John posted,
We know how to do this. We have decades of experience in wartime and peacetime. The first step is always to find out what the local people say they need and then make it possible for them to get it.
I think Biker Chick 1's observations paint another picture entirely. Of course part of it was the corrupt process we established initially due to political loyality (U.S.) over hiring folks who "may" have been effective, but to be honest I question if we have ever been good at this (under Republican or Democractic adminstrations). We love to spend millions of dollars, and call that spending a success metric. Ask any Civil Affairs staff officer and USAID member "how do you know you have been successful?", and they'll tell you how much money they spent. You better check your wallet and make sure they didn't take it, because it was your tax dollars they just spent.

Again have we ever been good at this? I believe the Ugly American was written in the early 60s? It addressed the same issues. What did we accomplish in Somalia or Haiti? Did reconstruction after our Civil War work?

I remain aghast that we still have so many people who are true believers in wasting our tax dollars on these projects. I guess if you don't let the truth get in the way our your assessment, then we're doing a great job. We spent millions, so we must be doing good. I find the pro COINdista arguments particularly funny, since the CNAS propagandists continue to promote more of this as key to our national security? There are none so blind as those who will not see.

I wish Biker Chick would write an expose on this activity, it is simply criminal, and yes it is our tax dollars being wasted, so we have every reason to be concerned. This isn't national security, it is a sad comedy. Rough starts are understandable, repeating the same mistakes year after year and cover them with whitewash is criminal.