Coin-Northern Ireland
URBAN COIN RESEARCH PAPER (NORTHERN IRELAND)
Introduction
Insurgency is one of the oldest as well as common ways of warfare. Statistics reveal that in the last 100 years, there has been an increase in the number and intensity of insurgencies, especially urban insurgency. In order to defeat the urban insurgency, it is vital for counter-insurgency forces to understand the dynamics of the urban environment in that rebel forces often hide in the shadows of the non-partisan civil population1. Special considerations with respect to civilian populations should be given when planning and executing an urban counter-insurgency regardless of where operations are conducted2. Lessons learned from the past can assist in our understanding of how to deal with the current conflicts. This paper aims to assist in understanding urban counter-insurgency operations in Northern Ireland and explore applicability to operations in Afghanistan. In order to accomplish this task, a summary of events, tactics and techniques used by the insurgency and counter-insurgency, outcomes, and effects on the civilian population and environment will be examined.
Summary of Events
The violence that affected Northern Ireland can be traced back to the English conquest of Ireland in the early 17th century when the indigenous Irish Protestant population aligned themselves with their English Protestant conquerors and achieved power over their Catholic counterparts. This acquired power resulted in a growing and longstanding prejudice toward the Catholic population; prejudice was manifest, primarily, through economic and political inequality and culminated in the mid 20th century with armed conflict and subsequent political settlements.
During the 1950’s, the increasing divide between Catholics and Protestants was evidenced by economic discrimination. During this time, the Catholic population was not given equal employment opportunities. According to records of 1951, Catholics constituted 40% of
Introduction
Insurgency is one of the oldest as well as common ways of warfare. Statistics reveal that in the last 100 years, there has been an increase in the number and intensity of insurgencies, especially urban insurgency. In order to defeat the urban insurgency, it is vital for counter-insurgency forces to understand the dynamics of the urban environment in that rebel forces often hide in the shadows of the non-partisan civil population1. Special considerations with respect to civilian populations should be given when planning and executing an urban counter-insurgency regardless of where operations are conducted2. Lessons learned from the past can assist in our understanding of how to deal with the current conflicts. This paper aims to assist in understanding urban counter-insurgency operations in Northern Ireland and explore applicability to operations in Afghanistan. In order to accomplish this task, a summary of events, tactics and techniques used by the insurgency and counter-insurgency, outcomes, and effects on the civilian population and environment will be examined.
Summary of Events
The violence that affected Northern Ireland can be traced back to the English conquest of Ireland in the early 17th century when the indigenous Irish Protestant population aligned themselves with their English Protestant conquerors and achieved power over their Catholic counterparts. This acquired power resulted in a growing and longstanding prejudice toward the Catholic population; prejudice was manifest, primarily, through economic and political inequality and culminated in the mid 20th century with armed conflict and subsequent political settlements.
During the 1950’s, the increasing divide between Catholics and Protestants was evidenced by economic discrimination. During this time, the Catholic population was not given equal employment opportunities. According to records of 1951, Catholics constituted 40% of
Bibliography: Bardon, Jonathan. A History of Ulster. Blackstaff Press Limited, 2005. Derkins, Susie. The Irish Republican Army. New York, NY: Rosen Group, 2002. Edwards, Aaron Ellison, Graham and Jim Smyth. The Crowned Harp: Policing Northern Ireland. Sterling, VA: Pluto Press, 2000. Henriksen, Thomas. What Really Happened in Northern Ireland’s Counterinsurgency: Revision and Revelation (JSOU Report 08-5). The JSOU Press Hurlburt Field, Florida, 2008. Jenkins, Brian. The Five Stages of Urban Guerrilla Warfare: Challenge of the 1970s. Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 1971. Miller, Thomas E. The Efficacy of Urban Insurgency in the Modern Era. Fort Leavenworth, KS: U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, 2002. Marighella, Carlos. Minimanual of the Urban Guerrilla. Unknown Publisher, 1969. Marques, Patrick D., Guerrilla Warfare Tactics in Urban Environments O’Brien, Brendan. The Long War, The IRA and Sinn Fein. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1999. O’Neill, Bard E. Insurgency and Terrorism: From Revolution to Apocalypse. Washington, DC: Potomac Books, 2005. Taber, Robert. War of the Flea: The Classic Study of Guerrilla Warfare. Dulles, VA: Brassey’s Inc., 2002. 2 Carlos Marighella, Minimanual of the Urban Guerrilla (Unknown Publisher, 1969). [ 2 ]. Susie Derkins, The Irish Republican Army (New York, NY: Rosen Group, 2002). [ 3 ]. Jonathan Bardon, A History of Ulster (Blackstaff Press Limited, 2005). [ 4 ]. Susie Derkins, The Irish Republican Army (New York, NY: Rosen Group, 2002). [ 5 ]. Jonathan Bardon, A History of Ulster (Blackstaff Press Limited, 2005). [ 6 ]. Susie Derkins, The Irish Republican Army (New York, NY: Rosen Group, 2002). [ 7 ]. Patrick D. Marques, Guerrilla Warfare Tactics in Urban Environments (Fort Leavenworth, KS, 2003). [ 8 ]. Graham Ellison and Jim Smyth, The Crowned Harp: Policing Northern Ireland (Sterling, VA: Pluto Press, 2000). [ 9 ]. Susie Derkins, The Irish Republican Army (New York, NY: Rosen Group, 2002). [ 11 ]. 11 Graham Ellison and Jim Smyth, The Crowned Harp: Policing Northern Ireland (Sterling, VA: Pluto Press, 2000). [ 12 ]. Brendan O’Brien, The Long War, The IRA and Sinn Fein (Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1999).