The Essence of Desperation: Counterinsurgency Doctrine as the Solution to War-Fighting Failures

Counterinsurgency is a doctrine premised on winning the population of a nation-state over to the government’s side. Counterinsurgency is also associated with a continuing presence of military forces for long periods and significant aid expenditures. As such, it is a curious strategy to employ in the midst of wars seen as failing and when the population has turned against the conflict.

This book examines counterinsurgency’s emergence in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan in order to understand h...