On the social media site formerly known as Twitter, InfantryDort recalls the promotion of “insurgent math” — deterring American troops from killing enemy forces as if they were hydra heads made real:
“Afghanistan 2010 43” by david_axe is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Do you guys remember the “insurgent math” the generals taught us in GWOT? “If you kill an enemy, you’ll make 10 more.” Remember that? Another in a long list of points to make us practice “courageous restraint” and be reluctant to pull the trigger.
What fascinates me is how full of shit they were. Because many of those retired leaders and the politicians they back today advocate for doing the EXACT opposite within the borders of their own country.
They don’t all wish death. Some do. But the same principles apply to lawfare and harassment against people they disagree with.
So why was “insurgent math” created to give compassion to 80IQ Taliban retards but the exact opposite is given to 100IQ+ innocent Americans who are far more dangerous when they get mad enough to band together?
What even is this? Another stunning failure and hypocritical point of the War on Terror and the national lesson over the last 2 decades as a whole.
There is a large number of influential “Americans” who’d rather bow to their enemies and put the boot to their own countrymen.
They fear the wrong people. If they casually mention ruining the lives of innocent people simply because they disagree with them, then they have no fear.
When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty.
America is the greatest result of successfully insurgency in human history. This country literally has insurgency in its blood. That’s how we started. Stunning to believe some think it’s wise to poke that bear.
The stupidity is off the charts. Truly.
Update, 23 October: Welcome, Instapundit readers! Have a look around at some of my other posts you may find of interest. I send out a daily summary of posts here through my Substack – https://substack.com/@nicholasrusson that you can subscribe to if you’d like to be informed of new posts in the future.
[…] A WAY TO LOSE IN STYLE? “Insurgent math”. […]
Pingback by Instapundit » Blog Archive » A WAY TO LOSE IN STYLE? “Insurgent math”. — October 23, 2026 @ 05:00
It would be nice if you had explained what you’re talking about. What politicians are advocating mowing down Americans and for what reason?
Comment by Skyler — October 23, 2026 @ 05:44
The reckoning will come.
Comment by James Hankey — October 23, 2026 @ 05:50
I blame those idiotic NCIS television shows. Damn near every terrorist Bad Guy of the Week in every episode had only been radicalized because the Americans had killed his brother or his cousin or his father or his favorite goat. Meanwhile, everyone is enjoined to keep an eye on those habitually violent Christians and Jews….
Comment by werewife — October 23, 2026 @ 08:09
The same as the “martyr math” raised about televising Nidal Hasan’s execution. “Oh, you’ll make him a martyr, thus encouraging more martyrs!”
To which I say, keep executing those who wish to be a martyr, because they’ve earned it by the acts (criminal or terrorist) they already inflicted on us.
Comment by Forbes — October 23, 2026 @ 14:38