What an Effective Guerrilla Does and Doesn't Do

This is just a small sampling of what makes a guerrilla effective:

* He does not stand up to a frontal assault by a well-equipped enemy army. Unless he has effective anti-tank weapons he does not stand face-to-face in front of enemy tanks.

* He is never easily identifiable; he looks just like the rest of the population. This means that the guerrilla never wears uniforms, insignia or has any distinguishing features such as a beard.

* The guerrilla always takes the initiative, he selects the time and place for his attack; he doesn't just react. When the enemy attacks, the guerrilla melts away in the population. This is not cowardice, since the guerrilla doesn't have comparable weapons to the enemy.

* The guerrilla is never caught in the open when the enemy attacks. This means that when the enemy has stationed its special forces on roof tops, it is suicidal for the guerrilla to be running in streets and alleys trying to confront the enemy.

* The guerrilla's strength is in being dispersed among the population. Therefore, large groups of guerrillas should never be found together, since they could easily be spotted and destroyed.

* The entire population acts as eyes and ears for the guerrilla. This means that the guerrilla is never surprised by an enemy attack. Early indications of an imminent attack are spotted and relayed to the guerrilla. This also means that the entire population is on the lookout for any disguised enemy infiltrators.

* When the enemy hits at point A the guerrilla finds the enemy's weak points and attacks at point B, such as behind the enemy lines or while the enemy is retreating.

* The guerrilla's arms are well-hidden and dispersed. This makes it hard for the enemy to find and to destroy large weapons cashes.