Another way?

[MikeF]

I think your goals are important and like you I strongly suspect there is a better way, and it isn't COIN doctrine, it isn't the 3Ds, or hearts and minds, or any other fad that we have promoted. It probably is community and embracing our humanity. For a nation that claims to promote peace, we do over glorify war. Warriors will always be needed to defend societies, but we don't need to become Sparta to do so.

If you think that I'm tough on Galula and the COIN stuff, then you can imagine how tough I am on the peace studies folks .

In my mind, as we study, theorize, and practice, we must be realistic. Peace studies is not anti-war nor is it the absence of war. We cannot wish away human nature by trying to embrace humanity. There will always be conflict, but what matters is how we react to it and the choices we make.

On the positive side, as I've studied conflict resolution from my own failed and humbling attempts to get competing tribes to stop killing each other and live in harmony to the actual theories, it goes back to math. Specifically, John Nash's equilibrium on trying to divide utility with competing parties. However, the limitations of Nash is his focus on utility (minds) and not taking in to account hearts (feelings) and souls (value, norms, beliefs).

As I'm putting together my proposal which I'm hoping the school that I eventually teach at will accept, I'm envisioning plenty of guest speakers and Skype sessions.

I want to bring some of our best military minds, NGOs, etc into the classroom.

I can only imagine the impact this will have on young 15,16,17, and 18 year olds as they go through their own teenage years trying to determine who they are and what they want to be.