Lawrence of Arabia

07/19/2007

“Rebellions can be made by 2 percent active in striking force and 98 percent passively sympathetic.”

Go read T.E. Lawrence “of Arabia” and his theories on the nature of rebellion against a larger force. It’s remarkable how relevant they are to the current situation in Iraq and may help explain why we might not be able to overcome the insurgency.

Lawrence fought with Arab irregular troops during the Arab Revolt during World War I and was able to convince Arab leaders to coordinate their revolt to aid British interests. He came up with six fundamental principles of insurgency:

First, a successful guerilla movement must have an unassailable base.

Second, the guerilla must have a technologically sophisticated enemy.

Third, the enemy must be sufficiently weak in numbers so as to be unable to occupy the disputed territory in depth with a system of interlocking fortified posts.

Fourth, the guerilla must have at least the passive support of the populace, if not its full involvement.

Fifth, the irregular force must have the fundamental qualities of speed, endurance, presence and logistical independence.

Sixth, the irregular must be sufficiently advanced in weaponry to strike at the enemy’s logistics and signals vulnerabilities.

Lawrence also came up with a force-to-space ratio to figure out how many troops the Turks would need to control the land they occupied. The Turks needed a fortified post every four square miles, and a post could not be less than 20 men. In total, they needed 600,000 men to control the Arabs. But they only had 100,000 men available.

Bush’s war was a disaster from the start.

  1. laura says...
    Aug 4, 12:20 AM

    the black and white of Abbie is PRECIOUS!!!!
    what a lil beauty you two have!
    Will you post some more pix?

  2. Bear says...
    Aug 4, 01:50 AM

    Hey dog, i think your kid is cute as well. I also love your Lawrence of Arabia comparison is fantastic!

  3. Kelli says...
    Aug 11, 01:58 PM

    Maybe we should send a copy of this book to the White House? Hopefully Hillary or Obama have a well read copy…

  4. Matt says...
    Aug 13, 01:59 PM

    I have a feeling the White House doesn’t read those type of books.

    And who cares about Hillary or Obama. But I bet good ole Ron Paul is aware of it.

  5. Josh says...
    Aug 13, 04:18 PM

    Ron Paul? Wow…

  6. Josh says...
    Aug 13, 04:49 PM

    I guess we are only as free as the market.

  7. Matt says...
    Aug 14, 09:26 AM

    I take it your not a fan?

  8. Josh says...
    Aug 14, 09:33 AM

    I’m not too much of a fan of anybody at the moment. Its real early still, and voting seems to be an obsolete practice nowadays…
    I wouldn’t care if Ron was elected (which he won’t be, but who knows?) I’d still write my representative – I guess thats the only thing that makes me feel like a ‘real’ democratic citizen (though, more often than not, I find myself leaning more towards anarchy or a contrived socialism…but thats too much for now already.)

  9. zack says...
    Aug 15, 05:36 PM

    I doubt that Lawrence is on any politician’s reading list. It is however on the Marine Corps Reading List. http://www.nadn.navy.mil/Library/Marineread.html

  10. zack says...
    Aug 15, 05:45 PM

    Swing by www.smallwarsjournal.com

    You can find a lot of recommended reading for understanding the nature of insurgencies, the middle east, etc.

  11. Josh says...
    Aug 16, 03:31 PM

    …of course, I bet I know your true motive for supporting Ron Paul: the legalization of marijuana.

  12. Matt says...
    Aug 17, 09:44 AM

    Third on the list…

    1. Lower Taxes
    2. Out of Iraq
    3. Freedom for all


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