British Joint Counter-Insurgency Doctrine - Chinese Whispers From the Past and a Doomed Future

摘要

In September 2007, the Chief of the General Staff pointed to a rift between society and the Armed Forces; a rupture of the so-called military covenant, which stemmed from the unpopular wars in which the British Army was engaged. The United Kingdom's commitment to Iraq and Afghanistan, set against the world economic recession, a public and coalition perception of failed UK Defence and Foreign policy in the Region, and in contrast with U.S. military success, continues to polarize UK electoral views; if anything, this is likely to worsen, thereby increasing pressure for force reductions or possibly even military disengagement. The UK population and press remain highly skeptical as to a continued presence and any likelihood of success in Afghanistan. There also appear to be questions regarding British Military Counter-insurgency doctrine following the Iraqi Army Operation 'Charge Of The Knights,' U.S. Army reinforcement to Multi-National Division South East (Basrah) and the successful implementation of U.S. Counter-insurgency 'Petraeus' doctrine. Moreover, the military situation in the Helmand Province, Afghanistan, appears to have deteriorated significantly, despite a 100% increase in British Army force levels. Against this context, British Colonial policing and early guerrilla warfare doctrine, which formed the basis for its modern counter-insurgency counterpart, were reviewed by the author, using India, Malaya and Northern Ireland as Case Studies. The Author's findings point to British Counter- insurgency doctrine being neither truly joint nor appropriately resourced. Both of these conditions are the products and proof, of the extant and recurring rift between society and the government in the United Kingdom, with the Armed forces left to suffer the results.