Green on Blue: causes and responses (merged thread)

[Ken White]

Good find. Key paragraph:

The strategic drawdown may provide some quantitative relief from the frequency of these attacks, but don’t bet on it because Afghan history is very unkind to retreating foreign forces. Perceptions are critical in this region. If these insider attacks continue and are politicised without intellectual challenge and a rational response through policy, then we run the very real risk of an ill-considered accelerated retreat masquerading as a withdrawal. We may suddenly find ourselves in the same strategic position as we did in Iran in 1978, Lebanon in 1984, and Somalia in 1994.

I think we can bet the farm on that...

The bit about perceptions is, I think, a slight misnomer. 'Beliefs' are critical in this Region might be slightly more accurate. One belief is that stuff is settled man to man.

Which sorta negates the value of UAV weapon strikes...

ADDED: Heh, we both missed the earlier post, I guess...