbfpo]

Randy,

Two immediate comments on your questions.

The urban rioting in the USA, for examples Detroit '67 & Watts, LA '65 and much later in LA '92, all had IMHO a significant impact and some even speculated they were signs of an insurgency. How would those local communities reacted if the nation-state's response had been mainly foriegn troops, say the RCMP in Detroit or Mexico in LA? Would people like Ralph Peters be so "hardline" on the supposed 'effete' action taken? I doubt it.

David Kilcullen in his talks (see previous threads) makes this point, cannot immediately find the thread: http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...hlight=chicago

You have a burglary / crime problem in your community, the local (US) police cannot cope and reinforcements are called for - imagine - the Iraqi police arrive. A police that follows different rules, operating styles - maybe less minimum use of force - and cannot speak English. My variation would be to have the Saudi religious police arrive on your campus and impose their rules.

My point is if you'd not do 'X' at home, why do it abroad?

A current, similar thread on these questions is: http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=7776