text: Chapter 1
  • What is my adversary thinking and why?
  • What are my Host Nation security forces thinking and why?
  • What are groups of people thinking and why?
  • What will my adversaries, groups of people, adjacent units, and coalition partners, and Host
  Nation security forces do if I take action X, and why?
  • How are cultural factors influencing my operations?
  • How can I make groups of people and Host Nation security forces do what I want them to do?
  SUMMARY
  Counterinsurgency can be extremely complex. At its core, COIN is a struggle for the population’s support.
  Understanding that struggle or becoming “the world expert on your district” (28 Articles, Kilcullen) is the
  foundation for any unit. A unit that uses the four tools described in this chapter dramatically increases its
  likelihood of success against an insurgency. These four tools are—
  • Studies carefully its operational environment (OE) using the operational variables of PMESII-PT
  (political, military, economic, social, information, infrastructure, physical environment and time).
  • Defines its situation using METT-TC.
  • Determines the root causes of the insurgency and analyzes the three prerequisites.
  • Develops cultural capability to increase their ability to understand and interact with the population.