Lost in Translation

[tequila]

A revealing video:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=fdb_1213651866&p=1

Though one wonders, even if a fully accurate translation had occurred, what exactly might have occurred. It's clear that we don't have the strength to hold border crossings from Pakistan. The Soviets couldn't do it with 3x the number of troops we have in the country now.

[davidbfpo]

What an illustration of the problems for fighting in Afghanistan, superb.

davidbfpo

[Ken White]

the sloppiest patrol I've ever seen but it was in the top five. Sorry to see the Herd has gotten that careless. Sad...

Still, at least they didn't go into rank overkill and send a Field Grade...

The interpreter is about par for the course and that's why all NCOs should at least learn some basic phrases; no real excuse not to do that. You're correct in that even an accurate translation would have made little or no difference in the situation stated.

We wouldn't have the ability to seal the Afghan border with Pakistan if we had a million troops there; to even talk of it as if it were a good idea is IMO not thinking clearly.

[John T. Fishel]

would have, at the very least, told the patrol the story of the ants the village elder told. Clearly, the ants were a metaphor for the Taliban. That communication could have begun a dialog between the elders and the soldiers that over time might well have led to first, protecting the people of the village, second, their cooperation with the Americans and the Afghan government, and third, some really good intel on Taliban movement, and possibly a village self defense unit. Not just translation but culture and the need for the US troops to see the world around them through the village elder's eyes.That kind of empathy leads to understanding the nature of the problem which is the first step in attempting to resolve it.

Sad

JohnT

[tequila]

In a perfect world, John, but it doesn't appear that we have enough troops to really provide the security that the villagers need. Without that prerequisite, no trust. Even if we could plant an outpost to give them overwatch, it would simply attract attacks from across the border and endanger the villagers further. The safe havens across the border are the nut that that must be cracked.

Also, let's be honest, the NCO didn't really appear to comprehend why the villagers weren't attacking the Taliban themselves - encouraged by his terp. He didn't look like he was much in the mood for metaphors about insects, rather he wanted the elder to risk his village to shoot some Taliban in the face.

He might have been better off asking himself why he wanted the villagers to risk their lives to protect his FOB from Taliban rocket attacks. Indeed, a better question might be what the purpose of the FOB and its soldiers is, if not to protect the villagers from the Taliban?

[Ken White]

He might have been better off asking himself why he wanted the villagers to risk their lives to protect his FOB from Taliban rocket attacks. Indeed, a better question might be what the purpose of the FOB and its soldiers is, if not to protect the villagers from the Taliban?

Or would he just like those villagers and most in Afghanistan to run the Taliban off so there's no need for the FOB (which could be where it is for many reasons, none having much to do with protecting the village)...

[tequila]

Or would he just like those villagers and most in Afghanistan to run the Taliban off so there's no need for the FOB (which could be where it is for many reasons, none having much to do with protecting the village)...

At which point, why should the village risk their lives against Taliban fighters who certainly outgun and probably outnumber them, for ... what, exactly?