Norsk opprørsbekjempelse. Illusjon eller realitet?
Abstract
Even though NATO has signalised the need for a unified approach to counterinsurgency, it seems that nations have different national approaches. This publication examines the Norwegian hallmarks to counterinsurgency as they appeared in the Norwegian-led forces in Faryab province of Afghanistan between 2006 and 2012. The Norwegian political will and its military ability to pursue counterinsurgency operations are analysed through the lenses of five counterinsurgency principles. On the basis of this analysis, the study draws conclusions that cut across the political and military domain. Key findings suggest that there is a weak connection between the Norwegian political and strategic guidance on the one hand, and the tactical military performance on the other. This again leads to a strong difference of opinion between the political-strategic and the military-tactical level. The absence of national coherence between the civilian and military side therefore explain some of the difficulties that occur in counterinsurgency operations, where aligning the various political instruments of the state is a prerequisite for success.