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jcustis:

That's what I found fascinating about Iraq. No shortage of smart, brave people or resources, but. amongst all the competing priorities, and action-oriented campaign plans chock-full of...

Custis:

Your point has a lot of resonance.

First, my understanding is that the first real societal confrontation in the current era occurred when the communist urban government started to tear...

NPR's latest report on State's Inspector General Report:

"When it comes to its counternarcotics efforts in Afghanistan, the State Department's activities, while well-intentioned, leave a lot to be...

The details.

Various reports over the many successive occupations report the population as ranging from about 10,000 in the town to a ghost town. For now, I will assume about 2,000 with, at best,...

As a civilian reconstruction type, I'd be interested, while house-to-houses are going on, in getting as much local population, social and econ information as possible, embedded with questions of: Do...

Cole:

I'll leave Wilf or the great Ken to address military.

First, this seems like a very managable scale for a perfect civilian exercise.

Stabilize the existing population. Bring in...

OK.

Here's a good test.

Press coverage indicates that the battle of Now Zad,second largest town in Helmand is complete and they are just mopping up now.

Clear is done, lots of refugees fled....

Ross:

That's what it looks like to me.

Lot's of money in them there think tanks afterwards, too.

I think I was in the embassy a few times, usually on the way to somewhere that you could...

Mike:

Thanks for the positive.

What I love about your posts is that they always seem to focus on identifying the actual folks involved in deciding what is needed, then engaing them in getting...

Reconstruction Under Fire: Unifying Civil and Military Counterinsurgency
...

I guess I had my fingers crossed that somebody on this Board was going to jump out and, No you are wrong. New things are coming. It will all improve.

I keep scanning for articles, but all I ever...

Ross;

My problem with contractors isn't, per se, with the contractors, but the contracts.

Too often, I have seen, or heard of contractors who, because of their status, are just not allowed into...

World Politics Review has an article about the spheres of influence (China/India) and the Big Game being played out through Afghanistan on the economic development side:
...

Just in from AP: Kai Eide willleave when his two-year contract ends in March.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hvWEqwq3CrRvaQCmt21MfoYhjZJQD9CH5EB80

Much controversy about him...

Ross:

The crux of the problem.

In the field, everybody wants (and might actually need) Greg Mortenson or Rory Stewart to come in, join the tea party, and work out effective schools, jobs,...

Civilian surge: an expensive failure or an emerging force?


AFN Leads with a headline that Risks Limit Civilian Movement:
...

CMSbelt:

Security is not a decisive factor in whether people need to eat on a given day.

Either security permits free access and low prices, people starve, or it comes some other way.

A...

Good to know about the Status agreement.

The current class action is US Iraq assignees vs. KBR for the Burn Pits and Water Treatment. That one was just consolidated in Maryland with a law firm in...

jmm

I've seen this one before, and it gives me the willies about Iraq:

"363. Duty to Restore and Maintain Public Order

The authority of the legitimate power having in fact passed into the...

jmm:

If I am not mistaken, there are certain rules of the road/treaty obligations for occupation reconstruction/safeguarding populace, which would be worthwhile to summarize.

And a collection...

Hugh:

My understanding is that SCRS didn't get funded (again) to move beyond the theoretical. Unfortunate, IMHO, that they were not able to organize, step up, and get some streamers for their...

Mike:

Right. Different types of engagements have different requirements.

My version is that it runs from theatre to village, but focuses exclusively on the immediate post-conflict...

Ken:

"We can integrate military and civilian planning and execution functions, we did it in WW II and it worked well -- we just do not want to do that today for mostly bureaucratic and turf...

CMSBelt:

Agree that security and availability are overstated problems.

On the civilian reconstruction side, however, I think the same is true of post-conflict reconstruction.

I have read all...

Rob:

Right. The military is the only real party with the "expeditionary" capability to boldly go...

At some point, however, for the things they do to have purpose, continuity, and propulsion,...