A Tough Apprenticeship: Sri Lanka's Military Against the Tamil Militants 1979 - 1987The Sri Lankan security forces that defeated the Liberation Tugers of Tamil Ealam in May 2009 evolved with that military conflict. Beginning as little more than a ceremonial establishment of a few thousand men, they matured during the sourse of the conflict into large, effective fighting forces that were eventually capable of completely defeating one of the most dangerous guerrilla organisations in the world. Using a wide range of sources