Winning papers; IO Writing Competition

[BScully]

I was talking once with two NGO workers, both with masters degrees, and a British Army officer. The officer was working for the UN at the time and he mentioned that NGO and military organizations could profit by trading information and training. Both the NGO workers got looks of horrified disgust on their faces, only barely concealed. Those looks never left their faces as the officer explained exactly how the NGO's would benefit. I don't think they ever really heard anything he said.

I currently work for a civilian agency and have been involved in discussions and training with the State Department's Office for Reconstruction and Stabilization. For the NGO and USAID folks this is a very big issue. They believe too much interaction with the military, particularly open/public interaction, puts them at significantly greater risk. In addition, they believe they lose legitimacy among the local population. The U.S. Institute of Peace has a couple of very interesting reports about the PRTs in Afghanistan that really highlight this issue. Here's a link to one of the reports that discusses this issue: http://www.usip.org/pubs/specialreports/sr147.html

I am not a field person and have no practical experience in this area, but I thought these comments and reports might be of interest.

Take care,
Brian