Arms of Little Value: The Challenge of Insurgency and Global Instability in the Twenty-First Century - Hardcover

Lamborn, G. L.

4.5

8 ratings by Goodreads

9781612001043: Arms of Little Value: The Challenge of Insurgency and Global Instability in the Twenty-First Century

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1612001041 ISBN 13: 9781612001043

Publisher: Casemate, 2012

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This book presents a former soldier and CIA officer's insight into the true nature of insurgency and how it will continue to affect the United States in the decades to come.

What we've seen in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrein, Yemen, and elsewhere is merely the beginning. We are entering an extremely dangerous period in our history. The author has been a student and observer—and sometimes a participant—in various insurgencies since his “initiation” in Vietnam in 1969. This book gives the reader an understanding of the true nature of insurgency and a glimpse at the reasons why we have not always dealt with it effectively. If the reader gains some insight into insurgency, and can apply his knowledge intelligently, Jimmy Doolittle’s wish will come true: we will start fighting more from the neckline up . . . and less from the neckline down.

In a career spanning 42 years, Mr. Lamborn has 26 years of experience with the Central Intelligence Agency, working in a variety of operational, analytical, and leadership assignments in the Directorate of Operations, Directorate of Intelligence, and the Office of the Director. A trained operations officer, Mr. Lamborn specialized in insurgency and influence operations in support of national directives in the 1980s and 1990s. He has served in various Third World countries and in several successor republics of the former Soviet Union. A Vietnam War veteran, he currently lives in San Antonio, Texas.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Dedication
Foreword by Arturo G. Mu�oz, Ph.D.
Explanatory Note
Preface

OVERVIEW Are Wise Counsels Possible in Insurgencies?
CHAPTER 1 How the Other Half Lives
CHAPTER 2 many Roads to Insurgency
CHAPTER 3 A Peek at Western Strategic Thinking
CHAPTER 4 Neither Karl nor Antoine
CHAPTER 5 Three Cautionary Tales
CHAPTER 6 Root and Stem
CHAPTER 7 Counterinsurgency Conundrum
CHAPTER 8 American Myopia
CHAPTER 9 Wise Counsels at Home

Annex A: San Salvador 2038
Annex B: So-called “Radical” Islam
Annex C: Understanding Fanaticism
Annex D: Viet Cong Political mobilization
Bibliography
Index

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About the Author:

In a career spanning 42 years, Mr. Lamborn has 26 years of experience with the Central Intelligence Agency, working in a variety of operational, analytical, and leadership assignments in the Directorate of Operations, Directorate of Intelligence, and the Office of the Director. A trained operations officer, Mr. Lamborn specialized in insurgency and influence operations in support of national directives in the 1980s and 1990s. He has served in various Third World countries and in several successor republics of the former Soviet Union. A Vietnam War veteran, he currently lives in San Antonio, Texas.

Review:

"an excellent book which I highly recommended to all readers who wish to understand what an insurgency is, its causes and how the west can better deal with insurgencies in the future. Whilst critical in the extreme, it aptly focuses the readers mind on the issues we face around the world and what causes these issues. The reader will come away from this book with a better understanding of the world we live in." (Warfare Magazine)

"Through case studies and analysis, Lamborn, a former Army and Central Intelligence Agency officer, seeks to explicate the importance of political action to insurgencies and explain how military power is successful only to the extent it delegitimizes an insurgency. . . . If readers accept the premise of honest, critical evaluation of military power's limits, there is much to be gained from Arms of Little Value." (Military Review)

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