Page 47 - Counter Insurgancy

the Country Team in the normal manner. This is a low cost, low profile, small
footprint approach which is appropriate early in the development of an insur-
gency, or as a short term surge at other stages in a campaign. It is sustainable
over very long periods due to its low cost. It may also be the chosen approach
in situations when U.S. intervention would be extremely politically sensitive.

• Single Expert Advisor: The single expert advisor approach involves the
seconding of one advisor, who may be either a civilian or a military officer,
directly onto the staff of the affected government. The advisor should be placed,
in close consultation with the affected government, in a position to advise, train
and assist its elected leaders and officials in dealing with the insurgency. He
or she assesses the situation, develops plans and capabilities in support of the
affected government, and advises on the placement and tasking of additional
U.S. assets if deployed. They will usually maintain a close relationship with
the U.S. Ambassador and Country Team and may be supported by an embassy
augmentation team or by specialist capabilities that can be called forward as
needed. In order to achieve the necessary influence, the advisor must have
appropriate rank, status and freedom of action as well as a diplomatic approach
to his or her work. The advisor should take a low key, backstage role and
support the affected government as its leads the COIN effort, and avoid even
the appearance of taking on the lead. This approach is relatively low profile,
low cost and sustainable yet it has historically been extremely effective. It is
most successful when the selected advisor possesses cultural and language
skills appropriate to the affected nation, is paired with an effective indigenous
leadership team, and deploys for a long duration.

• Civil-Military Assistance: The civil-military assistance approach involves
the deployment of a specialist team, potentially operating as a Joint Inter-
agency Task Force (JIATF), to work with civilian and military agencies of
the affected government. Team members or detachments may be embedded in
key positions in the affected government to provide support, advice, techni-
cal assistance, education and training. Team members do not normally engage
in direct activity against the insurgency. Through the civil-military assistance
program they may help develop an Internal Defense and Development (IDAD)
strategy in consultation with the affected government, and become a conduit
for international community assistance. The team operates as a separate entity
from the U.S. Mission, but normally works under Chief of Mission authority.
If a military Joint Task Force is deployed, or if the security threat is especially
high, the team may operate under military authority (as Provincial Reconstruc-
tion Teams do in Afghanistan). However, unlike Foreign Internal Defense, it
remains civilian-led and military-supported. This approach is relatively low-
cost and sustainable over the long term, but has a higher profile than the two
previous methods discussed above. The size of the civil-military assistance
team should be kept as small as possible, and the duration of deployment rota-
tions as long as possible, to increase its cost-effectiveness.

42 U.S. GOVERNMENT COUNTERINSURGENCY GUIDE • JANUARY 2009