text: Foundations of Insurgency
  amount of time. This can create the perception that the insurgency is increasing its control or the
  government is losing control and legitimacy.
  Providing Psychological Victories
  2-39. The guerrilla seeks to gain small psychological victories. These victories do not need to be
  significant in terms of material damage to the government or its armed forces. These tactical victories show
  that a small guerrilla force can defeat the much larger government force.
  Tying Up or Blocking Host Nation Government Resources
  2-40. By forcing the HN government to expend resources on military operations against guerrillas, the
  insurgency seeks to tie up resources that could best be used by the government to provide services
  and development programs to the populace.
  Weakening Host Nation Government Resolve
  2-41. By defeating small elements of the HN’s security forces and attacking government agencies, the
  guerrilla weakens the resolve of government employees and forces. Small government forces and agencies
  become aware of their vulnerability. Desertion, absence from work, willingness to compromise, difficulty
  in recruiting, or limitations on services to dangerous areas all benefit the insurgency’s purpose.
  Intimidating the Population
  2-42. By attacking vocal opponents and certain types of individuals, such as teachers, the insurgents
  seek to frighten the population.
  Acquiring Supplies and Equipment
  2-43. Guerrillas seek to acquire government weapons, uniforms, equipment, supplies, or vehicles.
  Infiltrating Host Nation Government and Government Forces
  2-44. Insurgents will often attempt to infiltrate various government ministries and security forces by
  emplacing sympathizers and by converting existing members of those agencies. These infiltrators are used
  to gather intelligence and to subvert operations.
  Causing COIN Security Force Overreaction
  2-45. Since a COIN fight is the fight for the population, often the intent of insurgents using terrorism
  or guerrilla warfare is to cause a heavy-handed response to attacks on the part of the COIN force or HN
  security force. These responses will often drive the population to support the insurgency.
  IDEOLOGY
  2-46. Insurgents often use their ideology to show the population how they can address the root causes
  that the government cannot provide or is not providing. Insurgent ideology attempts to provide a vision
  of how a society, including a political and economic system, should be structured. Ideology should not be
  confused with the insurgent strategy, which is the way that the insurgents intend to achieve their end state.
  Two of the most identifiable insurgent ideologies have been communism and religious extremism.
  2-47. Ideology is a motivating factor in insurgent activities. Insurgencies can gather recruits and amass
  popular support through ideological appeal, which includes religious or other cultural factors. The
  insurgency’s ideology explains its followers’ difficulties and provides a means to remedy those ills. The
  most powerful ideologies tap latent, emotional concerns of the populace. Tactical units could see ideology
  expressed in the propaganda and recruitment techniques of local insurgents.