Pashtun / Pashtunwali / Pashtunistan (catch all)

[Everlasting_Gobstopper]

Although this is not the exact answer to your RFI, there is plenty of cultural information here. Happy hunting.

http://www.dliflc.edu/index.html

[Guardian]

Go to Marine Corps Intelligence Activity. They have Pashtunwali smart cards.

It's a good tool to familiarize Marines with how locals think. However, once deployed, you should try and analyze how locals deviate or follow other patterns of behavior.

[jcustis]

Go to Marine Corps Intelligence Activity. They have Pashtunwali smart cards.

It's a good tool to familiarize Marines with how locals think. However, once deployed, you should try and analyze how locals deviate or follow other patterns of behavior.

Concur on this. I started writing the following before I circled back and saw that Guardian had posted much the same:


There is a small hip-pocket guide book (actually just a small booklet/smart card) put out, if I remember correctly by the Marine Corps Intelligence Activity which I found to be functional and practical. It deals specifically with Pashtunwali, and is fairly accurate. I believe it was produced in concert with the Center for Advanced Operational Culture and Language (CAOCL). I will have to dig out my copy in order to figure out the title, but the boys in the S-2 shop should be able to get dozens easily

The guide is one of the small products that appeared before the last deployment. The second one that is relevant is the Afghanistan Micro Mission Guide. That one delves with the Pashtunwali in an small way, but is actually more focused on the aspects of initial meetings, how to conduct oneself in a shura, and how to "do the dance" relative to addressing the concerns of the local without promising too much, and while ensuring the elders maintain face. It's a good product too, and when paired with the discussions you will have with the linguists you guys will see attached to the Bn later in the training plan, will give you a good foundation. The rest requires being on the ground.

Take note though that you will likely be dealing with a mix of Pashtun and other tribes, to include Kuchi Pashtun Hit me up offline via .mil email and I will fill you in with more info due to the OPSEC issues.

I cannot remember the name of the blog webpage, but it was produced by some Army folks who I think were on an ETT, and they wanted to share lessons learned with those headed downrange. One of the clutch comments made on a post referred to the time when an elder came to the author and complained about the detention of one of the local men, who was in fact a known insurgent facilitator or such. The elder was giving the author a lot of guff about this guy, proclaiming his innocence to no end. The author flipped Pashtunwali on him in a way, and said something to the effect of, "why do you ask me to compromise my honor as a soldier by asking for me to release these men? I am only doing my duty as I know how to do it. If this man is innocent, then the rule of law will prevail, but I am not responsible for the law. The Afghan people are responsible for the law, and I am here to simply help the security forces enforce it."

Remarkably simple and effective right? I would agree that it was, and I had to use that several times last deploy to put and end to some of the discussion about dead-end topics.

If for some reason you cannot score either of the two aforementioned guides without drama, shoot me an email and I'll dig them up and you can stop by (I am at AITB now) and grab mine. They are good material for the concurrent training at the individual level you guys are doing. The Pashtunwali guide is just right for PFC to Maj/LtCol, so no need for stratification of training at the lower enlisted level, and then the officer level.

BTW, have you hit up some of the XO's to discuss the issue? I can recommend one or two who should have decent gouge, based on their experience from the last deployment, who you could seek out and discuss this requirement with.

If I had to do it all over again, I would try to convince the boss to not worry about the language stuff or cultural training all that much. Having a solid grasp on greetings, a few key words dealing with security and governance, and a grasp of 50-100 control words and about 30-40 control phrases is all you will need to know to do your job. Save the time some devote to Rosetta Stone to studying the threat, the AARs, and talking with the guys (especially the NCOs) from the last deployment. Understanding body language, and talking with the LEPs to get a read on the subtle cues when a suspect is being deceptive, is also a skill you might not otherwise have. Learning it is not intuitive.

The people know you are going to goof it up regardless, and they are very forgiving. Being able to show you are doing what you do in good faith, can listen well, and are sincere, are the most desirable traits I think come into play. I think the cultural consultants have gotten themselves into a pretty nice boondoggle and are making mad cash with little return on investment, or at least relevant return.

[thomasruttigAAN]

try this one, just published. but read the disclaimer (in the intro) that this about pashtunwali's ideal version: http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=1567

[Jedburgh]

....There is a small hip-pocket guide book (actually just a small booklet/smart card) put out, if I remember correctly by the Marine Corps Intelligence Activity which I found to be functional and practical. It deals specifically with Pashtunwali, and is fairly accurate. I believe it was produced in concert with the Center for Advanced Operational Culture and Language (CAOCL). I will have to dig out my copy in order to figure out the title, but the boys in the S-2 shop should be able to get dozens easily....

I think you're referring to the CAOCL pub Afghanistan: Operational Culture for Deploying Personnel, published back in May '09.

...The second one that is relevant is the Afghanistan Micro Mission Guide.

That is also an excellent, concise reference - second the recommendation.

There's also an AWG smart-card type product, their Tactical Pocket Reference: Afghan Key Leader Engagement. And then there's a publicly available CALL pub, Afghan Culture: Observations, Insights, and Lessons, published last Sep and the TRADOC Culture Center's Afghanistan Smart Book, updated this Jan. And of course there's always the DLIFLC Cultural Awareness and Area Studies webpage

Aside from the references, etc., there are a couple of existing briefs floating around out there that you could simply download and update for your needs. One is also from the MCIA, Afghan Cultural Awareness, original dated 3 Jun 10; the other is by LCDR Tauseef Badar of the 3rd Marine Air Wing, Afghanistan for Dummies, original dated 4 Mar 10. PM or e-mail me if you need assistance in finding these.

[carl]

The people know you are going to goof it up regardless, and they are very forgiving. Being able to show you are doing what you do in good faith, can listen well, and are sincere, are the most desirable traits I think come into play.

These are very wise words. The same thing works in Africa for civilians too. If falls under the rubric of being a gentleman I guess.

The author flipped Pashtunwali on him in a way, and said something to the effect of, "why do you ask me to compromise my honor as a soldier by asking for me to release these men? I am only doing my duty as I know how to do it. If this man is innocent, then the rule of law will prevail, but I am not responsible for the law. The Afghan people are responsible for the law, and I am here to simply help the security forces enforce it."

This worked in Africa too sometimes when fending off bribe solicitations, sort an honorable man approach. Being a gentleman again, people respect that.

[davidbfpo]

Welcome aboard.

Alas the Forum Search function is not working nowadays.

However I know we had stuff so took the long route. TRy these threads, assuming you have not found them:

1. http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...or-(catch-all)
2. http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...41-Pashtunwali
3. One of them points to this PDF (20 pgs) http://www.afghanistan-analysts.net/...wali-FINAL.pdf
4. http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...r-Pashtunistan
5. Mike Martin has two books, the first being reviewed by moi in Post 120 via:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ing-2014/page6 and a more general book:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ghlight=martin
6. Have you looked at Carter Malkasian's book, also on Helmand? Which has comments in Posts 56, 57, 58 & 68 via:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ing-2013/page4
7. Finally try this NGO website, even if it covers the FATA, not Afghanistan:http://www.understandingfata.org/about-u-fata.php

[davidbfpo]

I have merged four threads here and changed the title to Pashtun / Pashtunwali / Pashtunistan (catch all).

Alas the search function no longer works well.

[davidbfpo]

A topical update from National Interest. It is sub-titled:

The resurgent Taliban are driven only partly by religion. They are motivated equally, if not more, by the search for Pashtun dignity and revenge.

Link:https://nationalinterest.org/feature/taliban-and-changing-nature-pashtun-nationalism-41182?