tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9552735247571787572024-03-14T20:49:03.024+02:00Eeben Barlow's Military and Security BlogEeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comBlogger205125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-88555763641934294522019-12-02T11:54:00.000+02:002019-12-02T11:54:29.006+02:00RUSSIAN PMC WAGNER’S SET-BACKS IN MOZAMBIQUE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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THIS IS NOT
A NEITHER A PRESS RELEASE, NOR A PARTY-POLITICAL COMMENT</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I was
recently asked to comment on the Russian PMC Wagner’s role and their current lack
of success in Mozambique.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I do not usually
comment on the work of other PMCs, but as some in the media</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">very falsely and stupidly</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—alluded
and/or </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">claimed I was
part of Wagner’s creation, I feel I ought to voice my opinion. Others in the media,
again very falsely, claimed that STTEP had submitted a proposal to the Mozambique
government, but that it had been rejected</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—especially as </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">no
such proposal was ever submitted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It is
sometimes very difficult to counter the media’s constant lying with reference
to EO/STTEP as people tend to believe the ‘creative journalism’ they read in
the media without any verification of the story. I have been down that road
before… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Equally
dim-witted is the assertion that EO/STTEP were/get paid in ‘resources’. (It is
very difficult to pay employees in barrels of oil, carats of diamonds, or
whatever other resources I/we supposedly get paid in). I suppose by padding their
stories with lies, some of these ‘journalists’ feel they are worthy of some journalistic
prize. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Back to
Wagner: It is a well-known fact that they are in Mozambique. It is also a well-known
fact that they have found themselves totally out of their depth. I recently
commented that arrogance and over confidence can result in disaster for those
who are unprepared for deployment in Africa. Africa does not take kindly to a Western
or Eastern doctrine, or such approaches to conflict as a template that can be
superimposed on the continent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I also
commented that a lack of their understanding of the impact of the Operating Environment
(OE), the Area of Operations (AO), the terrain, the threat, the customs and traditions
of the local people in the AO, and so forth all indicate a definite lack of
preparation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As intelligence drives
strategy, and tactics is related to terrain, it is apparent they missed that
part as well. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">However,
the mere fact that a Russian PMC is in Mozambique, is an indication that the Mozambique
armed forces need help, and that South Africa missed a golden opportunity to
project force by providing robust and effective support. Many African armies
have become victims of their own making. But that is another argument for
another day…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I certainly
do not applaud the fact that Wagner suffered casualties. Rightly or wrongly,
they are there to do a job</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—and if they
are successful, much of Sub-Saharan Africa may benefit from their success. If
they fail, the threat will simply be incentivised and gain additional support—and
that ought to be of grave concern to the Mozambique government, and many other
governments. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Am I pleased that Wagner
are in Mozambique? No, as I believe there are other PMCs way better qualified and
with a better track record than they have, but it was a decision taken by the Mozambique
government. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Perhaps desperate
times call for desperate measures…But ultimately, you get what you pay for. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-16198163824783948262019-10-18T10:28:00.000+02:002019-10-18T10:28:03.118+02:00IS ‘THE BELL’ DABBLING IN DISINFORMATION? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-GB">The disinformation piece published by ‘The
Bell’ on 29 January 2019, seems to be steadily gaining traction, and creeping across
the informational domain. I initially thought that people would see through the
deception in the article, but sadly, they didn’t, couldn’t, or wouldn’t. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The piece, titled “Private army for the
president: the story of the most delicate assignment of Evgeny Prigozhin“ (<a href="https://thebell.io/41889-2/">https://thebell.io/41889-2/</a>) tries to
connect Executive Outcomes (EO) with the formation of the Russian PMC ‘Wagner
Group’, and furthermore implies that I am/was an advisor to the Russians. The Bell’s
article, amongst other ‘valuable insights’, states: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">“In the official program of the St.
Petersburg economic forum in June 2010, Barlow’s name is listed as a
participant in one short session …. the main reason for his visit was a closed
presentation for a small delegation of the General Staff”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">It is sometimes difficult to defend oneself
against a lie that has gained momentum. I can only suppose that it is
irrelevant that such a ‘closed presentation’ with the Russian General Staff was
never on the cards and never happened. Another irrelevant fact is that I
certainly wouldn’t compromise EO’s reputation</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span><span lang="EN-GB">or even that of STTEP</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span><span lang="EN-GB">in favour of a
foreign government-sponsored company</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span><span lang="EN-GB">especially in
Africa. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The origins of The Bell can be found here: <a href="https://thebell.io/about/?utm_source=desktop_topline">https://thebell.io/about/?utm_source=desktop_topline</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The same piece, with ‘additional reporting’
recently surfaced on ‘Veterans Today’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(<a href="https://www.veteranstoday.com/2019/09/13/russia-a-private-army-for-the-president-the-tale-of-evgeny-prigozhins-most-delicate-mission/">https://www.veteranstoday.com/2019/09/13/russia-a-private-army-for-the-president-the-tale-of-evgeny-prigozhins-most-delicate-mission/</a>),
dated September 23, 2019. Veterans Today puts itself out as ‘a journal for the
clandestine community’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">When a journal that supposedly focusses on ‘clandestine
operations’ get its ‘facts’ so wrong, it becomes suspiciously clear that they
base their ‘clandestine intelligence’ on disinformation, and definitely not on irrefutable
and verifiable facts. Basic research is no longer a requirement; instead, acting
as an extension of a Russian disinformation piece is. It seems Veterans Today
are trying hard to give credibility to a Russian disinformation piece</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span><span lang="EN-GB">I wonder why? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The fact that the original ‘journalists’
were paid to produce this masterpiece of deception came as no great surprise to
me. Their paymasters are also no great surprise to me. Apparently, the fact
that EO closed its doors more than a decade before the Wagner Group was even a
thought in the minds of the Russians also seems to have passed them by. But
then again, EO/myself have frequently been blamed for things that happened long
before the company came into being, and even long after the company closed its
doors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Although I cannot comment on the rest of
The Bells piece, I feel I am more than qualified to comment on EO/myself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">What was a fleetingly nice comment was that
the ‘journalists’ promoted me to the rank of Lt Gen</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span><span lang="EN-GB">I almost fell for this promotion until I realised I was reading a
carefully prepared piece where fact and fiction were interwoven with one
another to create a specific narrative and perception. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Given that I have also spoken, lectured,
and participated in numerous forums in the traditional West, I suppose EO/myself
were also instrumental in creating all of the foreign PMCs now running around
Africa, and acting as their advisers as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Sometimes, I can only shake my head and
wonder why, in this world of scientific wonders, a tablet has not yet been
developed to counteract stupidity. The reality is that in our interconnected
world, deception, through mobilising disinformation and fake news, now sadly carries
more weight than verified information. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">A shame indeed, but I suppose ‘The Bell’
and ‘Veterans Today’ also took some of their lessons from the EO-era SA Intelligence
Services and the media, and achieved their deceptive aim. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">After all, if a lie is repeated enough
times, it eventually morphs into the ‘truth’. As Lord Tim Bell, the founder of
the disgraced and now defunct PR company Bell Pottinger once claimed: “Why tell
the truth when a lie will do.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The Bell seems to have adopted that
approach. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-411663995317016782019-04-10T14:27:00.000+02:002019-04-10T14:27:10.900+02:00ARE WE BECOMING VICTIMS OF FOURTH GENERATION WARFARE?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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(This is <span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 10.5pt;">neither a media statement nor an invitation for party
political rhetoric)</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Adapted from a talk I gave at the Rooiplaas gathering on 6
April 2019)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">South Africa’s national security ought to be above petty
party politics. Unfortunately, it is not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I believe that many people in our government, and indeed
most of our citizens, are unaware of the fact that, as a country, we are being
targeted by Fourth Generation Warfare (FGW). I wrote about this phenomenon in
my book Composite Warfare under the heading of 4th Evolution of Warfare. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope that I am wrong but what I see unfolding is not
merely a clash between different ideologies but a concerted effort to bring
about the collapse of the country. This will impact negatively on every citizen
of the country regardless of colour, language, and religion, and unless there
is dedicated, driven, and urgent intervention—supported by all political
parties—the momentum will merely build up over time and will become
increasingly difficult to stop. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like any other conflict in Africa, FGW is about influence,
interests, power, and resources. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FGW is characterised by the following: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. It is multidimensional in nature and of long term
duration. The build-up is gradual and its escalates over time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. It includes acts of armed action, terror, sabotage,
violent protests, and violent crimes driven by different ideologies that act as
the glue holding it all together <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Its support base is decentralised, and it (usually) enjoys
covert financial support <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. It is a direct attack on a target’s culture, past, style
of governance, and its support base, and includes attacks on—and the wanton
murder of—civilians<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Hate-speech is a vital component of this type of warfare
as it adds to anger, division, tension, militancy, and hatred<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. It is a highly sophisticated psychological warfare and
propaganda campaign conducted through mainstream and social media manipulation,
internet/cyber warfare, internet trolls, and bots<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. All potential targets are placed under pressure ie
political, economic, governance, social, law enforcement, and military. This is
to create the perception that the government’s security forces are either unable
or unwilling to intervene, or that they cannot be trusted to secure the
populace <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. It contains threats of punishment, violence and/or
sanction against any person or party that wishes to intervene or counter its
end-goal. This will usually be driven by a small but vocal group of people who
will use a distortion of both history and facts to justify and propagate their militancy.
In this process of created anger, they will threaten to resort to an armed
uprising <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. It occurs in conflicts that are usually low intensity in
nature and includes participants from all political and ideological sides<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10. Non-participants (the populace) present the security
forces with strategic, operational, and tactical dilemmas, but to the
proponents of FGW, the populace standing between them and the government/security
forces are merely collateral damage<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11. It lacks an apparent and defined hierarchy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12. It appears small in size, but uses a vast and
all-inclusive network of communication, media coverage, soft power, and
financial support<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13. It employs the use of tactics such as violent organised
crime, violent and destructive protests, sabotage of state infrastructure,
threats to disrupt and/or erode the health services, industry and food security,
and even terrorism and small guerrilla actions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14. Political warfare plays a large role in FGW to breakdown
resistance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many of the above characteristics are already very visible
in our political landscape. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I believe we are where we are as we do not have a coherent
and realistic National Security Strategy to advise, support, strengthen, and
guide our National Strategy. If a strategy is good but cannot be implemented,
it is a waste of time and effort—and it gives the initiative to the bad guys.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sadly, as seen from the recent report on our state intelligence
services (SSA report), the SSA became a fiefdom and partisan intelligence
organisation aimed at protecting personal interests instead of collecting
intelligence on national interests. This placed us on a very dangerous
trajectory of strategic failure. It has also eroded the pillars of state to
such an extent that they are close to collapse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This can only be turned around by reassessing these
strategies, stopping the divisive and violent political rhetoric that is taking
place, and re-establishing the rule of law. Just these few actions will go a
long way in partly negating the political warfare/FGW campaign that is
currently unfolding. Unless we do that, we will continue sinking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a result of these failures, the President can be likened
to a ship’s captain that has a blind navigator. He knows where he wants to go
but won’t be able to get there as the navigator has no clue where the map is,
and he cannot see the iceberg that is rapidly approaching. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-25014851262607327232018-09-10T08:40:00.000+02:002018-09-10T08:40:12.305+02:00A CAUSE FOR CONCERN? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
(Please note that racist, party political,
and religious comments will be deleted) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
This is the only country most of
us have. If we don’t work at making it a success, we are digging our own
premature grave. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Given what appears to be the
increasingly fragile political trajectory we have now embarked on, it is
increasingly difficult to remain optimistic and positive about this great
country’s future. Government plans and policies aimed at promoting progress are
countered, stifled, and denigrated by ruling and opposition party members
alike. Calls for anarchy are becoming the order of the day as lesser political
parties are given major media play. The silent majority in our country are
muzzled as their words carry no weight. The voiceless remain without a voice. Yet
the silent majority and voiceless are the prime victims of the unfolding chaos.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I have always maintained that I
would rather be part of an imperfect solution than a forced participant in a
civil war. Yet, it seems that many across the political, racial, and religious
divide are calling for exactly that—armed conflict within our own borders.
