Iraq and the Region Since the War of 2003

A ‘Model Campaign’ Reappraised: The Counter-Insurgency War in Dhofar, Oman, 1965–1975

“…Friendly neighbouring governments who provide diplomatic backing, financial assistance and secure borders are vital assets for states beleaguered by insurgency, and the difficulties that the post-Baathist Iraqi governments have had in establishing their credibility in the Arab world demonstrate that regional support is an important asset in COIN. 76 Third, the government's task of separating the guerrillas from the populace becomes easier if the former antagonises potential supporters by adopting an unpopular ideology or by practising brutal tactics. Cleavages between the insurgents and the populace -and indeed within the insurgency itself -can be exploited by the government side, as shown with the firqat and SEP programmes in Oman.…”