Several folks have asked why I have not updated the blog and what the
status of my book on warfare is.
Unfortunately – or fortunately – I have been otherwise occupied but will
start updating some of the blog comments shortly.
For those who asked, the book is now complete and the artwork is being
finalised. Once the artwork has been inserted, the manuscript must be edited
and then only will it go to the printers.
Hereunder follows an extract from the book which is now almost 18 months
behind schedule. The book is intended to be a textbook that focuses on warfare
in Africa. The extract is taken from Chapter 6 (unedited) of the book:
…………………………………………………………………………………………
As a continent, Africa remains under the constant threat of
destabilisation along with numerous internal, intractable crises aimed at
fuelling suspicion and exploiting differences amongst the populace. These
threats are aimed at creating fractious states that will be ripe for foreign
intervention and ultimately the division of countries.
As a general guideline, the development of tensions along with
destabilisation and revolution follows a predictable pattern in resource-rich
countries:
1. The build-up of hostilities: The ethnic,
religious, political and tribal differences along with clan rivalries within a country
are exploited and fuelled to increase historical tensions, political anger,
dissent, disunity and hostility. The approach adopted by the
sponsor-governments will be to ostensible promote “democracy”, “liberate the
oppressed” and “remove a dictatorship”. Non-violent and violent protests and
strikes will be encouraged by the sponsors of the hostilities. The hostilities
will increase as attacks and bombings on government and private buildings and
facilities along with essential infrastructure take place. Educational,
emotional and symbolic targets such as schools, buses, places of worship, large
outdoor congregations, sports stadiums, tourist hotels and groups and so forth
will be targeted. Kidnappings of HVI’s and large groups of innocent and/or
vulnerable people will occur. Provocative statements will be made on both
mainstream and social media platforms to further add to tensions and
suspicions. Agitators, armed militias, insurgent and even terrorist groups will
be given or promised support and encouraged to conduct armed attacks against
the government. The pattern of armed destabilisation will aim to fuel radical
actions and thereby force the intelligence services, the law enforcement
agencies and the armed forces to either overreact – in which case they will be
condemned - or to operate over a wide front thereby stretching their abilities
and resources. Ultimately, this will render the country weak, endanger the
population, create both fear and an uncontrollable refugee problem and
economically drain the country, thus rendering it vulnerable to foreign
intervention and manipulation.
2. Internationalising
the hostilities: The escalating violence between contrasting ethnic, religious and/or
tribal groups will result in international calls for the situation to be
contained. The government will be faced with a growing insurgency supported by acts
of terrorism. Calls will be made by foreign governments, international bankers,
the United Nations and advocacy groups and NGOs for sanctions, humanitarian aid
and assistance and even for armed foreign intervention to establish “democracy”
and “stability”. Limited air attacks will be aimed at damaging the economy and
destroying the infrastructure. Covert support by the sponsors, including arms,
finances and moral support will be channelled to one or more of the clashing
factions to ensure a continuation and an escalation of hostilities. Agitators,
insurgent leaders and warlords will be the prime beneficiaries of this covert
assistance and support. International think-tanks and crisis-resolution groups
will be established to mediate the “problem” and envoys will be despatched to
negotiate settlements and assist with the establishment of “democracy” and
“security” or the “removal of a dictatorship”. Every attempt to bring the
problem under the international spotlight will be propagated and exploited.
However, the powers that created the destabilisation will be planning on how
best to divide the country and gain strategic and economic advantages from such
a division.
3. Intervention and
division: Resultant from the internationalisation of the destabilisation and the
subsequent chaos and carnage, an increase in international debates will take
place and methods devised on how best to contain and resolve the situation. The
conflict will become commercialised and agreements made in lieu of assistance.
Weapons, ammunition, vehicles and training will be given or sold to the side
that can pay for them – and sometimes to both sides. Calls will be made for
international peacekeeping forces to be deployed under the auspices of the UN or
the AU to separate the warring factions. Foreign governments will despatch military
advisors to “monitor” the situation and provide advice. Often, the advice will
be aimed at increasing the problem as opposed to resolving the problem. Where
training is given, it will be sub-standard and/or irrelevant as the government
forces are set-up for failure. If necessary, air attacks will be intensified in
order to destroy as much of the essential infrastructure as possible. Calls
will be made for the country to be divided into two or more “new states” to
bring about peace and stability and ensure “democracy” and “freedom” for the
populace caught between the warring parties or factions. By engineering the
division of countries and installing puppet or proxy governments that serve the
interests of the sponsoring governments, the beneficiaries of the natural
resources ie energy and minerals will be the powers that instigated the
destabilisation. The newly-found pseudo-states will now (hopefully) serve the
interests of their benefactors.
It is therefore important that governments do not merely label threats
by the actions or the tactics they apply but instead determine the root cause
of the problem and understand the aim and/or purpose of the threat’s actions
and deeds along with its support.