Libyan rebels will soon be bolstered by the efforts of some 30 to 40 military advisors from Britain, France, and Italy. Critics argue that such a small force can hardly turn the tide of a conflict that seems to be running against the NATO-backed rebels, but in the past such advisory missions have often served as significant force multipliers.But there may be more to these advisors than meets the eye/.../“The number of advisors need not be large at all depending on the objectives to be achieved,” said Dakota Wood, a retired lieutenant colonel in the US Marine Corps and senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, in an interview with Bellum. He cited the exploits of Lawrence of Arabia during World War I, various CIA efforts during the Cold War, and most recently US support to the Northern Alliance just after the September 11th attacks. Even in small numbers, Mr. Wood explained, advisors “can have a disproportionate impact on the effectiveness of such a group.” They will provide a key link between the rebels and the capabilities of the NATO coalition — reconnaissance, intelligence and so forth — and, in reverse, provide the Western allies with “real-time intelligence of actual conditions” within the rebel movement. Further, the Libyan rebels have virtually zero experience, are poorly organized, lack discipline, and have proven unable to coordinate their actions in any meaningful, sustained manner. Mr. Wood argued that the advisory mission would present the rebels with an opportunity “to better organize their fight.” Politically, it also gives the nations involved a way to demonstrate their commitment without deploying ground troops.
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