Counterinsurgency: Winning Hearts and Minds

Abstract

Counterinsurgency in the 21st century does not expose itself in the form of yesterday's conventional battles, nor do past-conflicts provide us with guaranteed future results. The ability to gather intelligence ultimately depends on one's skill to win the trust and support of the local populous. As opposed to the limited media of the past, today's communication influences several audiences: existing and potential allies, undecided and decided population, overt and covert forces. Leaders at all levels must have the patience, cultural respect and ability to interact with people. In order to win current wars and future conflicts, we must understand the political culture and possess the innovative and adaptive military leadership required to achieve the end result - winning hearts and minds.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 31, 2009
Accession Number
AD1139113

Entities

People

  • Paul J. Cox

Organizations

  • United States Army Sergeants Major Academy

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Asymmetric Warfare
  • Counterinsurgency
  • Leadership
  • Lessons Learned
  • Military Tactics
  • Unconventional Warfare
  • Vietnam War
  • War
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies
  • Organizational Psychology.
  • Systems Analysis and Design