BOOK REVIEW

BY
HASAN AL-KHALIFA

Air Power in the New Counter-insurgency Era

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The monographic book “Air Power in the New Counter-insurgency Era: the strategy importance

of USAF (United States Air Force) advisory and assistance missions” primarily deal with the

study counter-insurgency as a major subject in the modern society. Though the author has a deep

concern on the subject of counter-insurgency, he has tackled other numerous topics including the

insurgency and its related sub-category unit like its sources and main group organization of

insurgencies. In addition to the above subject, the authors examined the subject on the grand

strategies used in insurgency and counter-insurgency, and the significance of both to US

community, considering certain factors like wars scale and coercions. The author gives detailed

information of precautions about insurgency and counter-insurgency and therefore, the author

can be seen to furnish details on insurgency and insurgency significances of threatening security

and mitigating peace, the best techniques to have to employ for counter-insurgency attacks, as

well as enlightenment on the role of government, the USAF and other military group in

combating insurgency through the use of force/ power and other options.

The monograph of RAND (Research ANd Development) reveals much work that enlightens the

audience of the advancement of counter-insurgency methods. It their endeavors to reveal the

modern techniques that the current generation is applying in time of wars. There is previewing

of the early techniques which were used during the early times of our forefathers like those used

during WWI and WWII. These are being used to bring the comparison with those being

employed with the present times as in Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq wars. This kind of insurgency

and their counter-insurgency methods shows that little has changed in the terms of intervention

methods. 1The means the intervention principles which were used several decades or even a

century back is still finding wide application in modern generation.

1 Vick, A. (2006): Air Power in the New Counter insurgency Era

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 BOOK REVIEW
BY
HASAN AL-KHALIFA

The recap of the past advancement based on the Air force operations is important in advising the

USA government and military on the way forward concerning the use of Air power. 1There is

less training on the Air power as depicted by the decreasing trend of funding reduction extended

to institutional training rendering Air related training. The study thus describes the importance

of mitigating Air power use through expansion of training, which would bring about the use of

modern technologies to combat an insurgency through proactive techniques rather than a

reactive way. They posit that use preventive methods would reduce the higher cost incurred

when intervention techniques are reactive. It is further suggested that the government should

support the aviation institutions in through funding research work to invent techniques and

military equipment that can be operated as unmanned instruments.

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While examining certain significant insurgencies of the past such those of Nicaragua, the

canons reveal intervention of any nature need investments on various levels. However, they

clearly define that training on Air power as major contributor to the success of combating any

major insurgency. 1For instance, they affirm the training of pilots, pilot mechanic and other

human force is the key in intervening in the insurgencies actively, but they are high probabilities

of losing incase such man power lacks. Despite having successful training of the subjects, they

seldom advocate on force use to intervene in an insurgency but the back the use of modern

methods. This implies they give a precautionary measure on military use at early stages of

insurgency due to several reasons including losses of property, lives as well as huge cost, which

associated with its implementation. Though they disclose information on the cost-related of

counter-insurgencies, they find fewer contributions of USAF on the training on Air power which

they advise on setting up an advisory capability group.

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Using a number of case studies such as that of the El Salvador insurgency, they bring into the

light planning system of the USA military. It is overt that they highlight that Air power takes

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 BOOK REVIEW
BY
HASAN AL-KHALIFA

central part in battle capabilities, but it should show high cooperation with other military groups

such as the navy. Furthermore, they emphasize that, in times of counter-insurgency

interventions, the military groups must be impartial to political parties. The military is organized

in small groups and this form the strongest and preferred size for maintaining well connections

and network of communications. There is another important part of the work, which details Air

power central role and importance of coordination with the various organizations. There is some

voluminous work revealing information on the integration of organizations like the special

groups which would act as advisors. The contents have provided the audience with Air force

strategies, which may reveal a bureaucratic way of operations.

Finally, it can be seen that the authors were focusing on discussing the mainly military force as

major contributing factors to halting insurgencies and counter-insurgency. This led to the

description of the Air power methodologies as part of enhancing counter-insurgency activities.

Using Air power as just part of military groups that are used largely in the combating of

insurgencies, it was unveiled that counter-insurgency involves a chain individuals, groups, and

organizations. Vividly, the counter-insurgency activities called for proper planning, including

educational institutions, military training groups and support from governing bodies. The

advisory groups are also crucial in setting the programs of intervention depending on factor

consideration to avoid unnecessary property losses and carnages this setting of the above bodies

together with evaluation of their working systems would help the USA and any other state that

prepares to engage in a counter-insurgency to gauge of its possibility of succeeding in mitigating

the conditions of the insurgency victim communities rather than worsening them.

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 BOOK REVIEW
BY
HASAN AL-KHALIFA

Bibliography:

Vick, A. (2006): Air Power in the New Counter-insurgency Era: The Strategic Importance of

USAF Advisory and Assistance Missions: RAND Corporation