STORY: MICHAŁ PIEKARSKIPHOTOS: MARCIN OGDOWSKI
tergate scandal among others, resignation of Nixon and
resulting strong opposition in Congress, the US military
power could not be used in situations when they would
be most effective. In the early 1970's North Vietnam Army
was not a guerilla force like VietCong before the Tet Of-
fensive. It was a conventional fighting force, with tanks,
APCs, artillery and motorised transport vulnerable to air
attacks.
And this is the reason why most of the world's armies
had problems with guerillas. Dispersed not only in com-
plex terrain - jungles, forests, mountains but also among
the local population. No radar could track guerrillas
AFGHANISTAN
among seemingly innocent villagers and no satellites
could help in finding trucks loaded with IED among many
others in urban traffic. Counter insurgency operations re-
quired not only different sensors and intelligence gather-
ing methods but a strong emphasis on HUMINT, in order
to simply understand the social and political situation in
the area.
Same issue applies to use of force. Armoured division
can be engaged in multiple ways. Command posts may
be attacked by artillery and air assets. Communications
can be jammed. Fuel supply can be cut by attacking sup-
ply lines. And finally tanks can be destroyed using guided
5
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ANALYSIS
