frostfire
04-16-2015, 18:51
http://thediplomat.com/2015/04/how-sri-lanka-won-the-war/
There is a lot of apples and oranges in superimposing the same strategy to Iraq and/or Afghanistan, but still, it merits consideration.
Some interesting stuff in there.
I never knew about the LTTE blockade running fleet.
I was of the understanding that Sri Lanka's strategy was simply not possible without Chinese economic aid as well as Chinese top cover at the UN.
From what I recall at the time and after(including commentary from a person who was on the ground), was a scenario of Total War.
Which included substantial allegations of war crimes, up through and including executing the very young captured son of the LTTE leader to disrupt continuity
I wonder if it's worth looking at the LTTE's failures.
I always had the sense that the LTTE let themselves down when they WENT and STAYED conventional as the conflict matured, when they may have been better off returning to the unconventional.
The LTTE seemed more focused on the future(conventional org/doctrine) than their origin(UW).