Their calls are increasingly and disturbingly gaining traction, not only from
the uneducated, impoverished, those who have lost hope, and those that were
misled with false promises, but also from senior political figures and
perception creators who are intimating ‘blood must flow’. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
To prepare for the bloodletting,
some political parties and minority groups have already established so-called
‘military wings’. Others have already begun stockpiling weapons and ammunition…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The reality is that the political
clock cannot be turned backwards. Nor can it be fast-forwarded without
considering the chaos and uncertainty it can create.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
What is cause for some concern is
that those who seem to be calling for an immediate fast-forward to encourage
conflict and war in our country, have very little to no idea what they are
truly calling for. I doubt they have walked through the figurative rivers of
blood, or seen and smelled the bloated bodies of the dead. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Perhaps they should be sent to
DRC, Libya, Nigeria, Niger, South Sudan, or Somalia to get some sense….<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
When one reads, hears, or sees
the daily news, regardless which medium is used, it is obvious the calls for an
armed uprising are steadily increasing. The snowball effect an armed uprising
brings to South Africa is a lack of domestic and foreign investment,
destruction of the country and its infrastructure along with property, the killing
of fellow-citizens—and ultimately, national bankruptcy and abject failure. The
rhetoric that is currently being spouted by the conflict callers and false
prophets of doom, complete with ‘false facts’, is adding to the looming chaos.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The path from ‘reasonable
economic and political stability’ to state fragility is gathering momentum, and
is being fuelled on a daily basis. The lessons of history have conveniently
been ignored by those who should know better—but don’t.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In my book ‘Composite Warfare’, I
listed what I believe to be the most common drivers and elements that
constitute a fragile state, and I believe we are either very close, or have
already arrived there. Not only that, our fragility is gathering momentum and
leading us headlong towards a failed state. Indeed, several elements of a
failed state have already manifested themselves. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
State departments,
municipalities, state-owned enterprises, and large critical service providers
are collapsing and, in some instances, have already collapsed. Coupled to this
sorry state of affairs, corruption, blatant theft, financial mismanagement
(another term for theft), industrial action and sabotage, a shrinking economy,
rising unemployment, organised crime, incompetence, protests, strikes and
violent marches, hate speech, and more, have simply added to the steady
degradation of the Pillars of State. Our falling currency does not help
matters. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Paid-for services can no longer
be expected—instead, one is deemed fortunate if they are indeed even delivered.
Taxpayers are being slowly choked to death or forced to leave the country.
Others are driven away by an increasing crime wave. The homes of those that can
afford it are now secured by walls, gates, electric fencing, cameras, dogs, and
private security guards. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Every traffic light hides a
potential ambush, carjacking, or robbery. Political rhetoric has successfully
divided the country along economic, racial, and tribal lines. The sense of
entitlement that has permeated our society is now considered the new norm. In
fact, ‘entitlement’ has become institutionalised. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Our Constitution has become a
document that holds no value to some. All constitutions are occasionally
subjected to debates, reviews, and changes, but to rewrite elements thereof to
suit a specific political narrative is a folly that will result in massive
political and economic aftershocks, and upheaval.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Attempts by the Presidency to
halt this mess and restore order are being met with fierce resistance by those
whose who appointed themselves the sole beneficiaries of the country’s wealth.
The very emotive issue of land has become a major political stage that is being
exploited by all sides.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Over the past weeks I have
watched us slide deeper towards chaos. It has also made me realise that
attempts at finding a solution are rapidly becoming wishful thinking. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Whereas governments may come and
go, the State remains. We seem to be heading towards a failed state that will
need to cope with generational and institutionalised damage. I have no desire
to be living in a failed state. And unless drastic government intervention is
exercised, it seems it is no longer a matter of ‘if’ but of ‘when’. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
It is no wonder that so many
beyond our borders and our shores view us as an overripe banana republic, where
some are even trying to steal its bruised skin. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br /></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-41010500790727184222018-08-20T08:13:00.000+02:002018-08-20T08:13:01.787+02:00THE RISE OF THE CHILD GANGSTER PHENOMENON <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">A rising tide of
violent crime, a lot of it perpetrated by children and teenagers—themselves often
the victims of violence at home, or under peer pressure, or under the influence
of alcohol and drugs—has resulted in many blaming the failure of law
enforcement agencies, the schools, and the government. Few parents are willing
to point the finger at themselves. However, parenting comes with numerous
responsibilities, as no child asked to be brought into this world. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">Crimes committed
by minors are not unique to South Africa—it seems to be an escalating international
trend, if one is to believe numerous foreign publications and reports. Murder,
rape, robbery, arson, stabbings, lack of respect, vandalism, and so forth, seem
to increasingly be the order of the day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">In Africa,
numerous armed anti-government forces make extensive use of children. Minors
are either forced to join their ranks, or kidnapped into a life of armed
conflict to serve as spies, ‘soldiers’, load carriers, prostitutes, and such
like. Others are coerced into becoming suicide bombers. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">A Ugandan academic recently compared the children
recruited to serve in the gangs on the Cape flats to ‘child soldiers’. Not surprisingly,
they bear many similarities to the child soldiers running around across Africa,
and causing mayhem with a large degree of impunity. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">Minors commit their crimes with no conscience or
indeed accountability. Some do so as a result of peer pressure. Others are
attracted to a life of ‘glamourous violence’ such as they see on TV; they want
to become criminals as it gives them a ‘family identity’, a ‘uniform’, a sense
of belonging, and the bling that goes with being a gangster. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">With little to no education, and trapped in a cycle
of ongoing violence—coupled to an increasingly high rate of unemployment,
dysfunctional families, and a loss of
hope (especially in impoverished communities), these child-gangsters opt for a
life of violent crime, with the misguided belief that it will stand them in
good stead and improve their quality of life. In some instances, their decision
is driven to initially survive. Ultimately it gives them power over people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">Yet, a life of crime can also lead to a very short
life. Some get killed, and others end up in a bad space. Those who wish to walk
away from the gangs they belong to, face almost certain violent retaliation at
the hands of those they intend to abandon—or possibly compromise. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">These young
criminals have no fear of the police, the laws of the land, or the communities
they reside in. Life and property are merely there—and theirs—to be taken. They
have also learned that ‘crime does pay’—a view that motivates others to join
the on-going crime spree, and this merely accelerates the growth of the child
gangster phenomenon. This form of ‘violent entitlement’ is gathering its own
momentum and will become increasingly difficult to stop.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">By the time most of
these child gangsters reach adulthood, they are already hardened criminals. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">We are quick to
blame the failures of law enforcement on containing this ever-growing problem.
Yet, the law enforcement failures—of which there are many—cannot be blamed
solely on the policemen who serve. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">Law enforcement
officers are a reflection of the society they represent, but they also reflect
how and what they are trained to do. In some instances, they also represent the
crime syndicates. This has resulted in
many people losing faith in the South African Police Service. There are some
policemen that are willing participants of crime, but not all of them are. This
has, however, resulted in these young criminals either being protected by
corrupt police officers, or developing a misguided sense of entitlement with no
fear of legal or judicial action against them. This merely accelerates the
growth of child gangsters.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">Our education
system, as broken, eroded, and withered as it is, is there to supposedly teach
our children, and prepare them as the future leaders of South Africa. Like all
things, education starts at home and it is here that discipline, manners, and
respect for self and others ought to be imprinted—not only at school. Schools
should desist from propagating politics, and should instead focus on education.
But a crumbling educational system with a dire shortage of qualified teachers
is increasingly unable to prepare the youth for the future. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">Government also
has a role to play in this growing problem. It has not done much to stimulate
the economy, incentivise businesses and entrepreneurs, or allay the investor
and citizen fears it has helped to create. It must act decisively against crime
and violence. Its daily failures with regard to collapsed municipalities,
degrading infrastructure, and an ever-decreasing interest in its people, are
well known. Its actions have, in addition, strangled taxpayers and degraded
business enterprises. This has created a shrinking economy and rising
unemployment. Unemployment, and a loss of hope and income are the breeding
grounds for criminality. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">The role parents
ought to play in the development of a responsible human being can never be
overlooked. Many parents are so busy trying to survive in very difficult
economic times, and they tend to become so focussed on family survival that
they neglect their parental duties. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">According to a
recent assessment of violence, more than 70% of children have witnessed
violence, either at home or elsewhere, have been the victims of crime, or know
someone who has been impacted by crime. What does that tell us about the
country’s future leaders?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">With poor or no
education, trapped in a cycle of poverty, and an evolving history of crime and
violence, things are unlikely to improve. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Unless there is
urgent intervention on many levels, we are setting up our country’s future—and
that of our children—for a spectacular failure. </span><span style="background-color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-940071313140117522018-04-23T09:32:00.000+02:002018-04-23T09:32:52.687+02:00FANNING THE FLAMES OF CONFLICT<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is very evident that there
are people—and civil leaders—from across the political spectrum that are intent
on ensuring that divisive politics, crime, militancy, and racial and religious tensions
are fuelled, and anger and dissent encouraged. Social media platforms and some
mainstream media outlets are increasingly being abused, used, and exploited, to
convey disinformation, lies, and hate speech. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Social media abounds with official
looking documents, along with dated photographs and video clips (often ‘posed’),
sometimes accompanied by voice notes, and is being used by opposites across the
political spectrum to further the aims, agendas, intentions, and false
narratives of those who are sowing the seeds of panic and calling for an armed
uprising in South Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Perhaps they believe that our
country would be better off if it ended up looking like Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya,
Syria, or Yemen? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps they ought to
read the story of agent ‘Curveball’ and how his disinformation, lies, and fake intelligence
resulted mass damage, death, and destruction in Iraq? Elsewhere, the story is
much the same…Is this the ends they are working for?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Many of those who continue to
call for confrontation, conflict, and war, probably have very little to no clue
what an armed uprising and civil war truly involves. ‘Opinion makers’ should
desist from hoping and wishing for conflict and civil war—they might just
discover too late that their hopes and wishes have become reality as every
action has an (often unequal) opposite reaction: this calls for thinking before
speaking or writing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">People should be wary who they
accept their ‘news’ from. Blind acceptance of what we hear or read makes us
mere sheep in the eyes of those driving the destructive agendas and narratives.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Even more surprisingly is that
some people believe that some ‘foreign ally’ will rush in to save the country
when it is burning. It is time to seriously readjust that thinking as it is both
foolish and delusionary—especially as some of these ‘foreign allies’ are aiding
and abetting the growth of conflict in our country. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is perfectly understandable
that not all of us share the same political, racial, or religious ideals, or
view life through the same prism. We all have our own unique views regarding ethnicity,
language, race, religion, politics, and so forth—after all, that is what makes
us who we are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To merely watch and wring
one’s hands, and allow the problems to take their (usually) criminal and
destructive course is to transform evil and hooliganism into a ‘legitimate’ worse.
