# Study:  Targetted Killings in AFG Seem to Work



## The Bread Guy (11 May 2010)

Only the abstract is available for free here, but still interesting - highlights mine:


> This article examines the coercive and deterrent utility of targeting the leaders of violent, non-state organizations with precision force. Building on the literatures on targeted killings and deterrence theory, this article provides a case study analysis of targeted killings in Afghanistan. Relying on publicly available and semi-private sources, *the article presents a comparative analysis of four targeted killings conducted against Taliban leaders. Findings suggest that the eliminations degraded Taliban professionalism, diminished the group's success rates, influenced their selection of targets, and weakened morale. These findings speak to the efficacy of targeted killings in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency and to their value as both counter-capability and counter-motivation operations.*


Keep up the good work!


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## Haggis (11 May 2010)

I wonder how much was paid to study this and "determine" something that the SF community and Mafia have known for decades?


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## vonGarvin (11 May 2010)

Haggis said:
			
		

> I wonder how much was paid to study this and "determine" something that the SF community have known for decades  and Mafia have known for centuries?


There, fixed it for you.  ;D


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## The Bread Guy (11 May 2010)

Sometimes, ya need the "official" paperwork to prove common sense to decision makers.

Also, to be fair, if the paper found that, say, successful IED strikes increased after such "organizational beheadings", it would cause more questions to be asked, no?


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## a_majoor (11 May 2010)

Finding and killing the enemy leaders has been a factor in war for a long time (Epaninondas was killed during the Battle of Mantinea in 362 B.C, which effectively curbed the power of Thebes, and contingents of Mycenean and Trojan warriors broke with the death of their leaders in the Iliad), so this is really nothing new.

What should be tracked is how well and how quickly the irregular forces can regenerate and recover from these losses. A professional military has a succession plan and a large pool of talent to draw from (although there are many factors which can affect that in a negative way as well), while an irregular force is much more limited in that regard.


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## Greymatters (12 May 2010)

Haggis said:
			
		

> I wonder how much was paid to study this and "determine" something that the SF community and Mafia have known for decades?



Well, everybody knows nothing is regarded as 'true' unless youve got a scientific study to back it up - oh, guess we need a study on that now to see if thats true too...


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