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  1. Google Translate says it's Vietnamese language, a...

    Google Translate says it's Vietnamese language, a product of the Ministry of Public Security. Then just lists the production date and expiration date. Not sure what type of gas CKN is though. "Quả"...
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    Welcome aboard! To your questions, and as parvati...

    Welcome aboard! To your questions, and as parvati mentioned, a lot will depend on your job and your motivation to immerse. Living on a FOB in the current risk-averse US Army environment will limit...
  3. Roger; I understand what you're saying but we're...

    Roger; I understand what you're saying but we're not talking about political terrorism at that point anymore. I suppose that's your point too. Once a terrorist group reaches that point (I find that a...
  4. Steve, I'm not so sure; I think you're talking...

    Steve, I'm not so sure; I think you're talking about the difference between political terrorism and pure Nietzschean nihilism (maybe Russian anarchism?). I view terrorism as only a tactic towards a...
  5. Short answer is 'yes,' no difference. It only...

    Short answer is 'yes,' no difference. It only depends on where you're standing.
    - American 18th century colonists: freedom fighters and terrorists
    - Israeli Zionists (prior to statehood): freedom...
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    @omarali50, I'd tend to agree with Bob here;...

    @omarali50,
    I'd tend to agree with Bob here; whatever government that would naturally evolve in Kabul is the one we can work with, one way or another, to address national interests. It doesn't...
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    Let's not conflate this like we've conflated what...

    Let's not conflate this like we've conflated what should be handled by police/law enforcement, CT if necessary, and intelligence services for the past 10 years rather than military force....
  8. What should Congress do?

    How about their job? Demand a coherent defense policy that would get us out of other people's civil wars having nothing to do with our national interests, break the DoD's stranglehold on our foreign...
  9. yeah - he should obviously learn from us in...

    yeah - he should obviously learn from us in Afghanistan. Our use of "classic counterinsurgency techniques" is winning the war over here, didn't he realize? There's no metastisizing or spreading here.
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    not to be snarky, but the current campaign plan...

    not to be snarky, but the current campaign plan of 'clear-hold-build' isn't "clutching at straws?" Which seems more of a pipedream given 9 yrs of recent history and the realities of Afghan politics?
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    Chinese - hands down. All this nation-building...

    Chinese - hands down. All this nation-building and COIN bs is hopefully just a flash in the military strategy pan. It'll take a few more yrs but we'll eventually extricate ourselves and learn a...
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    and the dogh. I love the dogh. ...

    and the dogh. I love the dogh.

    http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z86/kotkinjs1/sicksmiley.jpg
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    Unless you have a specific context that refers to...

    Unless you have a specific context that refers to the not-a-militia (village protection forces), I believe the 'brother' terminology comes from Karzai in regards to the TB themselves. He used that...
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    Why are patronage networks always the bad guy?

    To quote BW: "....it created a national ponzi scheme of leadership and patronage that robs the government of local legitimacy and robs the locals of their wealth..."

    Allow me to do some...
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    Yogi (post 52), I think you missed the intent...

    Yogi (post 52),

    I think you missed the intent of the Strategic Appreciation brief. First, from your post:



    That's actually the exact opposite what the brief intends to get across. PM me for...
  16. I think the “secularist liberals” who you...

    I think the “secularist liberals” who you continue to bash intended something much different than the simple interpretation you choose. “[Y]ou should never discuss religion with Iraqis” is not...
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    pm me; I'm in the program but I'm not CA. I know...

    pm me; I'm in the program but I'm not CA. I know someone who is though. He's out of PKSOI and in Dari language training now with me.
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    I'd also piggyback w/ Mr Owen; Colin Gray is one...

    I'd also piggyback w/ Mr Owen; Colin Gray is one of the best interpretations of CvC for modern usage.
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    The Howard/Paret translation (1976/1984), hands...

    The Howard/Paret translation (1976/1984), hands down.
  20. Dr. Kagan to Testify Before HASC Subcommittee Today on Afghanistan

    Does anyone know how transcript or presentation can be obtained? I'll see if the media POC can provide anything.

    I can only imagine what this crowd will have to say... . . . . .


    Media...
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    maybe so but....

    ....I can at least tell you that they're all over Dari too. The biggest percentage of students seem to be in that program.

    But hey, there's still Russian students peppered about so I don't expect...
  22. Mr. White, Think I get the gist of your first...

    Mr. White,

    Think I get the gist of your first response; if I could try and clarify what I understand to help me think through the issues you raised:

    "Credibility is in the eye of the beholder...
  23. New essay: “The Shadow COA or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love NSC-68"

    Light bathroom reading....

    http://www.d-n-i.net/dni/2009/10/21/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-nsc-68/

    A little shameless self-promotion. :) I'd appreciate any constructive feedback.
    ...
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    right - I understand that; it is pretty sh!tty...

    right - I understand that; it is pretty sh!tty that this little gem was left out in the turnover brief. I was only referring to the payoffs. The article focuses on the payments to militants to...
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    Italian link to the French killings....

    Here's the same story from today's Foreign Policy:

    http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/10/15/did_italy_pay_off_the_taliban


    Did Italy pay off the Taliban?

    But the larger question is:...
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