FOREIGN INTERNAL DEFENSE
Read more about Counterinsurgency here.
1787 supports the current United States guidelines for Foreign Internal Defense.
Foreign Internal Defense is the "participation by civilian agencies and military forces of a government or international organizations in any of the programs and activities undertaken by a host nation government to free and protect its society from subversion, lawlessness, insurgency, terrorism, and other threats to its security."
* The text below is taken directly from Joint Publication 3-22, Foreign Internal Defense. Read the entire report here.
WHAT IS FOREIGN INTERNAL DEFENSE (FID)?
Foreign Internal Defense (FID) is the participation by civilian agencies and military forces of a government or international organization in any of the programs or activities taken by a host nation government to free and protect its society from subversion, lawlessness, insurgency, violent extremism, terrorism, and other threats to its security. The United States Government applies FID programs or operations within a whole-of-government approach to enhance a host nation internal defense and development program by specifically focusing on an anticipated, growing, or existing internal threat. A FID program would typically be supported by the Department of Defense through routine security cooperation activities as part of the geographic combatant commander’s theater campaign plan. FID may be planned and implemented as a program, an operation, or both. FID programs primarily entail security cooperation activities (programs and authorities) integrated with interagency activities, as required, and under the coordinating authority of the U.S. embassy country team as approved by the chief of mission. A joint force commander typically commands the FID operation, which may involve indirect support (training host nation security forces), direct support (e.g., intelligence cooperation, logistic support, and civil-military operations [CMO]), and FID U.S. combat operations, all in unified action with interagency and multinational partners as required.
A host nation internal defense and development program encompasses the full range of measures taken by a nation to promote its growth and protect itself from subversion, sabotage, lawlessness, insurgency, terrorism, violent extremism, and other threats to its security. Internal defense and development programs focus on both internal security and building viable civic, social, and economic institutions that respond to the needs of the host nation populace. Based on U.S. national security strategy, interests, and risk evaluation, a United States Government assessment can inform a policy decision to provide U.S. foreign assistance to that Internal Defense and Developments program. U.S. involvement may vary from simple military engagement and routine security cooperation activities within a FID program up to a complex FID operation. A FID program can also support other activities like counterterrorism, counterdrug, countering some other large or trans-regional extremist movement or criminal enterprise rather than counterinsurgency, or countering threat networks.
One of the characteristics of FID is that it involves all the instruments of national power (diplomatic, informational, military, and economic).
FOREIGN INTERNAL DEFENSE CATEGORIES
Indirect support focuses on building strong national infrastructures through economic and military capabilities that contribute to self-sufficiency, typically through security cooperation activities.
Direct Support (Not Involving U.S. Combat Operations). These operations involve the use of U.S. forces to provide direct assistance to the host nation civilian populace or military. Direct support operations are normally conducted when the host nation has not attained self-sufficiency and is faced with social, economic, or military threats beyond its capability to handle.
U.S. Combat Operations. The introduction of U.S. combat forces during FID requires a Presidential decision and serves only as a temporary solution until host nation forces are capable of conducting independent combat operations. Based on the assessment of the threat, the United States-host nation combat operations will likely take the form of one or more of either counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, counterdrug, or stabilization.
Evidence:
United States. Department of Defense. "DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms." November 2018
United States. "Foreign Internal Defense." Joint Publication 3-22. 17 Aug 2018