Beating Goliath: Why Insurgencies WinPotomac Books, 2007 - 180 pages Beating Goliath examines the phenomenon of victories by the weak over the strong--more specifically, insurgencies that succeeded against great powers. Jeffrey Record reviews eleven insurgent wars from 1775 to the present and determines why the seemingly weaker side won. He concludes that external assistance correlates more consistently with insurgent success than any other explanation. He does not disparage the critical importance of will, strategy, and strong-side regime type or suggest that external assistance guarantees success. Indeed, in all cases, some combination of these factors is usually present. But Record finds few if any cases of unassisted insurgent victories except against the most decrepit regimes. Having identified the ingredients of insurgent success, Record examines the present insurgency in Iraq and whether the United States can win. In so doing, Record employs a comparative analysis of the Vietnam War and the Iraq War. He also identifies and assesses the influence of distinctive features of the American way of war on the U.S. forces' performance against the Iraqi insurgency. Make no mistake: insurgent victories are the exception, not the rule. But when David does beat Goliath, the consequences can be earth shattering and change the course of history. Jeffrey Record's persuasive logic and clear writing make this timely book a must read for scholars, policymakers, military strategists, and anyone interested in the Iraq War's outcome. |
From inside the book
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Page xi
... strong - side defeat in guerrilla wars . A critical factor in insurgent success is foreign help , which is the subject of chapter 2. External assistance is certainly no guarantee of victory in insurgent wars , but there are few examples ...
... strong - side defeat in guerrilla wars . A critical factor in insurgent success is foreign help , which is the subject of chapter 2. External assistance is certainly no guarantee of victory in insurgent wars , but there are few examples ...
Page 11
... strong actor's power irrelevant . ” His starting point is that " strategy ... can multiply or divide power . " 29 He contends that " the best predic- tor of asymmetric conflict is strategic interaction " and that " strong actors will ...
... strong actor's power irrelevant . ” His starting point is that " strategy ... can multiply or divide power . " 29 He contends that " the best predic- tor of asymmetric conflict is strategic interaction " and that " strong actors will ...
Page 12
... strong actors tend to lose for two reasons . First , although all combatants tend to have inflated expectations of vic- tory , strong actors in asymmetric conflicts are particularly susceptible to this problem . If power implies victory ...
... strong actors tend to lose for two reasons . First , although all combatants tend to have inflated expectations of vic- tory , strong actors in asymmetric conflicts are particularly susceptible to this problem . If power implies victory ...
Contents
The Role of External Assistance | 23 |
Search and Destroy | 117 |
Conclusion | 131 |
Copyright | |
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administration American Arab armed army attacks attempted battle believed British Bush casualties China Chinese civil colonies combat command committed Communist continued conventional conventional military costs counterinsurgency critical December decisive defeat Defense democracies determined direct effective enemy especially external assistance fact factors failed fight foreign France French ground guerrilla important Independence Institute interests International intervention involved Iraq Iraqi insurgency irregular John leadership less limited lose losses lost major material means militarily Nationalist never North numbers objectives observes operations organization outcome peace percent political population President protracted regime regular resistance side Small Wars South Vietnam Soviet Spanish strategy strength strong stronger Studies success Sunni superior supply terrorism terrorist threat tion trained troops U.S. forces U.S. military Union United University Press victory Vietnamese Communists waging warfare Washington weak weaker weapons withdrawal World York