The part of the spectrum of irregular violence that is of concern to this strategic history
is defined by the dominance of political motives on the part of belligerents. However,
beyond the orderly and neatly categorized conceptual world of the strategic theorist,
there are other forms of irregular violence. There is criminal violence and, for want of a
more apt concept, what one might call violent and often imitative or ‘copycat’ hooli-
ganism. The latter occurs in a social context of disorder. It is unlikely to have serious
political motives, or indeed any political motives at all. Expressive violence by bored and
undisciplined people occurs all over the world. There may or may not be significant
grievances on the part of the hooligans, but they are as likely to be an excuse for the
enjoyable creation of mayhem as a set of issues that the rioters demand be addressed.
A strategic context of insurgency encourages violent hooliganism because it weakens
Irregular warfare 249generally requires a friendly, or at least acquiescent, civilian context. The most
eloquent, as well as the briefest, explanation of the theory of guerrilla warfare
was written by T. E. Lawrence (of Arabia). Lying sick in his tent, he expounded
the first principles of this form of warfare:[S]uppose we were (as we might be) an influence, an idea, a thing
intangible, invulnerable, without front or back, drifting about like a gas?
Armies were like plants, immobile, firm-rooted, nourished through long
stems to the head. We might be a vapour, blowing where we listed. Our
kingdoms lay in each man’s mind; and as we wanted nothing material to live
on, so we might offer nothing material to the killing. It seemed a regular
soldier might be helpless without a target, owning only what he sat on, and
subjugating only what, by order, he could poke his rifle at.
(Lawrence, 1991: 192)Lawrence’s memoir of the Arab revolt against the Turks in World War I,
Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph, is mandatory reading today in counter-
insurgency communities around the world, as well as, one suspects, among
guerrillas.- Insurgency:‘An insurgency is a protracted struggle conducted methodically,
step by step, in order to obtain specific intermediate objectives leading finally
to the overthrow of the existing order’ (Krepinevich 1986: 7). This is good
enough, but it does understate the importance of contingency. Methodical
conduct frequently has to effect a U-turn if the regular enemy proves to be
competent at counter-insurgency. Also, insurgents must employ irregular
tactics, which is to say those of the guerrilla, as long as they are seriously
inferior in combat strength to their regular enemy. In its final stage, a
successful insurgency will transition to regular warfare. - Terrorismis the deliberate creation and exploitation of fear through the use, or
the threat, of violence for political ends. This is an amended version of the
definition provided by Bruce Hoffman (1998: 43).