It is equally irresponsible and criminal to fuel the flames of these lies, and
feed the destructive narrative. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Taking up arms may be one way
of resolving the many problems we face but it is the most devastating option of
all—and many of us have witnessed first-hand the devastation this brings. But,
there are other options available—if only we are willing to look for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Many mainstream and armchair
journalists seldom disseminate ‘real news’. Instead, they create lies or ‘fake
news’ to create negativism, demoralise people, fuel anger and hatred, and
impart (or rather try to force) their warped opinions, views, and beliefs on
others. After all, they need to protect the narrative they propagate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Many others swallow these
deceptions and lies, and pass it on to anyone who is willing to read or listen
to them—after adding their own spin, opinions and views to increase the
fakeness under the guise of ‘truth’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Fanning the flames of conflict
and war by blaming everyone else for our woes, and blaming the past for our
present failures, is nothing short of refusing to take responsibility for our
current position. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is said that when lies become
the truth, there can be no turning back. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We only have one country and
we all have a responsibility to ensure that we do not go down the path of
conflict and war. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I would rather be part of an
imperfect solution than part of the massive and destructive problem—where there
will be no winner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-50073489855188561372018-04-13T09:44:00.000+02:002018-04-13T09:44:40.066+02:00EXECUTIVE OUTCOMES: AGAINST ALL ODDS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEl_zWALOJA6OpFDxedQKH4et0GZ3mG3ycLL_EAgkZQX0N_krEuuBlAMi5QTYQ9uNtC9RNOkkEY6W3HQAdb4Jp4axFS2e9-cEh7kEiu54WzhS78I0VeGGds0lFeo9n4Uwv3y7bfFpH0vdX/s320/executive+outcome+cover+233.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The book ‘Executive Outcomes: Against all Odds’ was finally signed
off this morning and is due to go to print.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Revising and updating the book was a bumpy and at times, a
painful journey. However, a great editor and an understanding publisher made it
easier to finally reach the end of the road. I am happy with the final result,
and I hope the men who served the company so loyally will also be pleased with
the end result. Obviously, it was not possible to mention everyone by name who
served in the company, but those who served know who they are. They can be
justly proud of what they achieved. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The book (770 pages) contains a lot of new information and
photographs. It not only covers the contracts EO engaged in, but also a lot of new
information on the devious role played by elements of Military Intelligence,
and their lackeys—including some very unethical journalists who used their
poison-pens to further their own personal agendas. The double-dealing of our politicians
of that time, and their efforts to deceive the South African public, is also discussed.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The cover of the book was changed as the publisher felt it
necessary to break from previous covers—including a book written by someone else
that used virtually the same cover. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My thanks to everyone who encouraged and supported me in
getting to the end of this road. My thanks too to the Military Intelligence officers
who found the courage to come clean and finally speak to me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I truly hope that the book will finally lay to rest the many
ghosts of the past and expose the false and misleading ‘intelligence’ and ‘news’
for the lies they were. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br /></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-64386678892469083212018-01-19T18:12:00.000+02:002018-01-19T18:12:02.927+02:00PLANNED EO BOOK COVER FOR REVISED EDITION<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
My sincere thanks to everyone for the interest shown in the
Executive Outcomes reprint as well as the encouragement I got to complete it,
and despite numerous set-backs, it was finally done. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I recently signed off on the preliminary cover for the EO
book which was done by Anthony Cuerden of Flying Ant Designs (<a href="http://www.flyingant.co.za/">www.flyingant.co.za</a>). Although there are one or two smallish
changes that need to be made, the cover will pretty much look as shown hereunder.
I think Anthony did an excellent job.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The reprint is very
different from the first publication by Galago as a lot more information—such
as recently surfaced MI and DFA lies and deception, the duplicity of the South
African government at that time and its desire to support a Maoist organisation
at the cost of young South African lives, the use of state funds for private
gain, and more—has been added. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The book was also
extensively reedited by Marisa Robson (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/marisa.cronje">https://www.facebook.com/marisa.cronje</a>), who did an excellent job fixing, questioning, reading and rereading
the draft, and making sure things read right. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If all goes well,
the book should be available in bookstores around the end of February, early
March 2018. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am told that
there has been great interest in the hardcover books (100 with a commemorative EO
coin and 100 without the commemorative coin). Obviously, the hardcover books,
all numbered and signed, will be more costly that the soft cover books. The
hardcover books will only be available through Piet Fourie’s Bush War Books site (<a href="http://www.warbooks.co.za/">www.warbooks.co.za</a>). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-76023094492889950262017-05-17T14:42:00.000+02:002017-05-17T16:34:24.523+02:00BOOK REVIEW BY SOFREP<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">In the aftermath of 9/11, the bread and butter of the
defense industry shifted in many ways from focusing on big-ticket Cold War
items like tanks and fighter jets to the world of counterterrorism and
counterinsurgency. With this new paradigm came waves and waves of
self-appointed experts, clueless academics, and hucksters trying to sell crap
to the Department of Defense. This trend continues to this day, although it has
been shifting into the even more nebulous area of cybersecurity, which is even
better for contractors given that the 60-year-old men who run the Pentagon
don’t know anything about computers. The situation is so bad in the Department
of Defense that when you come across an “expert” who dubs themselves a
COINista, you should <i>run</i>, not walk, away. These folks are the
reason why we are fighting the same war today that we were fighting in
Afghanistan 16 years ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGH8VPItnOBCh5y80b-FYIRsrLZoZIDLQfU2gA2Yc_JN-vCt0LgDo4yfLOhPjl4fRDF61UZOG-iBCHT4lLpl9X14rinolMKMWBdbPwvaAa-4MA1xl2shkTsep-AOIm_15AEKTurmT_uYwa/s1600/COMP+cover+I88.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGH8VPItnOBCh5y80b-FYIRsrLZoZIDLQfU2gA2Yc_JN-vCt0LgDo4yfLOhPjl4fRDF61UZOG-iBCHT4lLpl9X14rinolMKMWBdbPwvaAa-4MA1xl2shkTsep-AOIm_15AEKTurmT_uYwa/s320/COMP+cover+I88.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">One person who I always appreciated for having an
actual track record of success is </span><a href="https://sofrep.com/40608/eeben-barlow-south-african-pmc-devestates-boko-haram-pt1/"><span style="color: white; margin: 0px;">Eeben Barlow</span></a><span style="color: white;">.
Having served in the South African Defense Forces as a sapper in the Infantry
and Special Operations, Barlow went on to found a private military company
called Executive Outcomes. EO beat back UNITA in Angola for the
democratically elected government before driving the barbarous
Revolutionary United Front to their knees in Sierra Leone. Today, Barlow
serves as the chairman of STTEP, a PMC that took the fight directly
to </span><a href="https://sofrep.com/80079/growing-horror-city-500-children-kidnapped-boko-haram/"><span style="color: white; margin: 0px;">Boko Haram</span></a><span style="color: white;">.
Oddly, the United States government puts pressure on the host governments to
remove Barlow’s people just as they begin experiencing success in
defeating anti-government forces.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: white;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">Using his background in counterinsurgency and
irregular warfare, Barlow has recently written a book titled “</span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Composite-Warfare-Conduct-Successful-Operations/dp/1928211763/" target="_blank"><span style="color: white; margin: 0px;">Composite Warfare</span></a><span style="color: white;">,” and it is the go-to manual for warfare in
Africa, written by a man who has experienced it. Barlow emphasizes
an Africa-centric approach that eschews the over-philosophizing of
political scientists, doctrine writers, and alleged COIN experts. Barlow wrote
the book to pertain specifically to war on the African continent, but in this
reader’s opinion, Barlow’s stripped-down language and no-nonsense approach to
what is a normally convoluted subject in military literature makes this
book worthwhile for any student of military history.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><u></u><span style="color: white;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">As Barlow writes in his book, “Part of the dilemma
African armies face is the continued creation of new words, terms, and phrases
to describe the same action or phenomena. This has led to a large amount of
confusion for commanders and leader in the field.” Using graphics, bullet
points, and written explanations, the author leads the reader to an
understanding about the boots-on-the-ground tactical approach, from movement
techniques and types of operations to the big picture that supports the pillars
of government. “Composite Warfare” ties them together and demonstrates how a
military campaign has to function as a mutually supporting effort that supports
the state rather than undermines it.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: white;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">Comprehensive in nature, “Composite Warfare” examines
appropriate force structures, air power, reconnaissance, maneuvers, mobility,
air power, intelligence, retrograde operations, developing military strategies,
and plenty more. Barlow treats warfare in Africa with a cultural appreciation,
as opposed to a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all approach frequently employed
by U.S. Special Forces, who simply </span><a href="https://sofrep.com/39136/foreign-internal-defense-tips-pt-4-mirroring/"><span style="color: white; margin: 0px;">mirror our
own</span></a><span style="color: white;"> force structure in the host nation counterparts they train.
This is why the United States often trains foreign troops with tactics straight
out of the </span><a href="https://sofrep.com/25640/the-ranger-knowledge-handbook/"><span style="color: white; margin: 0px;">Ranger
Handbook</span></a><span style="color: white;">, tactics that don’t work for indigenous forces.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: white;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">In a past SOFREP interview with Barlow, he said that
“poor training, bad advice, a lack of strategy, vastly different tribal
affiliations, ethnicity, religion, languages, cultures, not understanding the
conflict and enemy,” were hallmarks of Western training provided to African
armies. “Much of this training is focused on window-dressing, but when you look
through the window, the room is empty,” he concluded.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: white;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">“Composite Warfare” is recommended reading for
students of military history and strategy, including active-duty Special Forces
soldiers charged with conducting Foreign Internal Defense (FID).
