The third Iraq
The US was ecstatic when Ethiopian troops poured into Somalia for what looked like a quick and easy victory against Islamists, but the Ethiopians now find themselves trapped, propping up a weak and unpopular government and fighting a growing insurgency.
How familiar does this sound?
Name a successful counterinsurgency fought by a foreign power since WWII.
How familiar does this sound?
Ethiopian-backed Somali government forces have launched an offensive against insurgents after simultaneous attacks in the capital, Mogadishu....
The attacks came after Ethiopia's prime minister said his forces are unable to withdraw from the conflict in Somalia.
Meles Zenawi said he had expected to withdraw his soldiers earlier in the year, once the Islamists had been driven out of Mogadishu.....
Their presence is unpopular in Mogadishu. Earlier this month, insurgents dragged the bodies of Ethiopian troops through the city.
Name a successful counterinsurgency fought by a foreign power since WWII.
posted by mikevotes at
7:32 AM
2 Comments:
"Name a successful counterinsurgency fought by a foreign power since WWII."
Chechnya, maybe. It depends on the definition of "foreign power".
El Salvador had American "advisers", and was marginally "successful".
Nicaragua depends on how you define "counterinsurgency". So does Tibet.
But overall, I see your point. It's a grim record.
By
Todd Dugdale , at 9:00 AM
Exactly. There are a few examples of success, but they are few, and are all VERY small populations.
Specifically, I might argue Chechnya because the Russians are still there, and the Chechens are still conducting bombings (inside Russia.) Despite the fact that the violence is down, I think it's more in remission.
El Salvador's kind of a half because the fighting was primarily indigineous on both sides.
I would say Tibet fits the bill.
By
mikevotes, at 12:57 PM
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