07-18-2005, 01:40 AM
Perspective
War is a policy
A ISMAIL
David Rooney lays out in the preface that his book is really "not a history of guerilla warfare, but rather a study of some outstanding and brilliant military leaders who became successful guerrilla warriors, and added their own slant to this fascinating story". He traces the origins and precepts from Sun Tzu to Bin Laden in this well researched, highly readable book. The basic guerrilla precepts - defeat alien occupation, have a cause to die for, gain the support of the people, attack when least expected and never risk defeat in set battle - have not changed in 2,500 years. However, over centuries brave and aspiring leaders have adapted these to suit local conditions. Thus, even though the history of such warfare may be murky and complex, it comes alive when focused on the ideas and actions of charismatic leaders who added their own passion and had the courage and leadership skills to put forth their own theories and those of others into practice. Some great guerrilla leaders were men who started as guerillas and fought their way upwards. The force of their vision impacted profoundly upon the very focus of their social and political enmity.
The best known and most highly respected treatise on guerrilla warfare comes from a Chinese scholar of the 4th century BC, Sun Tzu, the author of The Art of War. He lived during the period of the warring states - the 5th to the 3rd centuries BC - a time of prolonged civil war. Sun Tzu, unlike others who came many centuries later, argued that understanding should be used to prevent or overcome conflict and that to win without fighting is best. War should always be the last resort. He believed that war is always destructive and counterproductive even for the victors. Having argued the case for avoiding war at all costs, Sun Tzu then gives the most detailed and comprehensive advice on how to wage war successfully - "Be subtle, be mysterious in order to confuse your opponent. Planning must be secret, attack must be swift, like a hawk striking its prey avoid set battles, wear down the enemy by feigned flight; when the enemy attacks disperse; treat captives well and use them; avoid a long campaign which can ruin a country; feed your army in enemy territory if possible if you are equal, fight if you are able. If you are few, keep away if you are able. If you are not as good, flee if you are able." Sun Tzu compares a military formation to water which has no consistent shape - victory is gained by changing shape and adapting, like flowing water.
During the 20th century the outstanding but tragic guerrilla warrior, Che Guevara, who took part as a close colleague of Castro in the Cuban revolution, wrote a brilliant thesis on guerrilla warfare but learnt entirely the wrong lessons from his experience. After several abortive campaigns, Che Guevara was killed in Bolivia.
Rooney asserts that where there has been widespread alien occupation, as under the Romans, under Napoleon or under the Nazis, guerrilla activity has usually flourished. But within those parameters are guerrilla leaders who have had purely military aims, rather than the wider social and political targets of the true guerrilla warrior. Napoleon's domination of Europe gave rise to widespread guerrilla activity. Spain coined the word guerrilla, and in the uprisings in Aragon and Catalonia proved - as the Cossacks did in Russia - that guerrilla activity can influence the outcome of a major campaign. The great guerrilla warrior, Garibaldi, who initially developed his skills in the wars of South America, emerged from the overthrow of Napoleon and the rejection of the ideas of liberty and democracy by the reactionary regimes set up by the Congress of Vienna.
Maccabees of Judea, through Lawrence of Arabia, aimed at disrupting military and political occupation. Some fought for empires and others against it. In the 20th century the outstanding guerrilla warriors were Chairman Mao and Marshal Tito who initially led their guerrilla bands, but were driven by wider political aims and achieved final victory as head of states.
Little has changed since Sun Tzu laid down his ideas about guerrilla warfare in 400BC. Mao quoted him in detail, as did Che Guevara.
Today in an age where one man can mastermind a campaign worldwide, the methods of guerrilla warfare have, to the western world, become synonymous with terrorism. Rooney's book purports to show that while one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter, there are many shades in between.
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.a...mID=6383&cat=11
War is a policy
A ISMAIL
David Rooney lays out in the preface that his book is really "not a history of guerilla warfare, but rather a study of some outstanding and brilliant military leaders who became successful guerrilla warriors, and added their own slant to this fascinating story". He traces the origins and precepts from Sun Tzu to Bin Laden in this well researched, highly readable book. The basic guerrilla precepts - defeat alien occupation, have a cause to die for, gain the support of the people, attack when least expected and never risk defeat in set battle - have not changed in 2,500 years. However, over centuries brave and aspiring leaders have adapted these to suit local conditions. Thus, even though the history of such warfare may be murky and complex, it comes alive when focused on the ideas and actions of charismatic leaders who added their own passion and had the courage and leadership skills to put forth their own theories and those of others into practice. Some great guerrilla leaders were men who started as guerillas and fought their way upwards. The force of their vision impacted profoundly upon the very focus of their social and political enmity.
The best known and most highly respected treatise on guerrilla warfare comes from a Chinese scholar of the 4th century BC, Sun Tzu, the author of The Art of War. He lived during the period of the warring states - the 5th to the 3rd centuries BC - a time of prolonged civil war. Sun Tzu, unlike others who came many centuries later, argued that understanding should be used to prevent or overcome conflict and that to win without fighting is best. War should always be the last resort. He believed that war is always destructive and counterproductive even for the victors. Having argued the case for avoiding war at all costs, Sun Tzu then gives the most detailed and comprehensive advice on how to wage war successfully - "Be subtle, be mysterious in order to confuse your opponent. Planning must be secret, attack must be swift, like a hawk striking its prey avoid set battles, wear down the enemy by feigned flight; when the enemy attacks disperse; treat captives well and use them; avoid a long campaign which can ruin a country; feed your army in enemy territory if possible if you are equal, fight if you are able. If you are few, keep away if you are able. If you are not as good, flee if you are able." Sun Tzu compares a military formation to water which has no consistent shape - victory is gained by changing shape and adapting, like flowing water.
During the 20th century the outstanding but tragic guerrilla warrior, Che Guevara, who took part as a close colleague of Castro in the Cuban revolution, wrote a brilliant thesis on guerrilla warfare but learnt entirely the wrong lessons from his experience. After several abortive campaigns, Che Guevara was killed in Bolivia.
Rooney asserts that where there has been widespread alien occupation, as under the Romans, under Napoleon or under the Nazis, guerrilla activity has usually flourished. But within those parameters are guerrilla leaders who have had purely military aims, rather than the wider social and political targets of the true guerrilla warrior. Napoleon's domination of Europe gave rise to widespread guerrilla activity. Spain coined the word guerrilla, and in the uprisings in Aragon and Catalonia proved - as the Cossacks did in Russia - that guerrilla activity can influence the outcome of a major campaign. The great guerrilla warrior, Garibaldi, who initially developed his skills in the wars of South America, emerged from the overthrow of Napoleon and the rejection of the ideas of liberty and democracy by the reactionary regimes set up by the Congress of Vienna.
Maccabees of Judea, through Lawrence of Arabia, aimed at disrupting military and political occupation. Some fought for empires and others against it. In the 20th century the outstanding guerrilla warriors were Chairman Mao and Marshal Tito who initially led their guerrilla bands, but were driven by wider political aims and achieved final victory as head of states.
Little has changed since Sun Tzu laid down his ideas about guerrilla warfare in 400BC. Mao quoted him in detail, as did Che Guevara.
Today in an age where one man can mastermind a campaign worldwide, the methods of guerrilla warfare have, to the western world, become synonymous with terrorism. Rooney's book purports to show that while one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter, there are many shades in between.
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.a...mID=6383&cat=11