COLUMNS
Applying Long War Theory to Insurgencies

Aug 21, 2018 | 09:00 GMT

Jean-Louis Messonier's painting shows Napoleon Bonaparte heading a weary party during the defense of France. Insurgent groups seek to defeat stronger opponents by wearing them down.
(Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Highlights
- In contrast to conventional Western military strategists, insurgent commanders seek to prolong battles to ultimately wear down stronger opponents.
- There are strong parallels between what the Islamic State is currently experiencing and the situation it faced when it was a largely guerrilla movement in 2010.
- The Taliban might make overtures regarding negotiations, but they are unlikely to truly pursue talks because they believe they can outlast the Americans in Afghanistan.
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