The Counterinsurgency Challenge: A Parable of Leadership and Decision Making in Modern Conflict

by Christopher D. Kolenda, Stanley McChrystal (Foreword)

In the not-too-distant future, an American military commander is preparing to take charge of counterinsurgency operations in the Narabad Province of remote and mountainous Khanastan, an impoverished region scarred by war and ruled by diverse religious and tribal communities. As part of his preparations, he enters a stunningly real conflict-mapping simulation that allows him to see the results of his on-the-ground decisions within hours.What he learns shocks him.His initial efforts to take control of the situation--by establishing a secure forward operating base, pressuring the local population to support his soldiers, providing armed escorts to government leaders, and taking the fight to the enemy--lead to chaos, increasing the danger to his troops and making the insurgents more numerous and deadly. He consults with his two mentors, a battlehardened war fighter and a provocative devil's advocate, then rewinds the scenario and tries again. And again. But whatever he does falls short of effective counterinsurgency, leading to more violence and to consequences he never expected. He grows frustrated, unsure if he and his soldiers can do anything at all to defeat the enemy and claim victory. It's only when he discards obsolete strategies and old measures of success and formulates a nontraditional--and more cold-blooded--approach that his efforts gain traction and the insurgency starts to weaken. He begins to see that effective counterinsurgency demands a new way of thinking. And a new way of fighting.In the tradition of military classics such as The Defence of Duffer's Drift, this powerful parable illustrates the urgent need for military leaders to rethink how they fight contemporary conflicts. It reads like a thriller, with a cast of vivid characters, even as it puts forward a bold approach to effective counterinsurgency operations and makes a compelling case for change.A journey through the mind of a commander as he learns and adapts in a complex, deadly environment.One of the world's premier practitioners challenges conventional wisdom about counterinsurgency, using a parable to help leaders develop the mental agility to be successful.A fictional commander participates in virtual reality combat situations that illustrate the chaos, complexity, and uncertainty of modern conflict-and he fails repeatedly, learning and adapting with each set of experiences.This highly practical parable avoids checklists and formulas; it teaches leaders how to think and how to develop the mental courage to learn, adapt, and make decisions in the face of a deadly and resilient enemy.An innovative tool for developing in peacetime the mental agility and adaptability our leaders need to be successful in combat.

Genres: Leadership

208 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2012

About the author

Christopher D. Kolenda is President and CEO of Kolenda Strategic Leadership, LLC, which consults on leadership, strategy, and human security. He is also an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for New American Security. He recently served as the Senior Advisor on Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Department of Defense senior leadership and has served four tours in Afghanistan.

Chris graduated from the United States Military Academy and went on to serve in the United States Army with great distinction, to include leading large, complex organizations in the United States, Europe, and in combat in Afghanistan. He also served as an Assistant Professor of History at West Point.

In 2007-08, he commanded an airborne infantry task force in Kunar and Nuristan provinces and pioneered an innovative approach to counterinsurgency. Employing locally-tailored combinations of armed diplomacy, conflict resolution, personal relationships, and high degrees of leverage, his unit dramatically improved the levels of stability in what had been one of the most violent areas of Afghanistan. According to a 2012 study by the Center of Naval Analyses, his unit’s performance was among the most highly successful in America’s longest war.

In 2009 he was hand selected by the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy to develop a new U.S. strategy for the conflict, and was then ordered back to Afghanistan where he co-authored the groundbreaking McChrystal assessment, counterinsurgency guidance, and military strategy. He has since shaped every critical policy and strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. His advice has been adopted by three Secretaries of Defense and the President of the United States.

His efforts have been featured in two New York Times bestselling books: The Outpost by Jake Tapper and Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson, as well as in numerous newspaper and journal articles and studies, such as the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, The Economist, and The London Times.

Christopher Kolenda holds a Master of Arts in European History from the University of Wisconsin, and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. In addition to his books, he has written numerous articles on leadership and national security issues for professional journals.

A highly sought-after speaker and writer, Christopher Kolenda is the editor and coauthor of Leadership: The Warrior’s Art, which has appeared on the professional reading lists of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and many professional schools. His new book, The Counterinsurgency Challenge, serves as an experiential tutorial on adaptive leadership in complex environments in conflict zones.

(c) http://kolendastrategicleadership.com

Reviews

[Backslash · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book on coin. Some good leadership lessons in addition to the main point. Easy to read