LIT7: Martijn Kitzen, ‘Western Military Culture and Counterinsurgency: an Ambiguous Reality’, Scienta Militaria 40:1, pp. 1-24

Question 1

What are “Risk-Transfer wars”? Martijn Kitzen?

Answer 1

Contemporary wars have become “
risk-transfer wars”.
A significant trait of these kinds of wars is to avoid casualties among friendly
soldiers and civilian non-combatants

Western warfare, however, has experienced some change.
To understand this, we have to look at the very reason which bellies warfare: the political objective.
Traditionally, Western countries waged war for the sake of national interest. In
today’s conflicts, however,
war is increasingly removed from immediate interest.
As a result of this lack of direct interest, the will to engage in deadly conflict is affected.
War has become about limiting risks.

Question 2

What is insurgency? Kitzen

Answer 2

Insurgency can be defined as a hybrid form of conflict that combines subversion, guerrilla warfare, and terrorism. It is an internal struggle in which a disaffected group seeks to gain control of a nation.

** Insurgents might therefore use the methods of subversion, guerrilla and terrorist tactics in order to establish political control over (parts of) a country.**

Insurgencies furthermore combine different methods in order to obtain a political goal.

** Parallel to the obtainment of the people’s support,
insurgents will attack government
targets (both military and political)**

Question 3

What is the goal of COIN (Kitzen)

Answer 3

Counterinsurgents want to refuse insurgents their objectives.

Main tools;
- Gaining Public Support
- Using force against insurgents

As an insurgency heavily depends on popular support, the key element of succesful COIN is therefor public support.

Question 4

What are Kitzen’s five lines of operation COIN.

Answer 4

1. Joint land combat
   These military actions include the creation of a stable environment to conduct
   the other operational lines as well as target actions against insurgent
   combatants
2. Population protection
   Comprehends those actions that provide security to the local population.
3. Public information
   Includes all actions aimed at the acquirement of popular support for the
   government’s cause
4. Population Support
   Denotes all actions to provide the local people with the necessary aid.
5. Indigineous capacity building
   Made up from all activities to assist in the development of effective government
   institutions

Question 5

What are the discrepancies between Western Military Culture and COIN according to Kitzen?

Answer 5

Western military culture is about fighting large-scale decisive battles with
armies of other states.

Counterinsurgency is about outbidding the insurgents for the favour of the
people.

Question 6

What should the COIN approach be according to Kitzen?

Answer 6

Comprehensive governmental approach to counter a protracted insurgency.

The main effort in such a campaign is not to fight the insurgents, but to
acquire the people’s support. Therefore the use of violence should be limited.

The reality of counterinsurgency is heavily affected by Western military culture, which
results in an ambiguous reality.

Western soldiers are familiar with counterinsurgency theory, but when the
military actually has to execute such a campaign it falls back on the well
known skills and drills of conventional warfare.