Unconventional Warfare and Counterinsurgency in Pakistan: A Brief History
Abstract
Since Pakistan s creation in 1947, the country s leaders have relied on Islamic guerrillas as a low-cost, high-return means of achieving strategic objectives. Religious militants of varying persuasions developed an enormous infrastructure across Pakistan, as a result of state patronage and a permissive environment. The Pakistani government intended them in part to serve as a third line of defense against India and as a source of leverage and regional influence. The jihadis, as they are often called in Pakistan, defeated the Soviet army in Afghanistan in the 1980s, helped ensure a compliant government in Afghanistan during the late 1990s, pushed Pakistan s claims to the disputed state of Kashmir, and tied down hundreds of thousands of Indian troops for almost two decades. Few militaries in history have engaged in unconventional warfare i.e., covert support to non-state militant groups against the security forces of other countries for so long, on such a large scale, and so close to home. In the last ten years Pakistani leaders have reconsidered this policy and moved to shut down large parts of the jihadi infrastructure. They have done this gradually some might say reluctantly and only partially as a result of intense U.S. pressure, the development and spread of a Taliban-inspired insurgency against the Pakistani state, and growing terrorist attacks in major Pakistani cities. The Pakistani military has launched numerous operations along its frontier with Afghanistan and cracked down on a number of militant groups in the country s heartland. Thousands of soldiers and paramilitaries have been killed in these operations. These efforts have considerably weakened the Taliban-inspired insurgency in Pakistan, yet it remains a potent force.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA573645
Entities
People
- Jerry Meyerle
Organizations
- CNA ANALYSIS AND SOLUTIONS ALEXANDRIA VA