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2021 Taliban Takeover: Defeat of the Afghan National Security Forces through the lens of proxy warfare theory
Bělohlávek, Dalibor ; Michálek, Luděk (advisor) ; Aslan, Emil (referee)
The war in Afghanistan conflict represents the longest engagement the United States has ever been involved in, and despite significant resource allocation and loss of life, the nation-building effort eventually failed. The most salient representation of the entire Afghan experience was the rapid collapse of the Afghan National Army. Despite the years of training by the Western forces and the resources poured into it, after the United States withdrew it rapidly collapsed and was defeated by Taliban forces. This thesis aims to examine the relationship between the United States and the Afghan National Army within the context of proxy warfare theory, drawing lessons that can be applied to future conflicts of a similar nature. Firstly, this study delineates the evolving nature of 21st-century warfare and underlines why it is essential for the U.S. to acknowledge these changes, acquiring valuable insights to better navigate future challenges. To this end, the research scrutinizes the Afghan conflict, which is not typically perceived as a classic case of proxy warfare. Using the perspectives of four different proxy warfare theorists, each with distinctive approaches, common characteristics of proxy warfare are distilled and applied to analyze the case of the Afghan National Army and its relationship with...
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The Wagner Group's counterinsurgency operations in Mali
Murgia, Nicolò ; Ludvík, Zdeněk (advisor) ; Aslan, Emil (referee)
This research focuses on analyzing the Wagner Group's counterinsurgency operations in Mali. First, it reviews existing literature on the use of Private Military Companies (PMCs) in counterinsurgency campaigns. Then, it examines the dynamics of the Wagner Group's activities in Mali, particularly its relationship with the Russian state, the services it provides, and the impact of these services on Mali's security crisis. The study thoroughly analyzes the specific modus operandi of the Wagner Group and its relationships with local armed forces to understand the implications and outcomes of their counterinsurgency operations. The research findings reveal that the PMC's efforts were ineffective in mitigating the crisis caused by Islamist armed groups. Moreover, the Wagner Group's presence in Mali led to an increase in violence, resulting in severe consequences for civilians. On a broader scale, the research demonstrates how the Wagner Group serves as a tool used by Russia to exert influence in Mali. The close ties between the Russian state and the PMC have enabled the manipulation of the local population through disinformation campaigns, targeting previous Western partners such as France and the U.S. As a consequence of these actions, Mali, which experienced a military junta rising to power through a...
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French counterinsurgency: case study of Mali
Strnad, Jan ; Karásek, Tomáš (advisor) ; Ludvík, Zdeněk (referee)
This thesis is dedicated to French intervention in Mali between the years 2013 and 2022. Insurgency in Mali led to the deployment of French forces in Operation Serval from 2013 to 2014. However, because of the unstable situation was French presence in Mali prolonged, and Operation Serval was succeeded by Operation Barkhane. In this case is tested claim of a group of authors that French counterinsurgency became similar to the US counterinsurgency after their cooperation in Afghanistan. In order to answer the research question Has French counterinsurgency become similar to the US counterinsurgency? by proving/disproving settled hypothesis are conducted qualitative analyses of Operations Serval and Barkhane. The theoretical framework is provided by the concept of Counterinsurgency's Impossible Trilemma by Lorenzo Zambernardi. The results of both analyses and thus the overall result is disproval of the hypothesis because the French nature of counterinsurgency has not changed, however, the writing of current French doctrine was inspired by the US counterinsurgency doctrine.
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United States of America and counterinsurgency: Afghanistan
Petráš, Vojtěch ; Střítecký, Vít (advisor) ; Karásek, Tomáš (referee)
Counterinsurgency warfare has had an ambiguous position in the American military tradition. After the Vietnam experience, the population-control-oriented doctrine of David Galula was almost forgotten. Current war of the United States of America in Afghanistan turned out to be a conflict where application of the doctrine comes in question. It is codified in the 2006 FM 3-24 counterinsurgency manual. The author of the thesis Spojené státy americké a protipovstalecký boj: Afghánistán asks a question whether the behavior of American armed forces in Afghanistan was in compliance with the COIN doctrine of David Galula. The author looks at the conflict through lens of Galula's eight counterinsurgency steps, as defined in his book Counterinsurgency Warfare: Theory and Practice. The author of the thesis looks for factors that could influence fulfilment of the steps and he gives the factors in perspective with American strategic culture, as defined in the thesis. The analysis shows that the fulfilment of Galula's eight steps has never occurred. Traditional military thinking partially locked successful adaptation of American armed forces to the environment of Afghanistan. However, the author comes to the discovery that in terms of strategic culture, there were some shifts in Afghanistan.
