Abstract : The American Revolutionary War is one of the most famous and successful insurgencies, yet has rarely been used as a case study for why an insurgency has succeeded. Afghanistan in the post-9/11 era faces an insurgency from numerous groups that threaten the stability and legitimacy of the Karzai government, and the resolve of the Western coalition. Acknowledging the dangers of templating one conflict on another, this paper will identify the shared causes behind the two insurgencies and will highlight the shared means by which the two conflicts kept/keep their insurgencies alive. In terms of causes, it will discuss cultural, political, and economic ideologies, as well as the referent power of vocal leaders. In terms of methods and means, it will address propaganda and information operations, use of the coercive militia force, external support, vilification of public figures, education of the masses, strategies of home front exhaustion, cultural identity, a security void, and a duty to fight. The paper does not prescribe definitive strategies for success in Afghanistan, but concludes with suggested areas of further research, emphasizing the importance of a shared struggle for identity. In the end, the similarities between the insurgencies are abundant, and an assessment of parallel critical factors is appropriate.
Bureau of Sabotage