The Importance of Intelligence in Combating a Modern Insurgency

Authors

Kevin Reamer

Author Biography

Mr. Reamer enlisted in the National Guard in 2009 as an intelligence analyst. He has a BA in Political Science from the University of Maryland Baltimore County where he focused on international relations, the Middle East, and national security. He is currently working on a MS in Intelligence Management from Henley Putnam University with concentrations in Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence.

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.2.2.3

Subject Area Keywords

Asymmetric warfare, Conflict studies, Counterinsurgency, History, Intelligence collection, Small wars and insurgencies

Abstract

Throughout history the world has been plagued by insurgencies. While the underlying causes of each new insurgency have been different, they are all similar in certain areas. This similarity entails that the effective countering of an insurgency can be turned into a science with a set of guidelines to follow based on conditions on the ground. Guidelines are important because insurgencies are flexible and to defeat them the counterinsurgency must be equally flexible if not more flexible. Good intelligence is critical to the success of an insurgency. With their small, poorly equipped forces, the leaders of insurgencies need to know when to strike and when to pull back. This reliance on intelligence means that an effective counterinsurgency must also rely on good intelligence so that the counterinsurgents may know where the insurgency will strike, where they are based, how they are supplied, where they keep their weapons, and other essential pieces of information.

Recommended Citation

Reamer, Kevin. "The Importance of Intelligence in Combating a Modern Insurgency." Journal of Strategic Security 2, no. 2 (2010) : 73-90.
DOI:

http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.2.2.3