More killing. Less good deeds

[Ken White]

Of course, "hearts and minds" and rational man theory doesn't have to hold true for everyone, but the implication is that it does have to apply to a majority to work. And I've heard more than a couple economists chuckle about COIN theory banking on what is an in-part discarded model of how people act. . .

A model that never really passed the common sense test at that...

All of us constantly make choices that are not 'in our interest.' Just look at federal elections...

Serious comment. Both parts.

[Steve the Planner]

The purpose of a well-devised planning process is to identify and consider the major consequences (including unintentional ones).

When we end up being the great decider with little input, our decisions, not surprisingly, tend to miss the mark, or spawn significant unconsidered unintended consequences. That's how you get all the waste.

Actually, at MND-North in 2008, the Div Eng (and the whole div staff) had, in effect, stood up the last Diyala govt, and brought with them a lot of built-in knowledge from multiple tours. This cut down on a lot of waste, and led them to ask the right questions, including of local folks.

But it often put them in conflict with the brigade battlespace owner who was trying to build, build, build.

The new SSI guide really gets to the point of how to do it by using the early Basrah example where the military did, in fact, do a pretty good job.

Some really good lessons to learn.

Steve