Although the book will prove especially helpful to those serving
in African militaries, “Composite Warfare” will no doubt became a seminal work
on modern warfare in Africa, one practitioners and academics alike will
reference well into the decades to come. Let us hope that Barlow’s lessons are
learned and internalized, lest we repeat the same mistakes in Africa for
another half-century.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Source<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">: </b></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="margin: 0px;"><a href="https://sofrep.com/81361/eeben-barlow-pens-the-african-war-bible/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "bookman old style";">https://sofrep.com/81361/eeben-barlow-pens-the-african-war-bible/</span></a></span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-30564939253428195332017-04-17T08:16:00.001+02:002017-04-17T08:16:46.749+02:00EXECUTIVE OUTCOMES: REVISITED AND REVISED <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">My book, ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Executive Outcomes: Against all Odds</i>’
will undergo a revision, a re-edit and then be republished sometime later this
year. The book will also be updated with new material. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsdFj5Ulnf4Sb351o4MiyMCh2EJyJzls5IPxRgDgUpdJzfqgTSottriG_M0laWTYS-cMYc9ZxY-m5ATzqdpv3ZyswRCvV0d0eYw3XNUGy5S7T8QT-JnJHnjEWUpeSUiQIOkIbsyO_Pg47/s1600/EO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsdFj5Ulnf4Sb351o4MiyMCh2EJyJzls5IPxRgDgUpdJzfqgTSottriG_M0laWTYS-cMYc9ZxY-m5ATzqdpv3ZyswRCvV0d0eYw3XNUGy5S7T8QT-JnJHnjEWUpeSUiQIOkIbsyO_Pg47/s320/EO.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The book was
initially published by Galago. However, since Peter Stiff’s untimely passing,
the rights to the book reverted back to me.</span><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Peter was the only
publisher (both locally and abroad) that was prepared to publish the book as
too many considered it ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">inopportune</i>’
or ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not politically correct</i>’. I will
forever remain grateful to him for his publishing courage. </span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Some wanted me to
remove the names of their journalist friends I named as disinformation agents
and outright liars—or of the duplicity of the then South African government.
Other publishing houses informed me that the book ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was not in the public interest</i>’. Some simply ignored my initial
manuscript.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Several book stores
steadfastly refused to carry it on their shelves once it was published. </span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">At that time, it was
apparent to me that the book simply did not match the narrative that had been so
successfully, albeit nefariously driven by several local and foreign intelligence
services and media houses. For that reason, it had to be stopped. </span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Efforts to stop
publication of the book bordered on the ridiculous. Threats of violence against
me should I continue writing the book, as well as the burglary at my home where
only my computer was stolen, were, I suspected at that time, part of the
efforts to stop the publication of the book. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Having gone through
numerous reprints, there have, to date, been no revisions to the book.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Finally, I have an
opportunity to revise the book, have it re-edited and also include new
information as well as some information that was initially cut out in the final
print editions. </span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The new edition will
be a collaboration between my current publisher and Bush War Books (</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.warbooks.co.za/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #0563c1;">www.warbooks.co.za</span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">). There will also be
a limited and numbered hardcover edition (most probably only 50 copies) which
will each include an Executive Outcomes commemorative coin.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
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<img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbV7mGADsow0rc8XibAVTQ7vvr5n-Jx-fVXJL6nxPJ7xoQ39ln0aZpKmMm-90SSHNlGg4djRBrWj6m67FamM1DPni3VZPFuNm4W5EwbDVW_xGB9JfAe8FcZ8n_SDu2l2doKQDCvKQZjQF/s320/IMG_2473+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px;"> </span></b></div>
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<div align="center" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px;">An Artist’s rendition of the EO Commemorative Coin </span></b></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The hardcover books with
commemorative coins will only be available through Bush War Books. For anyone interested
in the numbered hardcover copies, please contact Bush War Books directly as
they will be the exclusive outlet for those copies once the revised edition is
published.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">My thanks to everyone
who encouraged me to revisit the book and requested that it be updated and
re-released again. </span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-31420744404897781062017-03-30T18:15:00.000+02:002017-03-30T18:15:02.432+02:00VICTIMS OF DOCTRINE—BECAUSE ‘THE BOOK’ SAYS SO!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">As a young officer, I
had little to no clue what our doctrine was or indeed even what ‘doctrine’
really entailed. I viewed it as one of those grey areas. I know it was taught
but obviously, my mind was elsewhere at that time. Instead, I hid my ignorance
by saying stupid things like “Doctrine can be really boring…”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Later on in my career,
I finally understood that doctrine is merely a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">guide </i>to activity and action. It sets out a way for us <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how</i> to do things in certain situations but
does not prescribe <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what</i> we must do. I
would later discover that ‘guide’ is the operative word.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">However, I often found
that many of my colleagues believed that our doctrine was written in
stone…”Because ‘the book’ says so…” No deviation from the doctrine was allowed
or, at times, even tolerated. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">I had no compunction in
deviating from ‘the book’ if I thought my actions and orders would save lives
and result in success. I could always face the music later—and I often did. But,
I fear we have become so caught up by what ‘the book’ says, that we set
ourselves up for failure time and again. This strict adherence to ‘the book’
gives us a very blinkered and rigid approach to conflict and war.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Guided by ‘the book’,
we consistently repeat the same mistakes until they become ‘muscle memory’—and simply
the way we do things. In the process, we have become dogmatic, and predictable,
thus denying ourselves agility, balance, flexibility, initiative, surprise, and
speed of action/reaction when we need it most. Yet, despite the casualties, we seem
determined to grasp defeat from the jaws of victory.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">For decades now, African
armies have been using outdated Western and Eastern doctrines and this is
marked by a record of very little success on the continent.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Whereas these doctrines
were, at a time relevant, I fear they no longer are. </span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The doctrines ascribed
to by many Africa armies are unaligned, and have become stagnant and in many
instances, irrelevant. Of course, certain elements may retain relevance but the
time has come for African armed forces to revisit their doctrines and, with a
very sharp knife, cut out what is no longer applicable or relevant—and replace
it with doctrine that is applicable, realistic, and relevant. We need to shake
off the outdated doctrinal shackles of World War II, some of it unconnected with
todays’ high tempo, technology-driven warfare that is shrouded in uncertainty. Yet,
these antiquated doctrines remain in use and remain unrevised despite many important
lessons having being learned. And so, we continue to fail the National Security
Strategy and ultimately, the National Strategy.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">When assessing the
inability of many African armies to perform effectively in the field, it
becomes clear that there are numerous doctrinal failures and mismatches. There
is nothing wrong with the quality of manpower, as long as they are trained,
equipped and well led. Despite a measure of training, victory remains elusive
as tactical successes are seldom, if ever, translated into operational or
strategic successes. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Currently, the
doctrines in use by many African armies are not aligned with the National
Security Strategy, nor with the National Military Strategy and the subsequent
campaign strategies make no allowance for complex AOs, have little regard for
the environmental impact on operations, incorrectly assume all troops are
trained to a high level, do not make allowances for a lack of equipment, take
no cognisance of the threat or enemy, and so forth.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Being fortunate to be
given latitude by some African armies, I have come to realise that doctrine
needs to be simplified, made relevant and realistic, and then imprinted on the
minds of soldiers as soon as possible. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Simplifying doctrine and
teaching it to troops at a very early stage of their training has numerous
advantages. Most importantly, it teaches them how planned combat operations will
unfold, and how forces are integrated into a unified units and sub-units, and how
and why their actions will support the combat operations to achieve the
commander’s intent, and so forth. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Understanding a
simplified doctrine that is devoid of ‘management’ terms, outdated and
unconnected approaches, cumbersome, and irrelevant information has, in my
experience, had a marked difference in how troops approach their missions and
how they fight. I have witnessed that when doctrine is explained to them, a
visible understanding occurs—and it then shows in how they approach combat operations.
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">But, we remain
self-deluded with our doctrine, believing it is written in stone and therefore
not subject to adaption, discussion or change. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">As long as we do what
the outdated ‘book’ says, we will remain victims of our doctrine as we will become
what we want the enemy to become—confused and predictive. </span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-11912939331427319372017-03-22T10:19:00.000+02:002017-03-22T10:19:02.297+02:00OVERCOMING THE CRISIS IN COMMAND<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The current crisis in
command many African armies are faced with can be traced back to the manner in
which current and future commanders are identified and prepared for their
missions and roles. Commanding and leading soldiers—including airmen and sailors—in
both peacetime and conflict is not a game to be played for personal gain.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">When it comes to the
national security of a country, difficult choices need to be made. When it
comes to appointing those who are charged with maintaining the security of the
state, even more difficult choices are called for. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The old adage ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There are no bad soldiers, only bad
commanders</i>’ certainly holds true for many African armed forces. Soldiers
can only do what they are trained and equipped to do—if they are correctly
commanded and led. When command and leadership is lacking, soldiers become
confused and lacking in direction and discipline, morale is negatively
impacted, orders are questioned and disobeyed, and the combat efficiency of the
armed forces rapidly deteriorates.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">But command leadership
is not ‘business management’. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Whereas ‘command’ ought
to be emphasized in the armed forces, I have met commanders who are, sadly,
unable to exercise effective command. Not because they don’t have the ability
or personality to do so but rather because they have been appointed by a system
that is failing them, the armed forces and the country. Their inability is then
amplified by being taught ‘management techniques’ and thereby softening the already
failing approach to command. This ‘business’ approach to military operations has
resulted in some spectacular failures across the continent. It has also added
to a deepening sense of self-delusion that needs to be exposed.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjuQ0yja-DXM0QkdzQz-nA2OZZmI6FLFvTs_bzlixDayyAbdB356ZGRfgV7v-l1vUej1MizNrjzenZWBla8lnLAxXac2jkel8fkbvjz7J4EWyQuJ6bIPzEIAuqSzzuX7mL9dK0P9m4YSN/s1600/Education+is+ongoing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjuQ0yja-DXM0QkdzQz-nA2OZZmI6FLFvTs_bzlixDayyAbdB356ZGRfgV7v-l1vUej1MizNrjzenZWBla8lnLAxXac2jkel8fkbvjz7J4EWyQuJ6bIPzEIAuqSzzuX7mL9dK0P9m4YSN/s320/Education+is+ongoing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px;">On-going
education remains important at all times</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The armed forces cannot
be equated to a business enterprise where management techniques hold relevance.
Commanders are faced with vastly different situations and decisions than
managers of business enterprises. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Whereas ‘command’ gives
those who are entrusted with it the opportunity to use power for the good of
the state, many use this as an opportunity to abuse power for personal gain and
satisfaction. Abuse of power thus becomes entrenched and junior officers and
NCOs follow the example and trend of abusing their power while ignoring their
responsibilities. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Commanders need to
realise that they command at the behest of the state and not for themselves.
