Publication

In this monograph, Dr. Anna Simons uses India’s extensive experience with insurgency to make the point that with the right who in charge, the right what will follow. She analyzes three exceptional Indians (K. P. S. Gill, S. K. Sinha, and Mahatma Gandhi). Yet, in doing so, she also makes the case that no one else can duplicate their approaches. So, what then might be gained by studying their lessons learned? For one, the Department of Defense and the Services should pay far greater attention to assessment, selection, reassessment, and deselection. Second, counterinsurgency (and related) field manuals will always be more useful as screening tools than teaching aides when it comes to identifying counterinsurgency (COIN) potential. Intentionally provocative, this monograph not only challenges current ways of doing business, but should add a new dimension to the COIN strategy debate.