| MS460, Counterinsurgency Operations, exists in order that cadets will 1) demonstrate a theoretical and pragmatic understanding of insurgencies, to include their temperaments, composition, strategies, employment, and irregular battlefield operating systems; 2) demonstrate a theoretical and pragmatic understanding of counter-insurgency operations, and the interrelationships between the environment, operations, enemies, and strategies; 3) demonstrate a command of historical U.S. counter-insurgency doctrinal concepts, how they relate to theory and strategy, where they are inadequate, and where they are beneficial; 4) demonstrate sound analysis and application of key course concepts using historical case studies; and 5) improve oral and written communication skills. This course begins broadly and then narrows in order to integrate theory and strategy with tactics and practicality. The first sub-course introduces the insurgency, an understanding of which is essential to leading, organizing, and implementing successful operations against it. In the second sub-course, students examine counter-insurgency operations from theoretical, strategic, operational, tactical, and practical perspectives. The final sub-course presents three historical case studies intended to engage each student's learning with both analysis and application. At a minimum, MS460 requirements include: an oral presentation that evaluates the success or failure of an historical insurgency; a short biographical paper on the methods and persona of an historical irregular warrior; a WPR that requires cadets to think through a counterinsurgency scenario in branch specific roles; and a TEE that requires cadets to examine methodologies from successful historical case studies within the scenario of a failed historical case study. |