Sir, it's just a matter of what lens that you are using. I don't think that has to be mutually exclusive. Rather, I can blend scale/capacity and what you'd describe as the soul. I'd suggest we put them together in order to have a better understanding of the conflict. For example, two dudes who act violently over justified grievances over bad governance are less of a concern to me than a million man army gathering in DC.Originally Posted by Bob's World
That makes sense. And you still need to address the issue of control.Insurgency need never split the state. As I (frequently, Ken reminds me) state, I see insurgency as a unique set of causal conditions rooted in certain fundamental failures on the part of the government as perceived by their populace. As Marc indicates, this can then manifest itself in several forms, some non-violent, some violent, some legal, some illegal. The causal roots are the same for this family of insurgency-based conflict. Regardless of how it manifests, addressing the causal roots must be the focus/main effort of the COIN effort. If it goes violent you have "classic insurgency"; if it goes illegal, but non-violent, you have "classic subversion; if it stays legal but stays non-violent you have politics. You may get each sequentially, or at the same time, or in a crazy mix over years and years. So long as the causal roots remain unaddressed it is the gift that keeps giving.
From Rex
Excellent points Rex, but we must also remember that it's an illusion of control. That's actually one reason why I think that Glenn Beck is so paranoid these days. He finally realized most of the things he took for granted were illusions- security, economics, etc...They are based on the belief that something is true.Political control--over regime, territory, and the allocation of resources.
Economic example- My bank says that my savings account has $10000. Does the bank physically have my money on hand? No. They've reinvested it into loans, bonds, stocks, etc...If I go and ask for my money, then no problem. If everyone makes a run on the bank, then big problem.
Mike
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