Fighting a Global Insurgency Utilizing Galula's Counterinsurgency Warfare Theory

The world in the twenty-first century has become a very dangerous place. In order to defend ourselves from those that wish to harm us and our way of life, we must clearly understand the nature of the long war and how to fight successfully to defeat our enemies. Many experts and politicians claim we are fighting a global war on terrorism. This is simply not true. The goal of these non-state actors is to get the United States, and the rest of the Western World, to succumb to their demands, their ideology and eventually, their way of life. We are in the midst of a global insurgency, and the best way to counter this insurgency is to employ the counterinsurgency warfare theory of David Galula, apply it to a global stage, and adapt it to fit the nature of this insurgency. The following strategy research project will define insurgency and the nature of insurgencies. Then, it will outline Galulas counterinsurgency warfare theory by reviewing his strategy, operations and tactics. And finally, it will explore some of the underlining causes of insurgencies and how to apply Galulas counterinsurgency warfare theory to the conflicts we face in the twenty-first century.