Commanding for themselves has resulted in numerous moral failures that include
personal enrichment, corruption, and the misuse of state assets, to name but a
few. This immoral view of command permeates through to the lower ranks
encouraging moral failures amongst junior officers and NCOs. After all, this is
the example their senior commanders are setting for them.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Command has also
increasingly become synonymous with bullying.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Impacting severely on the
current crisis in command many African armed forces face is the lack of
selection, training, further education, and competence of commanders. To
rectify this troubling situation, more promotions take place adding to an
already top-heavy command structure. As and when the command structure, ie the
officer corps, exceeds more than 10% of the force level, command problems are
dramatically increased. (This has historical been proven on numerous occasions).</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Whereas promotions
ought to serve as an incentive based on competence and results, command
positions are instead given to political appointees where tribal, race,
language, religious or ethnic considerations are valued over competence. Thus
when defence cuts are implemented, or budgets constrained, the command element
remains in position, at all costs and instead, troop levels are cut, training
neglected or critical equipment left to rot. Budget cuts also often see the
command element increasing at the expense of combat readiness. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Without effective,
disciplined command that follows the National Military Strategy and for the
good of the nation and its people, an armed force has the potential to become a
leaderless group of armed men.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">This, in itself, poses
numerous grave dangers to the state and its citizens.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Regardless of thoughts
to the contrary, African armed forces are currently facing a crisis in command
that needs to be rapidly rectified. If not, our armies will continue to remain
at a disadvantage. </span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-29588888893337412132017-02-26T09:24:00.000+02:002017-02-26T11:45:31.957+02:00THANK YOU ROOIPLAAS – AGAIN!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: white;">To say that I enjoyed myself at the recent Rooiplaas gathering would be
somewhat of an understatement…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: white;">Conceived by Nico Beneke and ably assisted by Johan Landman - the
Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively - Rooiplaas hosts several get-togethers
throughout the year with the aim of bringing together ex-SADF airborne soldiers
to socialize, make new friends, and reacquaint themselves with old
friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: white;">It has, since its inception, become a home for many men who served in
the SADF’s airborne units and it is growing from strength to strength. What
appealed to me is that this organisation is devoid of the politics and petty personal
grievances some of the other veterans’ organisations are tainted with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16BleW96QeImBJFSS6G2DY5m7w_VXkd2t-3zz2k5lSaAb-H6VPaqLhlzDMz8T5Ya8yak1uAHA_EOXeP8YlRY7pDsAA3vvz4iravCG_4mR0rGNHRx0hxaVhWUfH6POkHQ7ZpXYWUlYDZiy/s1600/Chappies+and+I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16BleW96QeImBJFSS6G2DY5m7w_VXkd2t-3zz2k5lSaAb-H6VPaqLhlzDMz8T5Ya8yak1uAHA_EOXeP8YlRY7pDsAA3vvz4iravCG_4mR0rGNHRx0hxaVhWUfH6POkHQ7ZpXYWUlYDZiy/s320/Chappies+and+I.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: white;"><i>Chappies van Zyl, the man who twisted my arm to join Rooiplaas</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: white;">Chappies van Zyl, one of my ex-airborne sappers from days long past,
eventually gave me no choice but to join the Rooiplaas community and Nico and
Johan were very gracious to accept me into their ranks. And so it was that I
was invited to attend their get-together in Bloemfontein on 23 February 2017.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: white;">On arrival, I was given a Rooiplaas T-shirt and cap just to make sure I
was able to blend-in and not stand out like a sore thumb.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: white;">I was both honoured and privileged to give a brief discussion to the men
(and their wives) on Executive Outcomes and STTEP, their founding, deployments,
operations and so forth. Some of the talk was also centred on the
disinformation and myths regarding both EO and STTEP.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: white;">After my talk, I was awarded my Rooiplaas Certificate of Membership (#0245)
that will take pride of place in my study. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: white;">However, the success of any such event depends on numerous players who
are not always visible but whose contributions make such an occasion a great
success. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: white;">Thank you to Chute Systems who were kind enough to allow Rooiplaas to
use their magnificent Bloemfontein facility. One of the owners, Waldo
Krähenbühl, was on hand at all times to give his support and assistance
wherever he could. Sadly, his colleague and co-owner, Douw Raimondo, was
elsewhere and could not attend the evening with us. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: white;">Andre Botha deserves a special thank you for taking control of the ‘
kitchen’ and preparing a great meal for us. The meal was way better than any of
us had ever experienced in our army days. Nico provided the food we all
enjoyed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2gDu1hcezb3HQ0TnPDHQKN2X5d9A4yY4yEKi1J3kCcCjuYsvKi3Hjg2GB9w9bDBcWHBJcfOqnaBJIA4nmkVVqbu84AOT5N4uw94Ljpan5DqK1Kt1G3ZutK6ICbTPb6G8zwBg38InqTmJf/s1600/Rooiplaas+Group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2gDu1hcezb3HQ0TnPDHQKN2X5d9A4yY4yEKi1J3kCcCjuYsvKi3Hjg2GB9w9bDBcWHBJcfOqnaBJIA4nmkVVqbu84AOT5N4uw94Ljpan5DqK1Kt1G3ZutK6ICbTPb6G8zwBg38InqTmJf/s320/Rooiplaas+Group.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><i><span style="color: white;">Some of the Rooiplaas members</span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: white;">To the members of Rooiplaas and their wives, thank you for accepting me
into your ranks and for not falling asleep during my talk.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: white;">To Nico and Johan a special word of thanks for organizing the
get-together and for being such great hosts. A great thank you also to Nico Beneke
for accommodating me at his wonderful guesthouse and for getting up early to
make me coffee and see me on my way. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: white;">And finally, a special thanks to Chappies for twisting my arm…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: white;">I look forward to the next Rooiplaas get-together…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
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Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-13874639177346165012017-02-10T18:22:00.000+02:002017-02-10T18:33:16.702+02:00'INTO THE VORTEX' by TOM FULTON<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">I count myself
fortunate that I was able to lay my hands on a copy of Tom Fulton’s book ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Into the Vortex’</i>. Despite the many books
written about the wars and conflicts in Southern Africa, this book is worthy to
stand on its own. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5iy4PepwCNVBYGIQDGXIftxy_lgv93ob31JDmgm9vem2Mg5Dfxv8Sb4KA8qTxDL8gcRo2gIobYJHBuUtzdOJHkaLUdazLuuktdP1N6B1VHKqbItk_VoHxk5dc1O-y8yAQfLQByeqFzJ3v/s1600/Into+the+Vortex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5iy4PepwCNVBYGIQDGXIftxy_lgv93ob31JDmgm9vem2Mg5Dfxv8Sb4KA8qTxDL8gcRo2gIobYJHBuUtzdOJHkaLUdazLuuktdP1N6B1VHKqbItk_VoHxk5dc1O-y8yAQfLQByeqFzJ3v/s320/Into+the+Vortex.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Perhaps it was
inquisitiveness or perhaps I was trying to relive the days of growing up in a
slow-boiling Africa through Tom’s eyes, or perhaps both. Regardless, Tom’s book
did not disappoint me.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The book is a vivid and
exciting glimpse into days long gone—days when boys were boys and were forced
through circumstance, challenges and conflicting politics to grow up and stand
tall as both men and soldiers called on to fight a dirty war. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Tom takes the reader into
his home as a young boy growing up in a sometimes difficult environment, but there
is no pity as that was how it was—instead he uses his humour to lighten the
situations he and his brother frequently found themselves in. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">His entry into the
Rhodesian Army and the subsequent humour and oftentimes sorrow that followed is
well written and intense. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Commissioned
as an officer in the Rhodesian African Rifles (RAR), he goes on to discuss the
bonds made and shared as only men under fire can do. Readers who are unfamiliar
with Africa and the closeness and comradeship of black and white men at war will
do well to take note of the respect they had for one another.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The scenes of combat
are well and intensely described along with the tension before triggers are
pulled and the exhilaration of success and survival when the guns fell silent. At
times, the fast pace of combat is softened with humour and the aftermath of a
deployment where young men go about their social lives—social lives that were lived
and enjoyed to the maximum. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Tom’s easy style of writing
brings to life many sad and traumatic events, yet there is no trace of
victimhood—the mark of a man and a soldier with character.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">As clichéd as it might
be, ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Into the Vortex</i>’ will stand on
its own as a Rhodesian classic.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Well done Tom Fulton! <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">For
ordering information</span></u></b><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The
book can be ordered directly from Tom at:
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tomfulton-author.com%2Fcontact.html&h=ATO70fBHS-Dodo3CVaWPM4ygkMWTWNHoTDLpyyks7vw1-rkunuvs929DBvmySiB0wZB2lZQNTPBhNVTBA4OxfBsrJM-vkrfRnEDpWPSLOwuA5U56YJZQDBE6zBE4vF_GOfx-O5lBWqz5Si46" target="_blank"><span style="color: #365899; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none;">http://www.tomfulton-author.com/contact.html</span></a></span></div>
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Or through Bush War Books:
<a href="https://www.warbooks.co.za/products/into-the-vortex-tom-fulton?variant=26102647363"><span style="color: #0563c1;">https://www.warbooks.co.za/products/into-the-vortex-tom-fulton?variant=26102647363</span></a></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-86653867550896588182017-02-06T12:24:00.000+02:002017-02-06T13:28:19.703+02:00THINK QUICK OR DIE...BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">Note</span></span></u></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">: </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: white;">This is not a verbal attack on the KDF and I will not entertain
comments in that vein</span></i><span style="color: white;">. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">The very tragic events at El Adde (Somalia) surrounding the recent fall
of the Kenyan Defence Force (KDF) base to Al Shabaab’s </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">‘Saleh
al Nabhan Battalion’—al Qaeda’s East African affiliate—</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">is a good example of how many things that are
wrong with African armies came together in a perfect storm. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">The video produced by the enemy is equally disturbing as it illustrates
the unpreparedness of the KDF. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">The video can be viewed
here, </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;">but</span></b><span style="color: white;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;">a warning</span></b><span style="color: white;">: It contains graphic scenes that may be disturbing to
some:</span> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="margin: 0px;"><a href="https://www.funker530.com/brutal-al-shabaab-raid-wipes-entire-kenyan-army-unit/"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: blue;">https://www.funker530.com/brutal-al-shabaab-raid-wipes-entire-kenyan-army-unit/</span></span></a></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">Regretfully, African
governments and their armies continue to ignore the warning signs that result
in an inability to prepare and defend against the coming storm…it is not a
matter of ‘if’ but of ‘when’ the storm will make landfall and increase the
damage to their countries and their credibility. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">Africa is both today
and tomorrow’s battlefield and it is being shaped today through a series of
secret or shadow wars, proxy forces, covert actions, diplomatic and economic pressures,
and domestic and regional terrorism. Added to this is a failure of governance that
many African states exhibit and that has given rise to populism—a movement that
is increasingly turning to violence and armed actions.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">More worrying though,
our armed forces are failing to keep pace with the ever-increasing speed of
conflict and war. </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">The pace at which technology has enabled information,
intelligence, instructions, and disinformation to be transmitted via cell
phones, social media and radio messages, has dramatically increased the pace
and tempo of operations. It has also increased and underlined the requirement for
in-depth intelligence operations to distinguish between fact, fiction and
deception. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">Filming these attacks, and
highlighting many KDF failures, merely adds to the enemy’s propaganda efforts,
and motivates and inspires potential recruits, when indeed, it ought to be the
other way around. </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">Armies need to realise
that we need to think quick, act and react with agility and speed—or die. If
quick thinking and agility is discarded, our armies may as well call it a day. </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">Instead, we try to
stick to what we think we know—ill-equipped, unbalanced World War 2
organisations totally unsuited to cope with the demands and fluid actions on
the modern African battlefield.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;"> </span></span><span style="color: white;">This has
resulted in poorly planned and uncoordinated operations, a lack of balanced
forces, a lack of operational sustainability, a lack of momentum and great
sluggishness when tasked to move rapidly—to name but a few. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">These outdated
approaches are then taught to African armies by trainers that have no or very
little experience of the continent and indeed, seldom if ever, understand the
enemy. Oftentimes, a different agenda is at play and the conflict is encouraged
to continue as long as possible. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">All too often, people
want to point fingers at how bad their armies are, and the politicians are
quick to blame them for a lack of battlefield success. But, the reality is that
soldiers can only do what they are trained and equipped to do—and if they have
the leadership they require supported with political and military will. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">To fulfil their
missions, African armies need to do </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: white;">a
very serious</span></i><span style="color: white;"> doctrinal rethink, reorganize themselves to be agile, have mobility
and firepower, ensure they have clear and unambiguous missions and mandates,
and ensure the leadership group know how to lead—from the front. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">The attack on El Adde ought
to serve as a dire warning of what can happen to any armed force if we do not
get our act together, sooner rather than later. Our armies need to be correctly
trained, equipped, and postured, and not taught rubbish that is irrelevant. </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">We need to start
thinking very seriously before it is too late.</span> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Note</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">: <span style="color: white;">For those interested
in the developing situation in Kenya, more can be found by visiting Andrew
Franklin’s Facebook pages at</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: white;">https://www.facebook.com/andrew.franklin.5076?pnref=friends.search</span></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-57839210314175430192017-02-04T08:34:00.001+02:002017-02-04T08:34:58.322+02:00ROOIPLAAS PARATROOPERS COMMUNITY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">I have never been a
member of any SADF Veterans Organisation for numerous reasons. Many have asked me
to join them but I have always declined and walked away. That is until my old
Parachute Sappers (specifically by name of Chappies van Zyl) twisted my arm to
the point that it almost broke. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">I finally relented when
the founder of ‘Rooiplaas’ (Nico Beneke) graciously—and without Chappie’s
violence—convinced me to find a home with them. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">I therefore dedicate
this short piece to the men of Rooiplaas…a great group of ex-paratroopers from
1 Parachute Battalion…A true paratroopers’ community (<a href="http://www.rooiplaas.co.za/"><span style="color: #0563c1;">http://www.rooiplaas.co.za</span></a>)</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiUj48OAQHgdCZjVsRO3H1U48cqnIMNAhOL0cqbyUC20yV360KkhJL88j7pOVvsYaqP0I8Krqo5DHjPfA9D_Caabd0N5uCGEAW-58730UE9WsBxvOjNGtCDPqm99-W_7YLMRwYp4RvZZ7/s1600/022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiUj48OAQHgdCZjVsRO3H1U48cqnIMNAhOL0cqbyUC20yV360KkhJL88j7pOVvsYaqP0I8Krqo5DHjPfA9D_Caabd0N5uCGEAW-58730UE9WsBxvOjNGtCDPqm99-W_7YLMRwYp4RvZZ7/s320/022.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">To my new ‘home’, here
is a story I wish to share with you all: </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">My sapper section (at
that time, very few sappers were jump qualified) and I arrived in a cool
Bloemfontein in early September 1978. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Our mission was to
support an exercise of 1 Parachute Battalion known as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Exercise Caledon Downs</i>, an operational training exercise in the
Wepener area of the Orange Free State.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Having no clue what
equipment was required for the training exercise, we left Bethlehem (22 Field
Squadron) with an old Bedford truck laden with mines, mine detectors, assault boats,
explosives, and a mobile water point (I need to emphasise that whoever came up
with the name ‘mobile water point’ must have been delusional!)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">On arrival, and while
my men wandered around the battalion area like lost sheep—or rather lost sappers—I
attended the Orders Group (O Gp) for the exercise. Amongst the paras, the
rumour mill was already hard at work—this they said, was to be a rehearsal for
a large scale airborne operation into Angola. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The battalion’s pathfinders
were to freefall into the designated target area under cover of darkness, and
mark a drop zone (DZ) for the incoming parachute assault early the following morning.
