Which of the following is a component of the insurgency's mass base?

The concept of the insurgency's mass base is central to understanding how insurgent movements operate and sustain themselves. Local support is a vital component of this base because it directly influences the insurgency's ability to recruit fighters, gather intelligence, secure resources, and maintain popular legitimacy. When an insurgent group has strong local support, it can thrive in a community that helps protect its members and provide crucial information regarding enemy movements and potential vulnerabilities.

Local support also fosters an environment in which the insurgency can conduct operations without significant interference. This support can include ideological alignment, shared grievances against the government or occupying forces, and tangible assistance such as shelter, food, and logistical help. It represents the grassroots level of an insurgency's functioning, emphasizing the importance of community involvement in the movement's success.

Other options, while important in their own right, do not constitute the mass base of an insurgency in the same way local support does. Leaders and operational intelligence are significant for strategy and decision-making but do not directly correlate to the broad public involvement that local support embodies. Technical resources are crucial for operational effectiveness but are not necessarily indicative of the mass base without the backing of the local population.