Studies on radicalization & comments

[Bob's World]

OK, but in War you assert your legitimacy by killing those who seek to dispute by force of arms. Once the bad guys are dead, you can have the political process decide the legitimacy.

In Irregular Warfare, you do not win by being the better government. You win by being the only government.

Violent, no doubt.

But given the inherent internal nature of insurgency and COIN, I am currently of the mind that calling it "war" is extremely counterproductive to effective COIN. Better to look at insurgency as a "Civil Emergency" and the military aspect of COIN through the doctrinal construct of "Military Support to Civil Authorities" (MSCA). I think this leads to healthier perspectives that are more likely to yield an enduring result.

To wage war on one's own populace is a slippery slope indeed.


As to sending one's military to conduct FID through that same MSCA construct in support on another nations COIN efforts; that is another thing as well.

I am drafting up a paper now that hits this in greater detail, tentatively titled "Changing the Lexicon - A Critical Step in Winning the Battle of the Narrative" that explore dropping the current lexicon rooted in war and COIN; and evoliving to lexicon rooted in MSCA and Criminal Law. Actions will certainly remain "war-like" for a while in Afghanistan, but with the idea that words proceed action, and that changing how we think as well as how we talk will pave the way more quickly to reducing military support and evolving from military prosecution to civilian prosecution of those who act out.

If you'd like, I'll push you a draft in a week or so.

Bob

[William F. Owen]

Agreed. But I don't think COIN is war.

Well then why are you using violence to set forth a policy? Are you killing people to make them like you?

If you want to drop some silly words, try getting rid of "COIN." - Thanks to CNAS and the like, it is now utterly meaningless and a block to clear and effective thinking.

....and winning a war requires you destroy the enemy. It works. It works better than anything else and it is proven to work.

[marct]

Hi Wilf,

Well then why are you using violence to set forth a policy? Are you killing people to make them like you?

You know, the Inquisition had this one solved - it wasn't about making them "like" you, it was about saving their souls (too bad about the bodies, but....).

If you want to drop some silly words, try getting rid of "COIN." - Thanks to CNAS and the like, it is now utterly meaningless and a block to clear and effective thinking.

Why not drop the term "war" as well? I mean, think about how it has been stretched all out of shape - the war on terror, the war on poverty, the war on obesity, etc. ad nauseum.

....and winning a war requires you destroy the enemy. It works. It works better than anything else and it is proven to work.

Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.

[William F. Owen]

You know, the Inquisition had this one solved - it wasn't about making them "like" you, it was about saving their souls (too bad about the bodies, but....).

Christians? Go figure.....

Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.

....and this is a problem why?
- point being he's complaining. He's objecting to the fact that this is not "setting forth policy." War is not fought to create peace. It's fought advance or resist political change.

[marct]

Hi Wilf,

Christians? Go figure.....

Yup. It's one of the reasons why the Dominicans earned a "special place" in many folk histories .

....and this is a problem why?

Well, look at the first part of the quote:

To ravage, to slaughter, to usurp under false titles, they call empire; and where they make a desert, they call it peace.

Deserts are soooo unproductive .

- point being he's complaining. He's objecting to the fact that this is not "setting forth policy." War is not fought to create peace. It's fought advance or resist political change.

Actually, I think Bob is complaining because the general strategies, and concepts, are based on an old policy that is about as useful today as the Dominican's foundational doctrine is.

[William F. Owen]

Deserts are soooo unproductive .

I can show a pretty big patch of the northern Negev that would say otherwise....

[Bob's World]

Well then why are you using violence to set forth a policy? Are you killing people to make them like you?

If you want to drop some silly words, try getting rid of "COIN." - Thanks to CNAS and the like, it is now utterly meaningless and a block to clear and effective thinking.

....and winning a war requires you destroy the enemy. It works. It works better than anything else and it is proven to work.

CNAS would be number 3...but they are protected by the Constitution so I leave them on.