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">In my absence, the men
found what appeared to be a deserted bungalow and they would seek me out later
to give me a bed they had ‘scored’ for me. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">In the meantime, I left
the O Gp feeling rather dejected after receiving our orders. There would be no big
demolition tasks, no clearing or laying of minefields, no assault river
crossing…only a damn water point for the paratroopers. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Giving my orders to my
sappers was akin to addressing a rugby team that had suffered its worst loss
ever. They were utterly disgusted at what they were supposed to do to support
the exercise. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Early the next morning,
my sappers, under the capable command of my troop sergeant Cpl L Steyn, left
feeling rather miserable for a grid reference somewhere in the eastern Free
State. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The following day, I was
to jump with (then) Major Anton van Graan’s HQ element while my sappers drove
to a grid reference specified in the O Gp.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Being a well-trained
sapper officer, I snivelled around for the rest of the day, fearful I would be
given a task I was unable to do—that is, until a Major Grundling found me
hiding in a deserted bungalow. After giving me a severe dressing down, he
finally told me where to report to the next morning. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Due to the nature of
the exercise, we were not going to jump with Personal Weapons Containers (PWCs).
Instead the parachutes would simply be strapped over our battle order
equipment. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">On the road to the
airport, there was great excitement. On arrival, we kitted-up and waited…Soon
we were all shuffling off to board the C-130s.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">I was part of the
second wave and was to jump second in Major van Graan’s stick on that fateful
day of 7 September 1978. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">After the usual “Stand
up! Hook up!…” the door opened and out we went. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The green canopy
billowed…Phew! But there was no time to admire the view. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">I recall two things
very vividly: (1) We were very low and (2) I saw a barbed wire fence and a
large anthill next to it…I knew I was going to meet the one or the other. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">And I did.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">No amount of pulling on
the risers or trying to climb up the canopy worked. It all happened too fast. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">After a very hard
landing and what I thought was a broken foot, I limped off to find my company
commander, Major van Graan. I was certainly not going to show the paratroopers
that I had been hurt. Sapper pride took hold.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">It was then that I came
across Captain Blaauw (I think it was David but I am not too sure anymore!) looking
rather forlorn and visibly upset. On asking if he was okay, he told me that
Major Grundling had landed in a farm dam and drowned. I was shocked but also
realised that had any of us landed in a dam, the weight of our equipment would have
dragged us down. Plus, as it was still early morning, the water was freezing
and those brave troops who tried to rescue him were simply unable to do so. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">In addition, several
other paratroopers had been hurt when they went off the edge of some high
ground.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Needless to say, and
despite the great loss to the battalion, objectives had to be assaulted, captured
and consolidated before we could move on to the main objective which was a farm
house some distance away. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">And so I hobbled across
the Wepener fields, humping my equipment and trying to keep my pose as best I
could. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">After a river crossing
(I thought we were supposed to do that with the boats we brought from
Bethlehem!), my sappers finally arrived later that afternoon to collect me and
ferry me across to the water point where we spent the rest of the entire
exercise—purifying water for the paratroopers. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">I had not broken my
foot but instead, had very badly bruised the sole of my foot. To this day, I
have an aversion to anthills. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">After the exercise, we
made the long trip back to Bethlehem. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">We never did deploy for
the great air assault operation that was rumoured to be in the offing…but we
all went to war. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">And now, almost 39
years later, I have become a member of the Rooiplaas Paratroopers’ Community—a
long time to find a home amongst men who share common values. I am still a
sapper at heart but also feel at home with the paratroopers of Rooiplaas. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Thank you Nico,
Chappies and all other members of ‘Rooiplaas’ for welcoming me into your
community. .</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-22182457859414586912017-01-27T06:36:00.000+02:002017-01-27T10:27:49.772+02:00THE MESSAGE AS A WEAPON OF CONFLICT AND WAR<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Lately, there appears
to be an increase in using the media as a medium through which to generate and distribute so-called
‘fake news’ to drive specific agendas. One must therefore investigate the origin or source of the 'fake news' as that will determine the agenda(s). </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The ability to sell a
lie and deceive people through ‘controlled media’ is nothing new. By trying to
force the people to believe and think only what the media wants them believe
and think, has long been the hallmark of the mainstream media. But, people are
beginning to question the validity of the ‘news’ as opposed to suffering from
media hypnosis. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The media needs to
question why it has willingly allowed itself to be used as a conduit for the
dissemination of disinformation and propaganda. But, strengthened with the advent
of social media networks, both disinformation and propaganda have received new impetus.
Indeed, social media is currently being used to provide credibility to numerous
disinformation and propaganda messages that appear in the mainstream media and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">visa versa</i>.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Both techniques are
used to alter, shape and manipulate perceptions, promote sectarian and
political interests, and entrench and exploit attitudes and further conflict, divisive
politics, and war between opposing groups. They differ in the manner in which
they are developed and applied. However, both techniques are used to influence people,
and the side that dominates the informational environment is the side most
likely to achieve the best end result. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">As an influence
technique, disinformation is a planned and purposeful act of deception. It is
essentially a lie that is intentionally injected into the daily lives of
people. Its aim is to mislead and alter attitudes and perceptions, evoke anger,
create fear, encourage resistance and violence, and vilify an enemy or threat sufficiently
to justify action.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Extensive use is made
of all controlled mainstream and social media assets and platforms. Paid social
media platforms are increasingly harnessed to further disseminate false and
misleading information or give it credibility.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Disinformation uses a
variety of methods to achieve its aim. One of them is dress up a lie so it appears
as the truth. Another method to intertwine valid information with false
information but in such a manner that it is not obvious. Covert influence
campaigns utilising well-developed disinformation can result in acceptance as
opposed to doubt. The end-product is then be disseminated via real and false news
media outlets, and fake documents, books, photographs, posters, and malicious
and dangerous rumours and innuendo. Its ability to become believable lays in continually
repeating the lie to make it become the reality of people. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">To disguise its origins
and intentions, it is often attributed to ‘sensitive’ or ‘unnamed’ sources or even
the names of non-existent people. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Political
disinformation is aimed at provoking scaremongering, discrediting political
opponents, distorting the messages of political opponents, exploiting divisive
politics, and influencing opposition voter support. Used extensively during
political speeches and rallies, where it is intertwined with propaganda, it has
the potential to generate immense anger, fear, hatred, and uncertainty. It is
often reinforced with flags, marches, songs, T-shirts and food to distract and
confuse voters. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Propaganda is the
deliberate propagation of messages, information, ideas, concepts, rumours, and
thoughts to influence, strengthen and support a specific cause, and to unify
people. It is also applied to counter opposing information and thoughts where
elements of disinformation are used. It is used primarily to reinforce a cause
or damage an opposing cause. It is sometimes based on twisting the message of
an opponent and using it to appeal to people’s fears, and self-interest and evoke
emotions. It hopes to subtly force people to think and act in a manner they
would not generally have considered. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Like disinformation,
propaganda makes use of media platforms, marches, flags, posters, songs and so
forth to entrench the message. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">To underpin these
deceptive messages, words such as ‘deterrence’, ‘threat to our values’,
‘foreign aggression’, ‘our stability’, ‘creators of poverty’, ‘inequality’, and
so forth are used. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Polluted information
presented as ‘fact’ can result in misguided strategies, and distrust, increased
antagonism, diplomatic, political and economic sanction, marginalisation,
increased racial, tribal, and ethnic disdain, an increase in political tensions,
and criminal actions. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">An unintended (or
possibly intended) consequence can result in mass demonstrations, civil war or
indeed even a regional conflict or war. Indeed, the Cold War was a perfect
example of both sides using both disinformation and propaganda to unify their
citizens whilst vilifying those of the opposing side. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Disinformation and
propaganda are entrenched via repetition of the messages. It is, however, the
first communicated message that carries the most weight, especially if it is
continually disseminated via the mainstream and social media. To rectify the
damage is often impossible. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Disinformation and
propaganda can destroy national unity, create regional tensions, and cause
irreparable damage a country and its citizens. These messages become
increasingly dangerous when military force is threatened, projected, or
used.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">It is increasingly
evident that both disinformation and propaganda are being used on a massive
scale, and on a daily basis by politicians and political organisations and
supporters alike. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Misleading people with
false news or disinformation and then reinforcing it with propaganda (and visa
versa) can have very serious implications—implications that can last for
generations.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">It is of great
importance that we start looking more closely at what is published and said—and
why—and start connecting the dots. If not, we will continue to be manipulated
and exploited to act in a manner we never considered. </span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-70951594726358484972016-12-17T08:37:00.000+02:002016-12-17T08:37:08.305+02:00A MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL AND A GREAT 2017!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">I would like to wish each and every
visitor to the blog a blessed and merry festive season. To those who celebrate
the meaning of Christmas, I wish you and your families a blessed, happy and
joyous festive season. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">To those who do not celebrate
Christmas for whatever reason I wish you all a time of happiness and peace with
your families and friends.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">I would also like to wish each and
every one of you – and your loved ones - a great 2017. May the coming year be
filled with good health, happiness and safety.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Thank you to everyone who read and
contributed to the blog throughout the year. Your comments are always
appreciated and highly valued as they give me insight and allow me to broaden
my own knowledge base.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">To everyone who is far from home at
