Tactics of the Crescent Moon shows-in detail-how Muslim militants fight at short range. From all available intelligence, it has extracted small-unit tactical trends. While the enemy's combat methods may seem amateurish, they are quite effective in a 4th-generation-warfare environment. They have already forced the Israeli Army out of Southern Lebanon and the Soviet Army out of Afghanistan. To make matters worse, they may be improving. In the book's foreword, Maj.Gen. Ray L. Smith USMC (Ret.) warns that the current crop of "irregulars have flexible and adaptable training techniques and tactical methods." This book should help U.S. forces to counter those methods.

pt. 1. A heritage of unconventional warfare: Gallipoli's underreported tactics -- Lessons from the Iran-Iraq War -- Israel's expulsion from Southern Lebanon -- pt. 2. Islamic guerrilla tactics: Palestinian fighters -- Chechen rebels -- Afghan Mujahideen -- More recent Afghan resistance -- The Iraqi opposition -- pt. 3. Bringing peace to the region.: How Islamic guerrillas are trained -- The Muslim militants' pattern -- The response must be unconventional -- The tactical part of the equation.