Quote Originally Posted by Surferbeetle View Post
Steve (Dayuhan/the Foreigner?)
Alam mo pala eh... ganyan talaga ako, kahit saan. 'Di bale, sanay na.

Quote Originally Posted by Surferbeetle View Post
An advisory role focused upon security, economic, and governance services may be the most sustainable model out there. From my civil affairs centric viewpoint, I believe that it is much more cost effective to influence the influencers. There will always be more locals present in country than coalition personnel.
An advisory role is what we're looking for. In Iraq and Afghanistan, though, we're advising governments that we effectively created, and while we may see ourselves as advisors to "their" government, many of "them" may see us propping up a government that is more ours than theirs. Changing this perception is a major challenge. There is no single step that can do it, needs time, gradual evolution, and a delicate balancing act: external forces are needed to give the government room to grow to a point where it can be independent, but at the same time the presence of those forces is seen as compromising independence.