The Counterinsurgency Challenge A Parable of Leadership and Decision Making in Modern Conflict

Instruction on the best ways to command a counterinsurgency operation, presented in the form of a parable in which a fictional commander participates in virtual reality simulations of various fictional combat situations that include elements of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan Explores the likely consequences of a range of command decisions based on lessons learned in current wars Emphasizes the need for a new approach to counterinsurgency operations, one not based on the standards of conventional warfare

Christopher Kolenda is a graduate of West Point, a former West Point instructor, and a retired Army officer. Gen. Stanley A. McChristal is a retired four-star general and the former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.