Democratic Counterinsurgents pp 11-37 | Cite as
The Arguments
Chapter
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Abstract
This chapter grapples with and attempts to define a variety of relevant terms and concepts. Definitions of both insurgency and counterinsurgency are provided. What it means to ‘win’ a war, which can be a highly complex and sometimes subjective determination, is explored. Similarly, the concepts of ‘culture’ and ‘legitimacy’ are examined. Also analyzed are the arguments of those who believe that democracies are uniquely disadvantaged in counterinsurgencies. The reasons for this supposed weakness are presented and critically examined in terms of the strength of their logic and the weight of the supporting empirical evidence.
Keywords
Democratic Regime Regime Type Indirect Strategy Insurgent Force Military Victory
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2016