Controlling the Human High Ground: Identifying Cultural Opportunities for Insurgency
Abstract
RECENTLY, GENERAL DAVID Petraeus said, "The core of any counterinsurgency strategy must focus on the fact that the decisive terrain is the human terrain, not the high ground or river crossing." While this statement is clearly true, we must deepen our understanding to identify the high ground of that human terrain. Only after identifying and establishing control of this key human terrain will we be able to achieve the population influence required for successful counterinsurgency. The occurrence of insurgencies has been described as a function of motive and opportunity. Specifically, cultural motives can contribute to the causes of an insurgency. Eliminating these cultural motives for insurgency is the oft-espoused objective of the military's cultural training and analysis. But this training and analysis must also account for the opportunities required for an insurgency to occur. Just as a physical terrain analysis is used to identify key terrain on the battlefield, an analysis of cultural opportunities for insurgency can be used to identify the key human terrain. An understanding of operational culture can support identification and control of this human high ground.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA536559
Entities
People
- Mark J. Broekhuizen
Organizations
- United States Army Combined Arms Center