this time, and to those who are deployed in the conflict zones around the
world, beit as soldiers, sailors, airmen, law enforcement officers, spooks or
PMC contractors, keep your heads down, your eyes peeled, your weapons close at
hand, stay safe and be ready to do what needs to be done.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Let us also remember those who will
not be able to be share this time with those they hold dear as well as those
who have lost friends and loved ones. They should never be forgotten. Nor
should the sacrifices they have made ever be forgotten.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">A very merry Christmas season to all!</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-8775650311960458502016-12-13T16:56:00.001+02:002016-12-13T16:56:57.902+02:00THANK YOU BUSH WAR BOOKS AND OTHERS…<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">When Piet Fourie and Johan Jonker of Bush War Books (</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.warbooks.co.za/"><span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #0563c1;">www.warbooks.co.za</span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">) asked if I would be
willing to visit several MOTH shellholes in and around Cape Town, I was happy
to oblige.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Not only was I afforded the opportunity to discuss my
book (Composite Warfare) but I was also able to meet some old friends, make new
friends, and also have the great pleasure of seeing some of my old parachute
sappers from way back when. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Piet and Johan organised talks at three different
shellholes as well as at Bargain Books in Canal Walk.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">I would like to express my thanks to the Old Bills,
Deon vd Berg, Mark Bester, and Phillip McLachlan of the Blaauwberg Cuca
Shellhole, the Old Red Barn Shellhole, and the Marshall Smuts Shellhole respectively,
for hosting me. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">My thanks also to all of the MOTH’s and their families
and friends who came to support me and who gave me their friendship and
hospitality.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">It was fun and interesting to discuss the changes we
are witnessing in not only our own country, but across Africa and the world.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Thanks too must go to Bargain Books in Canal Walk for
allowing their shop to be used at very short notice. It was here that I also
met several Facebook friends and was able to spend a few minutes chatting to
them. Thanks guys for your support as well. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">My sincerest thanks to Piet Fourie and Johan Jonker of
Bush War Books for their friendship, organisational skills, and support. It is
indeed a pleasure to work with you both! </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-58153503849140687422016-11-21T15:34:00.000+02:002016-11-21T15:34:50.224+02:00SOME MORE REVIEWS...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">I have been asked if there are currently any reviews of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Composite Warfare</i> available on the web. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The short answer…”Yes”. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">I was able to ‘steal’ these reviews off Piet Fourie’s
site <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bush War Books.</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></i>(</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: white; margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.warbooks.co.za/"><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">www.warbooks.co.za</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">). Fortunately, they are all good but I am sure the less good ones will
still come…</span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Incidentally, Piet also sells the book so if there are
any of you who are unable to find it in the bookstores—local and abroad—he will
be able to assist you as he ships military books all over the world. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Here they are sequenced from the most recent to the first…</span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 10px 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzQuOYxh9OJ-POKZvxqKH1xMfmeTbfq6bVHp__IbTaLBnyHzpXgQbGu9E3y0de4JnZi_MfyPxLtXHZfzYZB5Z359DxdnOYnQ4h_AFetvg1_UprVTw4Xjlxf6ZxMrBQ2pkwvdL24yaaUHI/s1600/COMP+cover+I88.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzQuOYxh9OJ-POKZvxqKH1xMfmeTbfq6bVHp__IbTaLBnyHzpXgQbGu9E3y0de4JnZi_MfyPxLtXHZfzYZB5Z359DxdnOYnQ4h_AFetvg1_UprVTw4Xjlxf6ZxMrBQ2pkwvdL24yaaUHI/s320/COMP+cover+I88.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">A military masterpiece!</span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Frans van Niekerk</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"> on <b>Nov 11,
2016</b> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The book is a military masterpiece and showcases a
portion of one of the most reputable strategic military minds. The book was
written purely for a soldier, from a General to a Junior leader - to equip them
for the battlefield. Eeben used his knowledge and vast experience on the
subject matter to create a textbook that is not only an easy read but is
composed of factual information and is easily referenced. Given the impressive
history of Eeben’s military career and the many successes he has achieved all
over Africa, the book is not just an academic book but a testament to tried and
trusted methodologies that have yielded success in the field and has simplified
many complex military manoeuvres. Perusing this book will empower military
leaders to lead their armies to victory and allows for fundamental and complex
principles of warfare to be properly addressed. The strategic nature of this
book will also enrich corporate leaders. As it explains the importance of
strategy and the implementation thereof in an operational environment, as well
as the importance of taking a holistic view to addressing a problem. Naturally,
because there is no room for error and the stakes are always high in any
military strategy, the development of a good corporate strategy can be
developed from military principals. The reader can see the importance of all
forces at play and develop an understanding of the objectives and the impact it
has on winning the fight, and ultimately the war.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">An amazing book!</span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Hansie Prinsloo</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"> on <b>Nov 09, 2016</b> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">A monumental piece of work delivered by a living legend
who is deeply respected by both friend and foe alike. I recently had the
privilege of meeting one of Picasso’s last living students. As Picasso’s
fingerprints are left in modern art, this book will leave its fingerprints on
generations to come in Africa. Knowing the author is a humbling experience. By
virtue of knowing him as a person, I surmise that one of his objectives was not
only how to handle conflicts in the African context, but for future generations
to learn from the lessons of the past in order to manage conflict and prevent
war raging in a current and future Africa. Salute!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">A must read for
any professional soldier hoping to survive Africa</span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Hein M.</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"> on <b>Nov 07, 2016</b> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">This is one of the most complete guides for any
professional soldier. A very practical look at the Art of War in an African
context with practical explanations of the intricacies of war. It creates an
almost complete view of anything you might encounter be it as a foot soldier,
battle commander or intelligence operative/SOF soldier. I would recommend this
book as a must have for all who have chosen the military as a career. Eeben
Barlow is one of the best teachers and commanders a soldier can ever hope to
serve under and his practical experience and ability to transfer this knowledge
will stay with you forever.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Incredibly
detailed and thoroughly researched</span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Hannes Wessels</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"> on <b>Nov 05, 2016</b> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Surely the seminal work on the subject. Incredibly
detailed and thoroughly researched by a man who has both the empirical and
theoretical knowledge to tackle a very complicated subject. Only through the
sort of exposure that Eeben has experienced can one write about the unusual
nuances pertaining to conflict situations in Africa and that shows. Too many
soldiers ignore or are unaware of the political dynamics pertaining in their
theater of operations. This can be a costly mistake which the author does not
make. Anybody looking to fight a war in Africa need look no further for
guidance.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">A classic
appraisal of modern day warfare </span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Patrick Ricketts </span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">on <b>Nov 05, 2016</b>
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The book Composite Warfare is a classic appraisal of modern day warfare
internationally and not only in Africa. It should be valued for its
understanding and appraisal of modern military conflicts and the valuable
development of strategic, operational and tactic perspectives applicable to
modern armed conflicts. As the author had risen from the ranks, having gone
through a soldier’s harsh realities, he displays an intense understanding of
the relationship between the state and its armed formations and the role and
responsibilities of armed formations within society and on the battlefield. The
author further describes the basic tendencies in the modern art of warfare, the
courses and progress of armed conflict and the perfection of operational and
tactical skills of officers and men in an armed conflict that results in
military victory. Thank you very much for this excellent piece of work, though
the content may pose a challenge to certain international power blocks who it may
be viewed as a challenge their expansionist policies in their strive for
control of material resources</span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">COMPOSITE WARFARE</span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Roy Marais</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"> on <b>Nov 01, 2016</b> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">This is one of the best, if not the best Warfare Manuals
for ANY Person who lives and works in Africa being that Military, Government or
any other entity who is involved in Africa, to understand the complexity of
Africa. The author has through this developed the way forward for training the
new breed of soldiers in Africa. Excellent book and a must for any student of
the Art of War. In time to come this book will be rated at the same level as
Mobile Warfare of Roland de Vries.<br />
In years to come this book will become as relevant as “The Art of War” by Sun
Tzu only that this manual focuses on Africa and how future warfare should be
planned and conducted within the African Battle space.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">New one for
Military scholars</span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Phillip</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"> on <b>Oct 17, 2016</b> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">This book is definitely going to be a best seller for the year!! This is a
excellent guide for waging a modern military campaign not just in Africa, but
around the world. The structure of the information is easy to read and digest,
even for non- military men like me. I think there will be a lot of soldiers
around the world walking around with this book as a guide. Keeping this one
next to Mobile Warfare of Roland de Vries.<br />
Thanks Piet for the signed copy. Was a nice surprise!!!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: black; margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
</div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-4385171111497483182016-11-16T18:09:00.002+02:002016-11-16T18:09:31.454+02:00THANK YOU TO EVERYONE...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">This past weekend witnessed the solemn commemorations
of Remembrance Day around the world. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">It was indeed a fitting time to remember the numerous
sacrifices made by the many allied and enemy soldiers who went before us. In countless
ways, it was both a joyous and sad occasion, but sadly the world has not become
what so many had hoped—and died for. The ‘war to end all wars’ was only the
start of the conflicts and wars that would follow.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDufiwTqycboj6EAUCkSdkT10ldTwdkyTPgz9T2d4_vRCH_-QUltZB7MkdHFoUfz1KaKtyt-dJhqk9D8t0C5wi8-TL2ih95_dgGCoKe6NRQok4yS0WCiwW0OgpFUnqtUZKdnm8j_TXFTD/s1600/DSC00874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDufiwTqycboj6EAUCkSdkT10ldTwdkyTPgz9T2d4_vRCH_-QUltZB7MkdHFoUfz1KaKtyt-dJhqk9D8t0C5wi8-TL2ih95_dgGCoKe6NRQok4yS0WCiwW0OgpFUnqtUZKdnm8j_TXFTD/s320/DSC00874.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">It was also the weekend that my book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Composite Warfare</i> was launched in Natal.
