The US Army chaplain assistant, military occupation (MOS) 56M, is a specially trained Soldier qualified to assist military chaplains in religious affairs. Religious affairs (JP 1-05, 2013) consist of...
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The US Army chaplain assistant, military occupation (MOS) 56M, is a specially trained Soldier qualified to assist military chaplains in religious affairs. Religious affairs (JP 1-05, 2013) consist of...
I was looking over this old (and very stimulating) discussion tonight and saw where I referred to an FOUO document that I had downgraded to unclassified back in 2009, but I don't think I ever linked...
David, I read that interview last night and was impressed by the intimations that there might actually be a SOFA and a continued international presence in Afghanistan. Not sure how much of a power...
If we calculate that the Taliban are fostering an information environment that forces Afghan politicians to draw from the Iraq playbook (talk tough against the US-led Coalition to bolster your own...
The Taliban are hammering away at the theme of a SOFA agreement being anti-Islam, against Sharia, against Islamic tradition, and unjust towards Afghans.
While many see through their rhetoric, the...
The "zero option" alluded to in that article is what concerns me. We are running out of geopolitical capital to squander on hasty exits.
http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/get-the-sofa-or-get-out-afghanistan-7968
I am in Kandahar and wondering how the Small Wars Council sees this playing out.
The Taliban's Voice of Jihad...
Islam is a civilization, a total expression of life - religious, social, political, artistic, psychological, existential. The idea of conducting COIN Ops "around" the mosque instead of aiming...
Carl, that dynamic is at work now, however hampered by two massive obstacles: lack of mass communication apparatus and 80% illiteracy rate here.
Our operators have to adjust to IO in a theater...
Well, it may not be as the Taliban (very credibly) framed the story. This incident is not isolated. Support for the Taliban by the population is very, very low. It reminds me of the way AQ was...
On the occasion of the end of Ramadan (known as Ramazan here in Afghanistan), Mullah Omar, self-proclaimed leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan released a seven page mini-festo which neatly...
I was assigned to TRADOC/CAC when called by MNF-I to the contingency work group on religious leader engagements in the ITO in 2008 (earlier in this thread).
My work A Short History of Religious...
As a practicing and believing Catholic, you must know I reject this Geertzism. Dogmas are for the faithful Catholic, the immutable and incontrovertible Universal Truths, whether accepted outside...
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y44/32582ndABN/Slide2.jpg
This graphic depicts the ways the knowledge of religious objectives can be applied to counterinsurgency operations. This method gives...
Peter, perhaps these cartoons would explain what I think about your question. I hope you also had a chance to look over the PDF I sent you a link to in a PM.
...
I think we are in violent agreement here, Dr. Marc.
A short vignette. While assigned to the US Army Combined Arms Center (CAC), one of my duties was to provide enlisted advice to the CAC...
Geertz's definition of religion is nakedly Modernist as his verbs render: "establish", "formulating", "clothing." This definition precludes the possibility of revealed religion, that is, truth...
ptamas:
Without insulting you with an anthropology lesson, man is inherently religious whether his religion is Wahabbist Islam or secular liberalism.
Any regime change operation which fails in...
Oh, things are wonderful in Korea. I fully expect the regime to collapse very, very soon.
The Ceaucescu moment could be closer than it seems.
Angry citizens burned piles of old bills at two...
Were you able to open it?
Let me know - OK?
jp
Its been a while since this thread was active, but since then I was asked to compile a Short History of Religious Leader Engagements in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The FOUO version is here (AKO/DKO...
This link (PDF) CAC Card Access Only takes you to a penetrating commentary by LtCol Asad Khan, USMC(Ret) whose insights about counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan deserve to be read by anyone...
The reason I advocate more IBCTs is that they are cheaper than HBCTs/SBCTs and are highly effective in the type of warfare that the SECDEF refers to in the above quoted speech at the NDU.
The...
The degree and speed of change required is at an unprecedented level - regardless of the substandard deliverables. Maybe we can all agree on that.
I also stand by the need for 12-20 more Infantry...
Well said, Entropy. Great points! While our military is at war, our country is at the mall. Also, excellent point linking development with political support.