Books : IN THE SERVICE OF THE SULTAN: A first-hand account of the Dhofar Insurgency
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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 953.53
EAN: 9781844154678
ISBN: 184415467X
Label: Pen and Sword
Manufacturer: Pen and Sword
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 208
Publication Date: 2007-01
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Sales Rank: 766883
Studio: Pen and Sword
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While the Americans were fighting in Vietnam, a struggle of even greater strategic significance was taking place in the Middle East: the Sultanate of Oman guards the entrance to the Arabian Gulf, and thus controls the movement of oil from that region. In the 1960s and 70s, the Communists tried to seize this artery and, had they succeeded, the consequences for the West and for the Middle East would have been disastrous - and yet, few people have ever heard of this geo-political drama at the height of the Cold War.
In the Service of the Sultan tells, first-hand, the largely unknown story of a small number of British officers who led Muslim soldiers in this hard-fought anti-insurgency war which has shaped today's Gulf. After outlining the historical, geographical and political background, the book describes military action in a stark and mountainous environment, including operations with irregular forces and the SAS as well as action in the air and at sea. The book gives a gripping, moving, funny account of all these and paints a powerful and illuminating picture of the realities of war.
It will appeal to all who are interested in the Cold War and relationships between the Western and the Arab worlds. Politics, history, irregular warfare, religion, international affairs: all are ingredients in this absorbing, informative read. In the light of the current insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is also timely to be reminded how a rare victory was won over Communist guerrillas.
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A well written book by Ian Gardiner about a little known, and barely studied example of a successful counter-insurgency campaign against communist insurgents in the Dhofar region of Oman in the 1970s. Gardiner shares his first-hand accounts of what he experienced working with the Omani government, with the Dhofari people and the fighting against the communist insurgents in some of the most inhospitible terrain on the planet. From blistering heat, to monsoon-like rains, the British, Omanis and other forces fought against a communist-lead insurgency. Working both politically and militarily against the insurgents, the Dhofar campaign is a study in how to conduct a successful COIN effort.
Gardiner's writing is both descriptive and easy to read. His writing style keeps the reader captivated, easily bringing you through his accounts of the insurgency and the efforts against it. Although you cannot lay the template for success directly over current counterinsurgency operations but the lessons learned, the political/military approaches and the timeless lessons of working with the host nation (Oman) remain valuable for today's fight.
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