Cook Alethia - Conflict dynamics: civil wars, armed actors, and their tactics

CONFLICT DYNAMICS

SERIES EDITORS

Sara Z. Kutchesfahani

Senior Research Associate; Director of Masters in International Policy Program, University of Georgia

Scott A. Jones

Director of Export Control Programs, Center for International Trade and Security, University of Georgia

SERIES ADVISORY BOARD

Pauline H. Baker

The Fund for Peace

Eliot Cohen

Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University

Eric Einhorn

Center for Public Policy and Administration, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

John J. Hamre

The Center for Strategic and International Studies

Josef Joffe

Hoover Institution, Institute for International Studies, Stanford University

Lawrence J. Korb

Center for American Progress

William J. Long

Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, Georgia Institute of Technology

Jessica Tuchman Mathews

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Scott D. Sagan

Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University

Lawrence Scheinman

Monterey Institute of International Studies, CNS-WDC

David Shambaugh

The Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University

Jessica Stern

FXB Center, Harvard School of Public Health

Civil Wars, Armed Actors, and Their Tactics

Alethia H. Cook
Marie Olson Lounsbery

2017 by the University of Georgia Press
Athens, Georgia 30602
www.ugapress.org
All rights reserved
Set in Minion Pro by Graphic Composition, Inc., Bogart, GA

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Cook, Alethia H., author. | Olson Lounsbery, Marie, 1970 author.

Title: Conflict dynamics : civil wars, armed actors, and their tactics / Alethia H. Cook, Marie Olson Lounsbery.

Description: Athens, Georgia : The University of Georgia Press, 2017. | Series: Studies in security and international affairs | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016051438 | ISBN 9780820338330 (hardback : alk. paper) | ISBN 9780820351063 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Civil warCase studies. | InsurgencyCase studies. | TacticsCase studies. | Sierra LeoneHistoryCivil War, 19912002. | Congo (Brazzaville)HistoryCivil War, 1997. | Sri LankaHistoryCivil War, 19832009. | InsurgencyBurmaHistory20th century. | InsurgencyIndonesiaHistory20th century. | InsurgencyPeruHistory 20th century.

Classification: LCC JC328.5 .C67 2017 | DDC 355.02/18dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016051438

To David J. Louscher, who taught me how to analyze and think critically, how to write professionally and function in the academic environment. Without him, none of this would be possible.
Alethia H. Cook

For my Dad, Lukes Pappy, and my biggest supporter
Marie Olson Lounsbery

FIGURES

TABLES

Given the breadth of the topic and level of detail, this book has taken some time to complete. Through the process of collecting narrative information, assessing the cases, and writing chapters we have benefited greatly from the contributions, suggestions, and support of many people. Our collaborative exploration of civil war dynamics began with what we called the Rivalry Project. As we gathered the information needed to disaggregate cases effectively, we were supported first as junior faculty by East Carolina University, which provided research funds that allowed us to hire some very talented undergraduate students. The Harriot College of Arts and Sciences at East Carolina University contributed additional assistance in the form of a course release. We are grateful to the college and university for their support of our research efforts.

Our thanks to Stuart Turner, Kate OConnor, Jason Robel, and Zachary Cooper for helping us in the initial phases of this project. Since that time, we have been fortunate to be able to draw continued assistance from a significant number of interested and highly competent undergraduate and graduate students, who were frequently supported by the university. These include Kyle Griffin, Amanda Sines, David Zeher, Ryan Cobey, Chris Munier, and Samuel Wagers. While researching and writing a book of this nature can be challenging, collaborating with witty and bright students made many of the more tedious tasks much more enjoyable.

We would also like to thank our friends and colleagues who provided support and feedback on the manuscript or on the Rivalry Project itself in its earlier years. These include Fred Pearson, Dursun Peksen, Scott Gates, Roy Licklider, Peter Francia, and Sharon Paynter. The quality of our work was increased through their expertise, words of encouragement, and friendship. In addition, we have appreciated the guidance and support, and definitely the patience, of our editors and the helpful staff at the University of Georgia Press, including Nancy Grayson, Walter Biggins, and Bethany Snead. Through their work and that of the anonymous reviewers they enlisted, the manuscript has been significantly improved from our initial draft to this final version, our theoretical framework is more fully developed, and its contribution to the literature has increased.

We also owe a great debt of gratitude to our families, who have supported us through this endeavor, allowing us the time needed to get the work done when necessary and providing welcomed distraction when it was needed.