It appears to me through my own blunt trauma of experience and through every extensive study of COIN models available that the only net result is security- a short term effect....How/Can you move to stability without the thorough cooperation of the host-nation and the indigenous people and tribal structures (ie Iraq and the surge).

From the blinders of this captain's eyes, it appears that there is a significant gap between security and stability that can only be bridged by the people....

During the surge (diyala in particular), we secured diyala for a short amount of time; however, we could not settle the underlying centuries of tribal disputes (AQI and JAM aside).

From my perspective, that's not our fight. When they're done fighting, I'll come in and build schools.

Again, standing by...