Maritime Interdiction in Counterinsurgency: The Role of the Sri Lankan Navy in the Defeat of the Tamil Tigers

In the last several years, the United States has made a significant effort to improve its ability to conduct counterinsurgency operations in land-locked Afghanistan and primarily land operations in Iraq. However, a large number of countries fighting insurgencies today have large maritime borders. This thesis will demonstrate how maritime interdiction can effectively contribute to counterinsurgency operations. Sri Lanka provides a unique perspective on how to defeat an insurgency. Through decades of trial and error, Sri Lanka’s final attempt to defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) took less than three years. Several elements were core to the defeat of the LTTE. First, the Sri Lankan government showed the political will needed to use military force to defeat the LTTE. Second, the Sri Lankan Navy played a critical role in countering the LTTE’s arms smuggling, maritime terrorism, and piracy operations. Third, support from the international community allowed Sri Lanka to handle its domestic “terrorism” problems without outside intervention. Finally, the Sri Lankan Army employed an effective military offensive to destroy the insurgent forces. Sri Lanka’s successful counterinsurgency reinforces the importance of prioritizing logistics and stands as a test case to calibrate U.S. assistance in future counterinsurgencies.