Product Description

Militant Tricks gauges America's progress in Iraq and Afghanistan from a unique standpoint (that of East-Asian battlefield deception). As both countries were part of the Mongol Empire for over 200 years, they are a breeding ground for every sort of ancient Chinese trick (any one of the famous 36 Stratagems.) In combination, those stratagems can make a losing adversary think he is winning. They have done so to America before. To see past the militant Muslim's false face, one must look for the hidden intent behind his every initiative, whether martial or otherwise. Between September 2004 and September 2005, this book does just that for both theaters of war. For some readers, it will serve as an intelligence source and be read a few paragraphs at a time. For others, it will provide an in-depth solution to the enemy's so-far-successful formula and be read cover to cover. Militant Tricks reveals information about the enemy active-duty Americans seldom see--that which is contained in the regional media and literature. When properly interpreted by a student of Eastern tactics and mindset (the author), that information may shed enough light on ongoing events for America to still win both wars.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #28171 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-17
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 1.30 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 412 pages

Review
"[John] Poole . . . is America's best writer on small unit tactics and techniques. . . . If the people at the top will give John Poole's work the attention it is rightly receiving at the battalion level and below, we would have a better chance of winning [wars] (United Press International, 19 November 2005)." --United Press International, 19 November 2005

"Poole's book examines war at the tactical level, the level of small units and individuals, and tries to explain the insurgents' way of thinking and fighting (North County Times [San Diego], 31 December 2005)." --North County Times (San Diego), 31 December 2005

"[R]ead two excellent and relevant books by retired Marine H. John Poole. 'Tactics of the Crescent Moon' and 'Militant Tricks' would give all soldiers the knowledge base for defeating this enemy (Stars and Stripes, 9 March 2006)." --Stars and Stripes, 9 March 2006

Gen. Anthony C. Zinni, USMC (Ret.), 14 November 2005
"[N]itty-gritty lessons ... from the complex conflict.... [G]ives our troops a clear understanding of ... the enemy and ... [how] to defeat him."

Leatherneck Magazine, November 2005
"Militant Tricks" is a must-read.... The author continues to produce tactical answers to our ever-growing challenges in 'Fourth-Generation Warfare.'"

Customer Reviews

A Field Guide To 4th Generation Warfare
Would you go hiking without a map? Would you work on your car without a manual? Then why would you even think about going to the Middle East without this book? Poole once again sets the standard in the industry for explaining the tactics, history, and mindset of the Islamic Extremist. From military commander to field grunt to civilian contractor, if you're headed to a desert combat zone do yourself a favor and BUY this book! I also suggest you read this book with a highlighter in hand...but you may just end up highlighting everything. This book undoubtedly has saved lives and will save more in the future!

Al Queda explained
Once again H. John Poole has pulled aside the Middle East veil of mystery to show us how the Muslim militants go about their business. Known as the "War on Terror" aka "4th Generation warfare", radical Muslim militants have worked out the ways to challenge the West collectively, on - and off the battlefield. Thus far, their efforts have cost the U.S.of A., not only lives, but billions of dollars, sowing anxiety and terror. How have they accomplished this with slender resources? Against the most technologically advanced armed forces in the world? Poole tells us how.
The book is divided into three parts:
The initial part updates the reader on the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan to the summer of 2005. How the Muslim militants have survived and continue to succeed against coalition armed forces without tactical victory, hi-tech resources or heavy arms; all the while they suffer heavy casualties and continue to burn through the resources - and resolve of the West - are addressed.
The next part examines, through the lense of ancient oriental texts on the principles of warfare, the stratagems employed by the militants. These are the most illuminating chapters: now the daily events in Iraq and Afghanistan make sense if one understands the militants' operational philosophy. Poole's explanations of tactical actions clarifies how these militants are playing "the Game" against coalition forces. What makes no sense militarily in Western understanding of warfare are perfectly acceptable to furthering these militants' ends.
The final section's chapters provide approaches to dealing with "4th Generation Warfare" situations, which Western military forces are more and more wont to encounter. Many of Poole's recommendations reflect the U.S. Marines' experience with the Combined Action Program (CAP)used in Vietnam during the 1960s. Essentially, special Marine units operated with Vietnamese local forces at the village level to root out and undermine the Viet Cong insurgency. He contrasts this approach to the reliance on hi-tech and heavy fire power, the preferred operational mode of U.S. forces. Further, Poole (pp 278-294) describes the changes in tactical philosophy that must come about if U.S. ground forces are to prevail against their current enemy. This, to my mind, is the best part of the book.
Poole's views on training and tactics in the last chapter, come closer to dealing with military cultural reform than in his previous wotks. While he addresses these subjects in other books, these last pages in MILITANT TRICKS come the furthest to combining these previous discussions into a coherent whole which reflects the grunt's eye-level ground view.
Hopefully, the powers-that-be are reading his works - effecting the necessary changes.

A must read for depolying servicemembers
This book was kindly donated to my unit by the publishers when I was a Company Commander before I deployed. Everyone over here should read it. Regardless of how much money our government spends on high-tech equipment and contracts, until we gain a better understanding of our opponents sociological and theological motivations we will continue to waste a lot of our military resources. LTC Poole's emphasis on taking a humanistic approach and integrating our forces with the locals is sound, provided that the local forces are properly vetted and aren't infiltrated by insurgents.