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Position of Airpower in Contemporary Strategy
Černý, Tomáš ; Střítecký, Vít (advisor) ; Ludvík, Jan (referee)
This thesis deals with the current role of airpower in contemporary warfare. In last 100 years, the aircraft became an indisputable part of today's armed conflict. The aim of this work is to determine the mechanics behind airpower's functions in conflicts and to critically assess airpower's performance. The analyzed conflicts - Persian Gulf 1991, Kosovo 1999, Afghanistan 2001 and U. S.-led counterinsurgency campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan - provide the diversity that is needed to reveal the position of airpower in contemporary strategy. The thesis is divided in three parts. The first part follows the evolution of airpower and its theory, providing context to further analysis of contemporary environment. The second part of the thesis identifies key theoretical concepts and modalities connected to airpower and analysis them on a general, theoretical basis. The third part of this thesis applies the concepts and modalities on the picked case studies in order to reach the suggested objectives by analyzing the conflicts and deriving empirical data. The conclusions of the thesis suggest that while slightly exaggerated, airpower grew to vital importance and became one of the key elements in today's conflicts.
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Local Self-Defence Militias as Counterinsurgents: The Possibility, Willingness and Rationality of Selective Violence against Insurgents
Gilg, Jakob Julian ; Karásek, Tomáš (advisor) ; Ludvík, Zdeněk (referee)
Local Self-Defence Militias as Counterinsurgents The Possibility, Willingness and Rationality of Selective Violence against Insurgents Autor: Jakob J. Gilg Submitted: 31.07.2019 Abstract How do local self-defence militias (LSDMs) influence violence against civilians in civil conflicts? Compared to other types of pro-government militias (PGMs), LSDMs are active in their home area. This results in abundant local information that can be used to identify and target insurgents and their supporters selectively. Furthermore, LSDMs are part of the local community, resulting in strong social ties, making indiscriminate violence against the community less likely. Finally, since LSDMs are dependent on popular support and cannot move on to a new area after violent acts, they are incentivised to retain local support by abstaining from civilian targeting. Therefore, I hypothesise that LSDMs are more likely to employ selective violence, and that their deployment decreases civilian fatalities in civil conflicts. To empirically test this claim in a global sample, I use 1) a logistic regression to assess the likelihood of selective violence of PGMs (H1), and 2) a negative binomial regression to evaluate the expected number of civilians killed by the government (H2). The results for the first hypothesis suggest an increased...
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Comparison of the counter-insurgency strategy in Iraq in 2007 and 2014
Bora, Daniel ; Doboš, Bohumil (advisor) ; Aslan, Emil (referee)
This thesis deals with the use of the counter-insurgency strategy in Iraq in 2007 and 2014. In the first part the author defines key concepts like insurgency, legitimacy and COIN doctrine. The part dealing with COIN is extended by two modifications of the US army's field manual FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5 from 2007 and 2014 which, in fact, applies COIN principles on the specific Iraqi environment. Followed by two case studies, which describe the particular strategy in Iraq in 2007 and 2014. At the end of each case study empirical data are is examined. For text continuity the first case study is extended by a chapter which describes interim between 2010 and 2014 and points out possible causes of the emergence of ISIS. The final chapter provides a comparison of the two examined case studies and the author tries to evaluate the success of each of them. Eventually the author provides recommendations which should prevent the re- emergence of groups like ISIS or AQI. Another outcome of this thesis is a prediction of possible development in Iraq.
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Examining the Growth of Private Military Contractors and their Applications in State Stability in Latin America
Austman, Connor ; Kučera, Tomáš (advisor) ; Bureš, Oldřich (referee)
Private military companies have rapidly filled in many operational force capacities that national militaries now longer have the capabilities to fill natively. As such, PMCs have expanded their rosters as well as their services provided to fill in many roles, and have carried out many such roles such as logistics management, personal and site security, and some inherently state functions such as training indigenous security forces and interrogation of prisoners. This rise has impacted national militaries in many facets of their operations and abstract professional bases. The ability of the PMC to carry out operations at the same standard as regular soldiers but with higher pay has impacted how the regular soldier views their own place in the professional national military, and creates problems for the establishment as a whole. This thesis will discuss the Iraq War as a case study and the impact of PMCs on the war, as well as introduce the Huntingtonian theories of soldier professionalism and corporateness, and will also employ a critical Marxist perspective to analyse the role and impact of PMCs in the modern military convention and in civil-military relations.
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Chinese Counterinsurgency Strategy in Xinjiang from 2008 to 2018
Englund, Adam ; Aslan, Emil (advisor) ; Karmazin, Aleš (referee)
This master thesis deals with the Chinese counterinsurgency strategy in Xinjiang with particular attention paid to current situation and latest development. The studied phenomenon is explored using the "Three Pillars" framework authored by the counterinsurgency theorist David Kilcullen. The study concisely presents the concept of insurgency and counterinsurgency with special prominence given to counterinsurgency led by autocratic regimes. The thesis also presents the reader with a comprehensive of Xinjiang's geographic conditions as well as its historical and demographic development. By using the abovementioned framework, the thesis identifies basic characteristics of Chinese counterinsurgency strategy.
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