Isolate and Concentrate, UN edition
By Dave Anderson:
Isolate and concentrate.
This is the goal of both the insurgent force and the counterinsurgent force as both seek to force their opponents to stand alone and tightly packed. The difference is the counterinsurgent force wants to physically isolate large groups of insurgents so that the full conventional military superiority of the state can be brought to bear against the more lightly armed and supported insurgent force. The Sri Lankan final offensive against the Tamil Tigers is the plus ne ultra of this desire where routine heavy artillery barrages backing heavy conventional infantry forces were able to fight a set piece battle. The insurgent force(s) want to morally and financially isolate and concentrate their opponents so that there is no cost sharing, no burden sharing and a completely corrupted OODA loop.
The Taliban(s) in Afghanistan have scored a victory in their quest to isolate both the Karzai government and concentrate costs on the United States. The raid on the United Nations election staff housing had disproportional impact as the UN is withdrawing half their international staff as reported by CNN:
The UN is attempting to beef up their security bubble and may reintroduce staff in the future but their effectiveness will decrease as the security bubble will not allow them to travel to some areas and will slow all activities down.
Isolate and concentrate.
This is the goal of both the insurgent force and the counterinsurgent force as both seek to force their opponents to stand alone and tightly packed. The difference is the counterinsurgent force wants to physically isolate large groups of insurgents so that the full conventional military superiority of the state can be brought to bear against the more lightly armed and supported insurgent force. The Sri Lankan final offensive against the Tamil Tigers is the plus ne ultra of this desire where routine heavy artillery barrages backing heavy conventional infantry forces were able to fight a set piece battle. The insurgent force(s) want to morally and financially isolate and concentrate their opponents so that there is no cost sharing, no burden sharing and a completely corrupted OODA loop.
The Taliban(s) in Afghanistan have scored a victory in their quest to isolate both the Karzai government and concentrate costs on the United States. The raid on the United Nations election staff housing had disproportional impact as the UN is withdrawing half their international staff as reported by CNN:
The United Nations said Thursday it would pull about 600 staff members out of Afghanistan in the wake of a militant attack that killed five staff members and wounded nine.
The UN is attempting to beef up their security bubble and may reintroduce staff in the future but their effectiveness will decrease as the security bubble will not allow them to travel to some areas and will slow all activities down.
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