Avatar and COIN
James Cameron imagines a world where, despite technological gains, man has learned little about how to execute successful counter-insurgency (COIN) operations.
Spoilers ahead!!!
On Tatooine, the military and civilian leadership lives on fortified bases completely isolated from the Wookies. (I’m just going to use Star Wars terminology because I don’t know all the names of the places and people from the movie. It should be pretty easy to figure out.)
In one hundred fifty years, have we learned nothing from the French in Algiers, the Russians in Afghanistan, or even more recently the Americans in Iraq. A strategy dependent on big weapons being fired from far away is bound to only drive more fighters to the insurgents’ side. Moreover, Death Star culture only reinforces counterproductive beliefs and attitudes.
Maybe Darth Vader should have spent more time reading Clausewitz and less time playing with his light saber.
Because of mistakes made by leadership, Luke Skywalker has an easy time rallying the locals to unite against the aggressors. Unlike Baghdad, the appears to be absolutely no sectarian infighting between different Wookie tribes.
The rest is history. Luke and Princess Leia mate for life. The Wookies escort the Vader’s off the planet. And the force remains undisturbed.
