Conducting Counterinsurgency

Reconstruction Task Force 4 (RTF4) deployed to Uruzgan province, central Afghanistan, in 2008 as part of Operation Slipper – Australia’s military contribution to the war in Afghanistan. RTF4’s mission was ‘to help bring stability and security to the Afghan people through projects that support good governance and stable communities’. Their work primarily involved construction, in particular the building of bases for Afghan and Coalition forces, and smaller engineering tasks. Conducting Counterinsurgency uses the personal experiences of officers and soldiers from RTF4 — described in their own words — to illustrate the principles of counterinsurgency operations. The book provides a vivid and personal snapshot of the work of these soldiers, the challenges they faced and their interaction with the local people during their tour of duty. This is a first-hand account of counterinsurgency operations conducted by the contemporary Australian Army in its fight against the Taliban. Conducting Counterinsurgency sheds light on the little-understood operations of the Australian Army in Afghanistan and is a must for military professionals and commentators and those who simply seek a better understanding of modern warfare.