Positions at a glance
Supporters
Counterinsurgency (often abbreviated COIN) refers to the integrated set of activities a state—or a coalition supporting a state—uses to defeat armed groups that seek to overthrow, secede from, or coerce a recognized government. Unlike conventional warfare, which targets uniformed enemy forces, counterinsurgency operates in a contested political environment where the loyalty of the civilian population is the central prize.
Opponents
Critics argue COIN is resource-intensive, slow, and historically inconclusive. The withdrawals from Iraq (2011) and Afghanistan (2021) prompted renewed debate over whether large-scale population-centric campaigns are sustainable, and many Western militaries have since shifted emphasis back toward "great power competition." Counterinsurgency remains relevant, however, in ongoing conflicts involving groups such as the Taliban, al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, and various ISIS affiliates, and in domestic campaigns by states including Colombia, the Philippines, and India.
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During the 2007 Iraq "surge," U.S. forces under General David Petraeus applied population-centric counterinsurgency doctrine in Baghdad and Anbar Province, partnering with local Sunni "Awakening" militias against al-Qaeda in Iraq.
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