Insisting on victory

Abstract

In a COIN campaign, using the term victory, a military defeat of the enemy –in its classical definition– is highly problematic. A review of the Turkey-PKK conflict reveals that after Turkey’s pursuit of a unilateral military victory, the PKK pursued a broader socio-political campaign by relying on asymmetric warfare and indirectness in combat. Military victory did not successfully end the conflict; it only changed its nature. Therefore, we suggest that success is a better concept to assess states’ counterinsurgency campaigns. It focuses on political solutions and shifts perception from one-sided victory to a favorable outcome for all parties involved. Lastly, referring to the completed phases as a success offers better accuracy because the outcome in COIN is not merely a victory or a defeat.