ARmy Rumour SErvice

**tjposhea** · 03-08-2012, 20:54

Hi everyone I am a university student who is going to undertake my dissertation with the hope of joining the Army after attaining my degree. My dissertation subject is centred around counterinsurgency and I hope to focus on why the west/major nations fail to succeed in thes conflicts. I am looking to make the question more concise and focus on pseudo ops.

With Rhodesia being the archetypal example of pseudo ops I thought I would ask if anyone could reccomend texts to help me or if anyone on the forum actually took part in the Rhodesian bush war or the conflicts that south Africa and the old Portuguese colonies were involved in. I am lucky that my girlfriend is south African and her mum Rhodesian. Her uncle worked in special branch and worked closely with the selous scouts, he managed to overcome bad lung problems when he was a child to go and work in the bush for weeks on ends with some of those turned. Their family were also neighbours with Ian smith.

Any help would be very grateful, also if anyone has any books they are willing to sell I would be interested. I have bought the Barbara cole book on the sas and the selous scout top secret war at great expense, so if you have any available for a reasonable price I would be more than happy to buy them.

Ps, wrote this on my phone so I apologise for some of the awful grammar.

**Camberwell_Carrot_** · 03-08-2012, 21:02

Originally Posted by tjposhea

Ps, wrote this on my phone so I apologise for some of the awful grammar.

I have the same problem when I talk on the phone.

**Schaden** · 03-08-2012, 21:17

Read Only my friends call me Crouks by Dennis Croukamp - he was probably the most experienced Selous Scout operator who wrote about the war - also Fireforce by Chris Cocks as well as Out of Action also by Cocks - it wasn't all beer and sunshine.

All on Kindle or on Amazon

**Poppy** · 03-08-2012, 21:43

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadows-Forg...4026510&sr=1-4

new book by Paul French out later this year

**DB216LOKDVR** · 03-08-2012, 21:49

There is a Rhodesian Museum (RLI) in Bedford, lots of useful info covering the period 1965 to 1980.

Well worth a visit.

**Donny** · 03-08-2012, 21:56

In more than 30 years in the Army I can't remember hearing the term 'pseudo ops'. Wiki tells me it can mean use of a false flag - is that what you mean? If so then something like deception operations might be a better term. Seems a strange choice of dissertation subject given all the other options.

I'd be wary of citing your girlfriend or her mum as authorities because they come from Southern Africa - it doesn't really have an academic ring about it!

**tjposhea** · 03-08-2012, 22:55

Thank you all for you replies, it looks like some good texts are available and if time permits a visit to Bedford will have to be arranged.

@Donny
I can firstly assure you my girlfriend and her mum wont find themselves in my bibliography, although if i could go to south africa her uncle would be amongst the many sources I intend to accumulate.
False flag is another term for pseudo ops, 14 intelligence unit had a similar role in northern ireland. Essentially captured enemy fighters are turned, this being down to financial incentive or a loss in faith with the organization they fight for. They are then sent back out to their former comrades with handlers and gather intelligence and sew false information. In rhodesia pseudo ops accounted for roughly 70% of enemy kills. Like Algeria it was international pressure which led to defeat, even though the insurgent was defeated militarily. If Afghanistan had a stronger police force pseudo ops could be a real possibility. Most counterinsurgency operations that have been won by the west/major powers have involved pseudo ops, in most cases being the key to the victory over the aggressor.

Explanation of pseudo ops:

http://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent...00&context=act

An explanation of its use in Rhodesia:

Securing and Holding Rural Territory | Small Wars Journal

And its possible use in Afghanistan:

The Use of Pseudo-Operations in the AFPAK Theater | Small Wars Journal

**BuggerAll** · 03-08-2012, 23:39

I haven't come across the term 'psuedo-ops' before. A quick google suggested its what I would have called ops under a false flag. Is it a common term or was it specific to the Rhodesian insurgency?

Edited to add: Donny I wrote this just after the OP posted. I was called away to answer the phone before I posted. I then settled down to watch some Olympics. Came into switch the 'puter off. Found my unposted post and pressed 'send'.

Great minds often think alike and all that.