Militant Tricks: Battlefield Ruses of the Islamic Insurgent

by H. John Poole, Ray L. Smith (Foreword by)

THIS BOOK WAS ON THE U.S. ARMY'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS READING LIST. Since 9/11, our deployed troops have learned many things. Though the war in Afghanistan has just ended, many of their hard-won lessons have yet to be assimilated by the Stateside bureaucracy. To help, "Militant Tricks" has recounted America's progress in Iraq and Afghanistan from the standpoint of East Asian BATTLEFIELD DECEPTION. Both countries were part of the Mongol Empire for over 200 years and thus prone to every sort of ancient Chinese illusion. "Militant Tricks" also contains the TACTICAL TECHNIQUES WITH WHICH TO COUNTER AN ISLAMIC EXTREMIST'S URBAN OFFENSIVE. While some of these nontraditional techniques were risked during the Baghdad Surge, they may soon be forgotten.

Genres: Military Fiction, War, History, Nonfiction, Middle East

412 pages, Paperback

First published October 17, 2005

Reviews

[Grant Houtary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should have been read by every servicemember going over to fight in the GWOT, would have changed the outcome of so much and saved our great nation so much blood, money, time and effort put into a place that Americans even after 20 years of war understand little about. With a focus on decentralization and a move away from traditional doctrine this book offers up a revised version of one of the few successful ideas implemented during the Vietnam war. The Combined Action Platoon with an urban twist for the Middle East. This book is brilliant and electrified me all the way through, if I had the ability to I would implement all of the ideas presenting into training, in order to be effective light infantry the Marine Corps must combine both conventional and unconventional warfare. The ideal Marine is part WW1 German Stormtrooper, NVA/PAVN Sapper and Kentucky Mountain man. This book changed my mind i9n so many ways and I have a new found respect for our adversaries in the desert.

[Mike]

I found the citations questionable at first, considering most of them are from The Christian Science Moniter. Apparently the magizine is secular and has one of the best correspondants in the Middle East. So far it talks about tactics and manuevers used by the insurgency and how they play with their goals (political/social).

This book goes well with Infantry in Battle which is an Army publication and hard to find.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read on a subject that's vanished from the public light, outlining basic strategies to combat and defeat insurgencies much like the one we're facing in Iraq and Afghanistan. A lot of stuff that could be deduced by yourself, and some small things that will make you go 'I'd never think of that!' As an additional bonus, it is a damn near -fully- cited book. Give it a read if it's a subject you're interested in.

[Steven]

Excellent

[Maxo Marc]

Interesting view of the type threat we face as a country in the middle east.

[J Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good stuff for troops heading overseas.