FM FMI 3-24.2 (FM 90-8, FM 7-98) I Tactics in Counterinsurgency MARCH 2009 HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTION: Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited. * FMI 3-24.2 (FM 90-8, FM 7-98) Field Manual Interim Headquarters Department of the Army No. 3-24.2 Washington, DC,_____________ Tactics in Counterinsurgency Contents Page PREFACE ................................................................................................................. viii INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................... ix Chapter 1 OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT OF COUNTERINSURGENCY ...........................1-1 Section I—OVERVIEW.............................................................................................1-1 Insurgency...........................................................................................................1-1 Counterinsurgency..............................................................................................1-2 Influences on Current Operational Environments...............................................1-2 Section II—OPERATIONAL AND MISSION VARIABLES .....................................1-3 Operational Variables .........................................................................................1-3 Mission Variables................................................................................................1-6 Section III—ANALYSIS OF CIVIL CONSIDERATIONS USING ASCOPE.............1-8 Methodology........................................................................................................1-8 Civil Considerations Overlay.............................................................................1-10 Civil Consideration Matrixes .............................................................................1-10 Section IV—EFFECTS ...........................................................................................1-17 Prerequisites .....................................................................................................1-17 Root Causes .....................................................................................................1-18 Section V—CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ...1-19 Culture...............................................................................................................1-19 Cultural Capability.............................................................................................1-24 Cultural Proficiency Levels................................................................................1-25 Culturally Influenced Situational Awareness ....................................................1-26 Chapter 2 FOUNDATIONS OF INSURGENCY.........................................................................2-1 Section I—OVERVIEW.............................................................................................2-1 Components........................................................................................................2-1 Manifestations.....................................................................................................2-1 Historical Insurgency...........................................................................................2-2 Section II—ELEMENTS ...........................................................................................2-2 Leaders ...............................................................................................................2-3 Guerrillas.............................................................................................................2-4 Distribution Restriction: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. * This publication supersedes FM 90-8, 29 August 1986 and FM 7-98, 19 October 1992. FMI 3-24.2 i Contents Underground....................................................................................................... 2-4 Auxiliaries ........................................................................................................... 2-4 Mass Base.......................................................................................................... 2-5 Example.............................................................................................................. 2-5 Section III—DYNAMICS .......................................................................................... 2-5 Leadership.......................................................................................................... 2-6 Objective............................................................................................................. 2-7 Ideology .............................................................................................................. 2-9 Environment and Geography ........................................................................... 2-11 External Support............................................................................................... 2-11 Internal Support ................................................................................................ 2-12 Phasing and Timing.......................................................................................... 2-15 Organizational and Operational Patterns ......................................................... 2-16 Section IV—STRATEGIES .................................................................................... 2-16 Urban Strategy ................................................................................................. 2-17 Military-Focused Strategy................................................................................. 2-17 Protracted Popular War Strategy ..................................................................... 2-17 Identity-Focused Strategy ................................................................................ 2-18 Conspiratorial Strategy..................................................................................... 2-18 Section V—TACTICS ............................................................................................ 2-20 Violent Tactics .................................................................................................. 2-20 Nonviolent Tactics ............................................................................................ 2-23 Section VI—STRENGTHS AND VULNERABILITIES .......................................... 2-24 Strengths .......................................................................................................... 2-24 Vulnerabilities ................................................................................................... 2-25 Chapter 3 FOUNDATIONS OF COUNTERINSURGENCY ...................................................... 3-1 Section I—OVERVIEW ............................................................................................ 3-1 Definition of Counterinsurgency ......................................................................... 3-1 Goal of Counterinsurgency Operations.............................................................. 3-1 Foreign Internal Defense.................................................................................... 3-2 Internal Defense and Development.................................................................... 3-2 Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, Multinational.......................................... 3-2 Interagency Coordination in COIN ..................................................................... 3-5 Lines of Effort in Counterinsurgency .................................................................. 3-7 Section II—HISTORICAL THEORIES..................................................................... 3-9 Robert Thompson's Principles for Successful COIN.......................................... 3-9 David Galula’s Four Laws for Successful COIN................................................. 3-9 Charles Callwell’s Ideas for Successful COIN ................................................. 3-10 Section III—TACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS........................................................ 3-10 Terrain .............................................................................................................. 3-10 Troops .............................................................................................................. 3-14 Section IV—CLEAR-HOLD-BUILD OPERATIONS.............................................. 3-17 Overview........................................................................................................... 3-18 Clear ................................................................................................................. 3-19 Hold .................................................................................................................. 3-20 Build.................................................................................................................. 3-21 ii FMI 3-24.2 Contents Section V—OTHER MAJOR COIN TACTICAL OPERATIONS............................3-23 Strike Operations ..............................................................................................3-23 Populace and Resource Control Operations ....................................................3-24 Section VI—PHASES.............................................................................................3-27 Initial Response Phase .....................................................................................3-27