working with interpreters

I'm not sure if someone posted it earlier, but this video very nicely highlights the critical role (and potential problems) of local interpreters in COIN operations.

Afghanistan: Lost in translation The Guardian, Thursday June 12 2008.

Quote:

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When the US 173rd Airborne's Charlie Company try to speak to a Pashtun elder, the gulf is so great even the interpreters have given up interpreting. John D McHugh reports

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As you'll see from the video, unreliable interpretation causes the US team to miss valuable intelligence, lose their temper at a possibly cooperative village elder, and probably alienate the village in the process--while having many of their preconceived notions "confirmed."

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rex Brynen

As you'll see from the video, unreliable interpretation causes the US team to miss valuable intelligence, lose their temper at a possibly cooperative village elder, and possibly alienate the village in the process--while having many of their preconceived notions "confirmed."

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Hey Rex,
Great points ! I need not imagine the same information being turned into intelligence reporting and forwarded to D.C. and NATO. :rolleyes: