Best practices
- Operational clarity implies that the counter-insurgent forces have a clear idea of the purpose of their actions. Moreover, the command system must be effective and unified enough so that measures undertaken in an emergency situation would only have one clear direction.
- Unified effort means that there must be a consistent strategic idea that would help coordinating counter-insurgent actions.
- Intelligence system is crucial to the efficiency of the operations.
- Sound intelligence work presupposes that various units provide valid information on the insurgency that would create a coherent image of its motivations and help predict the behavior.
- Resolute leadership involves having a clear understanding of the operation and the nature of the issue. This feature, as well as ethical perspective and national issues, constitutes an important part of a counter-insurgent approach and should be developed in the U.S.
From the emergency management perspective, among the best counter-insurgency practices are resolute leadership, intelligence system, unified effort, operational clarity, and military force structures (Goswami, 2012, par. 3). The latter presupposes the development of an appropriate and efficient system of military mechanisms.
Implementation
In order to improve the efficiency of counter-insurgent measures, it is necessary to incorporate innovative technology solutions into the intelligence structures.
Moreover, maintaining the right balance between economic aspect and military security presence is necessary in order to avoid insurgents taking advantage of a flawed institutional organization (United States Government Interagency Counterinsurgency Initiative, 2009, p. 27).
Developing an efficacious intelligence system is of utmost importance, as well as a unified effort needed to reach the goal or a compromise. The unit must be headed by one officer with a right to make the most important decisions.
Terrorist Groups
The latter include assassination, arson, hijacking, bombing, kidnapping, raids, and sabotages (Global Security, n.d., par. 5).
Kydd and Walter (2006) single out several types of logic that terrorists employ in order to reach their goal (p. 49). These include attrition, outbidding, spoiling, intimidation, and provocation.
The latter is used when the terrorists want to influence the public opinion and convince the society that they are trustworthy, as opposed to their adversaries, as the latter were provoked to behave in an aggressive way. Intimidation serves as a threat and a promise in order for everyone to remember that terrorists are to be taken seriously.
Spoiling is a rather interesting method, as it involves persuading the public that their moderate wing is not trustworthy. Thus, any attempts of reaching a compromise are thereby spoiled.
Terrorists’ objectives usually include intimidation, provocation, coercion, as well as recognition (Global Security, n.d., par. 3). More often than not, terrorist actions involve insurgency support.
Terrorists’ demands are often put in a simple form. Various techniques are used in order to force the government to act in their favor.
Response to Terrorists’ Action
The unpredictable nature of their actions leaves the global community restless and in panic.
That is why the most important thing to do is to remain as calm and focused as possible.
The military force structures and emergency management teams are created for the exact purpose of managing the unpredictable and menacing situations.
It is rather difficult to work out one universal course of action as a response to terrorism because the latter is unpredictable.
However, it is possible to emphasize the priorities in order to ensure the necessary action: remain calm, focused, and never let fear overwhelm you.
The question of how should the world respond to the terrorists’ actions has been a burning issue for a long time.
References
- Global Security. (n.d.). Chapter 3. Combatting terrorism. Web.
- Goswami, N. (2012). Counter-Insurgency best practices and their applicability in the northeast. Web.
- Kydd, A. H. & Walter, A. (2006). The strategies of terrorism. International Security, 31(1), 49-80.
- United States Government Interagency Counterinsurgency Initiative. (2009). U.S. Government counterinsurgency guide. Web.