David,
Perhaps next year when I am back at my day job. Things here are a bit too immediate to offer much now beyond generalities.
Best
Tom
David,
Perhaps next year when I am back at my day job. Things here are a bit too immediate to offer much now beyond generalities.
Best
Tom
Finally finished listening and in the Q&A Semple is scathing about PRT's and dismisses them as glorified, fortified guesthouses.
Tom,
Thank you and perhaps in your lessons learned paper in 2010?
davidbfpo
Apologies an earlier thread on British Political Officers exists: http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=7518
davidbfpo
Semple's comments on PRTs (the last 1/2" of the uTube) was very interesting, and he said nothing I disagree with, as they have been deployed to date.
On the other hand, I thought his comments on UNAMAs intentional hands-off attitude to the election was very significant.
He called the election snafu a very avoidable problem.
Having served on the political team in UNAMI (Iraq), the team was fully deployed well-before, and after the Iraq election. The SRSG was out daily working to help Iraq get through the election laws, establish the processes and mechanics, and monitor to assure reasonable standards.
Granted what Semple said about each UN mission being different, and having their own problems, but, clearly, international oversight of the Afghan election was less than optimum.
As for the political officer comments, I usually try to avoid them because they are out of my lane, but the overview he gave really sounded to be historically well-grounded, and insightful (at least to me).
An odd article, if only as I've not seen this anything on this Afghan-American in the public domain. Some nice quotes, my favourites are:Followed by:Amini reviewed the speeches of U.S. commanders, crossing out lines that might be perceived as culturally insensitive. In some cases, Amini was blunt: “Sir, I will not translate that,” he would say.Link:http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...76f_story.htmlThrough friendship, an Afghan will sacrifice his life for you. Through bad relations, he will turn into your enemy.
davidbfpo
I for one am far more comfortable seeing an Afghan who made Kebabs in Nebraska advising a US Commander in Afghanistan on Afghan culture than I am am seeing a 90-day wonder US Afghan Hand advising an Afghan governmental minister on Afghan governance.
I can't think how many times I wished that we in the United States had foreign military officers advising our Congress and senior governmental officials across civil and military and law enforcement service on how to best do their jobs. Oh, wait, yes I can remember: Never.
The very idea of it is absurd. Equally so when done by us in some foreign land.
Robert C. Jones
Intellectus Supra Scientia
(Understanding is more important than Knowledge)
"The modern COIN mindset is when one arrogantly goes to some foreign land and attempts to make those who live there a lesser version of one's self. The FID mindset is when one humbly goes to some foreign land and seeks first to understand, and then to help in some small way for those who live there to be the best version of their own self." Colonel Robert C. Jones, US Army Special Forces (Retired)
With all due respect but I wonder if this type of long term continuity is not an issue for us in Afghanistan. Has the advice provided over the tenures of seven commanders been sound? Again with all due respect but we tend to gravitate to those who can speak English and the local language well and know our culture and the local one(s) as well (which makes us comfortable) and this sometimes puts blinders on us. I have no idea if that is the case in this situation and I am sure I will be chastised by those who know him as a patriot but I think we should remain objective about the advice we receive and objective about those who provide advice.
David S. Maxwell
"Irregular warfare is far more intellectual than a bayonet charge." T.E. Lawrence
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