And it's probably hard when you actually know you have to die to save the entire world and the people you're meant to die for are being short-sighted and bickering with each other even though Armageddon is very close.

The main way to use calvalry against Aiel would be with the infantry charge with flanking maneuvers by the Calvalry to hit just before infantry closed into each other for max effectiveness

That's similar to Mat's first battle with the "Band." The Aiel aren't an all-powerful force. They can/have been defeated before.

As for their height, I attribute it to the "inbreeding" of the clans. Their ancestors were the same size they were so over a period of 3,000 years, the strong, large athletic people (the Aiel) were having children with similar people, so obviously they'd remain like they were in the AoL.

As for Gaul, I do think he is one of the more exceptional fighters of the Aiel. Also, he is being groomed towards becoming a clan chief and if you recall the current chief's prowess in battle, you will understand why. I'm hazy on the chapter where Perrin freed Gaul but did the actual chapter say Gaul fought with his fists? If so, then I doubt the Whitecloaks were all killed. It's not a suspension of belief to believe that two very agile, exceptional warriors could defeat 10 cavalrymen on foot(the Whitecloaks are an all cavalry force) weighed down by armor.

As for how the Aiel Waste can provide enough nourishment to arm hundreds of thousands of people and provide food for the entire Aiel Nation, you must remember that they have lived there for nearly 3,000 years so they have developed ways. I remember one Aielman (possibly Aviendha) said that they are not nearly as wasteful as wetlanders. They find uses for everything. Also except for the past 20 years they traded consistently with the Cairhienin and still trade with the Sharans which explains how they get the iron for weapons. I'm pretty sure there are also mines in the Aiel according to Aviendha. I'll try to find the passage.

You must remember that the Aiel's clothes are created to give them absoulute mobility which augments their natural athletic build and ability to run long distances. Their cadinsor also camouflages very well which is a prime advantage in warfare.

You keep saying, Militades, that their weaponry and clothing is infrear and are pajama clothes." One example I previously gave was the Zulus who the Aiel are partially based on. They defeated the British Empire wearing only "loincloths" for lack of a better word and wielding large shields and spears while the British had rifles. They used the same tactics as the Aiel. That is engaging from the front while sending large groups to attack the flanks. Very effective and deadly which is why both the Zulus and the Aiel were victorious. Also, interesting is that the Aiel could in fact run as fast and as far as the Zulus.

However, an example that fits better into the context of the Aiel defeating the Wetlanders during the Aiel War, is that of Khalid ibn Walid. He was one of the greatest military commanders of all time. One of Muhammad's (the creator of the religion of Islam) close friends and his personal general, he defeated two of the most powerful military forces, that of the Persian Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire. His armies consisted of nothing more than the desert nomads that inhabited the Saudi Arabia peninsula. He was never defeated yet in every battle he was always outnumbered. It proves that even with "poor clothing" and "inferior weapons," great generalship, mobility, and hardy, courageous warriors can win battles. There are countless more examples.

Once again, cavalry is not the end all of warfare. The Aiel can run as fast as horses and eventually farther. That pretty much erases the need for cavalry and makes them more deadly due to the fact that a group of pikemen can defeat a cavalry charge while the same group would be eviscerated by charging Aiel since pikes are not effective up close. That is part of the reason they won. Their tactics and methodology were not the same as the Westlanders were used to. Also, as I pointed out. The majority of troops especially the infantry in the Aiel War were conscripts which is in stark contrast to the Aiel Warriors.

The Aiel are far from unsophisticated nor are their weapons poor. As I mentioned earlier, their tactics ar every nearly hard to beat and their weapons fit directly in with that. Arthur Hawkwing, perhaps the greaatest genral of all time was defeated by them as were the Trollocs in the Trolloc Wars.

The Westlands were not ready for an invasion as Matsluck pointed out, that factored in with the fact that none except for the Shienarans had ever fought let alone seen the Aiel helped in the devastation that was the Aiel War.

Also, prior to the advent of the Dragon Reborn, nations of the "wetlands" did not have standing armies other than the Borderlanders and those were used against the Shadow. The majority of the troops in the Aiel War were retainers of nobles, levies and militia so they were very inferior to the Aiel who were warriors from birth.

As for guerilla warfare, Wikipedia says that "guerrilla warfare is the unconventional warfare and combat in which a small group of combatants use mobile tactics (ambushes, raids, etc.) to combat a larger and less mobile formal army. The guerrilla army uses ambush (stealth and surprise) and mobility (draw enemy forces to terrain unsuited to them) in attacking vulnerable targets in enemy territory." By that definition, warfare of that type can be offensive or defensive. However, in most cases it is defensive though. I would agree that Mat and Ituralde were undergoing temporary hit and run (guerilla) campaigns as part of a larger plan which, in both cases, they succeeded.

You're not racist. You just don't like the Aiel.

However, I'll try to answer your questions one by one.

What would be the Aiel's answer to archers? Since they only carry small hide bucklers and wear pajamas into battle. I don't care how skilled a warrior you are, I don't care how young you were when you learned to fight and I don't care how arid and inhospitable your homeland is, if you get shot at under those circumstances you are going to die.

On the topic of archers, Aiel have bows of their own. They can and are able to return volleys of arrows. Also, one of the keys to the Aiel's success is their strategy. They like to engage from the front while also sending large forces to attack the flanks and rear, the places where archers normally are placed. Also, you must remember that prior to Mat Cauthon and the Band of the Red Hand, bowmen were only about 20% of infantry so they had little impact. Finally, no nation utilizes the longbow. That means that their range is not as far and the Aiel are very fast runners if you remember.

Not fielding cavalry is another massive disadvantage, that is an entire arm of your military that you just don't have. You only have to look at our history to see that no matter how good your infantry is, you'll get your ass handed to you if your enemy fields cavalry and you don't. How would the Aiel deal with armoured knights? They seem to use their spears to fight individually and not in any sort of formation (another terrible idea) so they'd be mowed down by a charge from, let's say, some Shienaran heavy cavalry.

Cavalry is not the end all of ancient/medieval warfare. At the Battle of Crecy and following battles of the Hundred Years War, the French cavalry was annihilated due to superb tactics by the English and the use of longbows. That war signified the end of the end of the Golden age of cavalry and chivalry. The Shienarans are the only nation that utilizes heavy cavalry and battle between them and the Aiel is not regular. I'm not completely sure how the Aiel deal with heavy cavalry, but I can research how similar warriors faught. However, they seem to be very effective because of how the Shaido defeated a cavalry force early in Mat's first battle as commander of the Band before a rear charge. Also, the Aiel have the ability to pepper cavalry before they close with their bows and short spears.

If you want to see how a force similar to the Aiel fare look at the Zulus. The Aiel are essentially based on them and they were possibly one of the most courageous, deadly force that ever lived. They defeated the post powerful nation/empire at the time (Great Britain) while they were only armed with assegais (spears similar to the Aiel's) and large bucklers for lack of a better word. The British had rifles yet Shaka Zulu was able to defeat them multiple times. In history, it is often seen that surperb tactics and brave hearts can win nearly battle solely.

Finally, the Aiel are the most physically imposing people in Randland. Warfare is one of the few constants in their lives and the Aiel Waste is not soft. As Aviendha said, "The soft die here." Nearly anything there can kill you and that made the Aiel into a group of very lethal warriors. It's quite ironic to see how they changed from their peaceful origins to this as many of the Forsaken observe.