"Boots on the Ground:" A Lesson Relearned?
Abstract
America s recent experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq have soured Americans against deploying U.S. troops in foreign counterinsurgencies. However, as a globally engaged superpower, the United States will likely be forced to deal with insurgencies in the future. Instead of putting U.S. Boots on the Ground in a counterinsurgency, a better method is building the partnership capacity of the host nation. The small U.S. military footprint in the Colombian counterinsurgency from 2002 to present is a perfect example of how to accomplish this. This paper will compare the effect of U.S. Boots on the Ground in the Iraqi counterinsurgency to the lack of U.S. Boots on the Ground in the Colombian counterinsurgency. The results will clearly indicate that U.S. Boots on the Ground in a counterinsurgency should only be used as a last resort.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA590211
Entities
People
- Michael J. Price
Organizations
- United States Army War College