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">My sincerest thanks to everyone who braved the rain
and traffic to support my recent discussions and book launch in Pietermaritzburg,
Durban and Shelly Beach. I had a great time visiting and chatting to everyone.
It was also an honour and a privilege to meet old friends and make new ones. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">My apologies to those I was unable to remember from my
past…I have to blame ‘old age’. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">It is always very difficult to single out specific
people, as there are many that played a very prominent role the entire time I
was in Natal.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">However, I would like to thank the following people by
name:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Piet Fourie</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bush War Books</i> for arranging the
talks, coordinating matters and making sure I never went hungry or thirsty
(Piet and Bush War Books are on Facebook for those who wish to join their
circle of friends) and for arranging my overnight stay in Durban</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Johan Jonker</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">
for his support to both Piet and myself – and of course, his very entertaining
stories</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Simon</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sarah</i> for their immense kindness
and hospitality for feeding me and giving me a warm, cozy bed to sleep in. I am,
however, disappointed that they were unable to arrange better weather as it was
very cold, misty and wet (I know we need the rain!) where they live, despite it
being summer</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Brett</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">
for taking Sarah, Simon and I to supper on Thursday evening</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The
Old Bill of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Alan Wilson Shellhole</i>
in Pietermaritzburg for allowing the MOTH hall to be used as it was raining and
very wet outside</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Natal Mounted Rifles</i> (NMR) in Durban
for allowing their facilities to be used on Saturday. Again, the rain was
rather pesky but the braai Hilton organised made up for that by far. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">7.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Mara Potgieter</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">
and her two ladies at Bargain Books, Shelly Beach for their efforts to both
promote the book as well as sell it.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">A very big thank you to everyone who sacrificed their time
to listen to me discuss my new book as well as for the many interesting
questions everyone asked. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">And of course, a really big thank you to everyone who
bought my books. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">I truly appreciate your support.</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-75524948759256684372016-10-17T15:31:00.000+02:002016-10-17T15:31:49.054+02:00FIRST REVIEW OF COMPOSITE WARFARE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The first review of my book ‘Composite Warfare: The
conduct of successful ground force operations in Africa’ has been published on
DefenceWeb. (</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45573:composite-warfare-a-composite-insight-into-conflict-and-war-in-africa&catid=57:Book%20Reviews&Itemid=141"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #0563c1;">http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45573:composite-warfare-a-composite-insight-into-conflict-and-war-in-africa&catid=57:Book%20Reviews&Itemid=141</span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">).</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The review was written by Kim Helfrich.</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-9752242482892273022016-09-25T09:17:00.000+02:002016-09-25T09:17:19.606+02:00A HANDFUL OF HARD MEN<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Every
military unit and every nation has its own heroes who stand steadfast even when
the chips were down. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">These
are men who, faced with possible death, refuse to acknowledge its presence. In
times of exhaustion, extreme danger, hunger, and great anxiety, they are able
to control their fear and harness it to rally or save their colleagues, and in
some instances, even save their countries. Yet, despite their exploits of
immense personal courage, dedication and fortitude, these heroes inevitably
find themselves abandoned and betrayed by their politicians and generals. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">A Handful of Hard Men</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"> by Hannes
Wessels must rank as one of the most riveting books on contemporary African
military history that I have read. It is also a book that lays bare the many
misconceptions about Rhodesia’s war for survival and exposes some of the great
betrayals these soldiers have been forced to live with. Yet, even when they
realised they were being sold out by the very politicians who sent them to war,
these men continued to fight on and carry out their orders, not for the
politicians or even their generals, but for one another and the unit they held
dearly.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The
Rhodesian Special Air Service (SAS) produced men of such exceptional calibre.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Hannes
Wessels has captured the essence of true combat by this handful of very hard
men—the Rhodesian SAS—who, despite adversity and hardship, still found time to
treasure small things most civilians take for granted. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcGo9ntalWXcT6GLLbFcdVDN1cretvfTL_R-giddk6Z_L6j0TUBsozn3iyRQ0Oa2cN0VQX9zAVSruv1LTzC3x2tqq21nKywH2dsrKPDibsrnIROtBAMCkOHSAp2OPOLU1U31nhHyzLNE7/s1600/Ahandfull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcGo9ntalWXcT6GLLbFcdVDN1cretvfTL_R-giddk6Z_L6j0TUBsozn3iyRQ0Oa2cN0VQX9zAVSruv1LTzC3x2tqq21nKywH2dsrKPDibsrnIROtBAMCkOHSAp2OPOLU1U31nhHyzLNE7/s320/Ahandfull.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Soldiers
who, on a daily basis, live a stone’s throw from death, develop their own sense
of humour—a sense of humour those who have never been under fire find difficult
to grasp. Oftentimes, they speak a language others do not understand but it is
a language they have learned through circumstance, hardship, and the ever
present spectre of death. These hard men of the Rhodesian SAS were no
different. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">A Handful of Hard Men</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"> looks into the
soul of soldiers who, many years ago, were fighting a forgotten war in southern
Africa—not as some would like to claim between the black and white people of
Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)—but between two very different ideologies. Ultimately,
these soldiers were to face the betrayal of the West, the very civilisation
they believed they were defending from an encroaching ideology based on
communism and state collapse. In their defence of ‘western civilisation’, they
deployed and fought wherever they could find their enemy. Meanwhile, ensconced
in their ivory towers, the politicians of the West were plotting the demise of
Rhodesia.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Through
his pen, the author weaves a narrative that focusses on one man in
particular—Darrell Watt—and the brave men who, under his leadership, stood
beside him, regardless. The support they received from an ill-equipped air
force (due to international sanctions) is worthy of a book on its own. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">A</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Handful</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">of</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hard</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Men</i> spans several years of Darrell
Watt’s life—from recruitment, to training, to reconnaissance, to operational
and tactical deception, to deep penetration raids and operations, and the
ultimate standing down of the Rhodesian SAS. The operations these few men conducted
were intense, breath-taking in magnitude, and vividly described, and yet even
under the ever-present threat of death, humour presented itself. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Interwoven
in the narrative is the developing political situation and the behind-the-doors
negotiations and political duplicity to collapse one ideology and replace it
with another. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">After
reading of the operations the Rhodesian SAS conducted, I was left breathless
and it was as though I could smell the cordite and taste the blood in my mouth.
<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">I
would highly recommend this magnificent book at any serious student of
contemporary African warfare and history. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">For
ordering information, as well as other news and stories on Africa, visit
Hannes’s blog</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.africaunauthorised.com%2F&h=EAQH2t1hx" target="_blank"><span style="color: #365899; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none;">www.africaunauthorised.com</span></a></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-65537621391193472442016-09-20T07:49:00.001+02:002016-09-20T07:49:50.853+02:00THE DANGERS OF IGNORING STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As Africa drags itself ever
closer to the abyss, one would think that governments would be paying a lot
more attention to strategic intelligence, and the current and developing strategic
threats, along with strategic forecasting. This sadly appears not to be the
case as it is evident that erroneous intelligence impacts greatly on current
thinking and strategies—especially when the initiative has been lost and the
tipping point is approaching. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If governments continue
to base their strategic predications on thumb-sucking, misinformed media articles
and ‘opinion pieces’, ill-informed advisors, and incorrect narrative-driven assumptions,
instead of verified and credible strategic intelligence, tragedy awaits them as
they place their national and vital interests at risk. The richer they are in resources,
the greater the risk and the subsequent looming tragedy.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The rise of armed
anti-government forces, radical religious terror groups, proxy forces, domestic
and transnational organised crime, planned regime-change actions, mass
perception shaping programmes via the mainstream media and so forth, is evident
that intelligence failures at the strategic level are increasing. The continued
lack of intelligence is costing—and will still cost—African governments dearly
in the future as they will be unable to prepare and posture themselves correctly
to meet the threats. Nor will they be able to develop a coherent strategic
intent as the threat and its intentions will be unknown…let alone safeguard
their interests.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The integrity and
survival of the state along with the longevity of government requires a
reliable, robust, and continuous strategic intelligence input. This is essential
to enable the development and adjustment of the National Strategy. The National
Strategy, in turn, must give the government direction and guidance on how it intends
to position itself on the national, regional, continental, and international
stages. It is also essential to give forewarning of real, potential and predicted
violent and non-violent threats against the state—and the obstacles it will
face along the way in countering the threats.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The National Security
Strategy is similarly guided by strategic intelligence and strategic forecasting
and/or predictions, and its impact is felt across all pillars of the state.
However, threats against the state are not only of a military or armed nature. They
include planned non-violent attacks such as economic sabotage, political
blackmail, coercive diplomacy, perception manipulation, international criminal
court threats, trade embargos, resource and state capture, and so forth. These
threats are diverse, multi-dimensional and very seldom, if ever, appear as a
singular threat. They develop over time and are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never</i> spontaneous. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Without strategic
intelligence, the state will have no pre-warning of the approaching threats—or
their intentions—that will attack it on numerous fronts. Nor will it
understand—or be likely to withstand—foreign-backed and sponsored regime change
actions through violent and non-violent means. These attacks all have only one
aim: the installation, by any and all means possible, of a government that will
be sympathetic to the regime change sponsors and that will surrender its
resources as a token of thanks. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Countries such as
Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Nigeria, Central African Republic, S Sudan, DRC, Ivory
Coast, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Mali to name a few have all found themselves
under sustained attack without having had any home-grown intelligence pre-warning.
Despite several of the aforementioned countries being cautioned prior to the
attacks, they chose instead to be blind and discard the dangers in the
misguided belief that they may not be targeted or that the intelligence was
wrong. In some instances, they were advised by ‘allies’ that the intelligence
was false. Several other countries are also on the target list but are not currently
viewed as priorities—yet. However, in every case, the developing intentions
were and are—if anyone was or is willing to look—as clear as daylight, yet they
were and are seemingly unable to connect the dots. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Reliance on the media,
ill-intentioned ‘allies’, misinformed advisors, and public perceptions does not
constitute intelligence at any dimension or level. The misguided belief that
these sources will provide accurate and objective intelligence is a myth
governments should dispel with absolute haste as these sources are usually
coloured with disinformation. Instead, they must develop their own sources of
intelligence and take responsibility for their own intelligence collection
efforts and their intelligence failures. </span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Just because the
intelligence does not match their ethnic, financial, racial, religious, or
xenophobic narrative, it does not mean that it is wrong or false or even non-existent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Unless African governments
realise the true value of strategic intelligence and critical role it plays in guiding
and shaping their national and security strategies and defending their national
and vital interests, they will continue to lead themselves—and their people—down
the path of self-destruction. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-60107256936941905882016-09-13T15:24:00.000+02:002016-09-13T15:24:08.176+02:00COMPOSITE WARFARE RELEASE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">My book ‘Composite Warfare: The conduct of successful
ground force operations in Africa’ has just been added to the publisher’s
website. Please visit <a href="http://www.30degreessouth.co.za/composite_warfare.htm"><span style="color: #0563c1;">http://www.30degreessouth.co.za/composite_warfare.htm</span></a>
</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Interested parties are urged to contact the publishers
directly as I do not carry stock of the book. The publishers will, in turn,
advise on points of sale, shipping and so forth.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">My sincerest thanks to all for your patience and
interest. </span></div>
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Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com0