"Experts"

[SteveMetz]

Given the lack of solutions with respect to the Iraq situation it is easy to understand why the US is looking far and wide for answers. Let us not, however, fall prey to snake oil salesmen who annoint themselves as counterinsurgency experts and who are trying to market themselves as experts around various governmental entities in these times. Consider, for example, Colin Kahl who has been deemed as a counterinsurgency expert by at least one think tank ( http://www.cnas.org/en/cms/?893) and Harvard no less (http://www.belfercenter.org/experts/...in_h_kahl.html ). Mr. Kahl (http://www2.cla.umn.edu/reach/Fall06/Kahl.html) has spent around a year at DoD studying the rule of law in war and spent 4 days in Iraq (per his own testimony). He has 0 years military experience and is a brand new assistant professor at Georgetown. Yes he has probably read every open source article on Iraq that exists. But he has annointed himself a counterinsurgency expert and has convinced the "New Yorker"; "Mother Jones" and "Foreign Affairs" that he is an expert and thus he is worth listening too. He is even prescribing military strategy to those who will listen to him (see the New Yorker article for an example). If one closely reads the links provided it becomes apparent that Mr. Kahl is a smooth talker but not too careful in presenting a honest account of his credentials, For instance, his 4 actual days in Iraq become a "summer long study" in his credentials list on the cnas.org website. From his own website, In July, Kahl headed to Iraq for four days, to conduct interviews in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone and at Camp Victory, the U.S. military headquarters at the former Baghdad airport. It was an intense and unnerving experience, he recalls. “We got shelled every day I was there.”". It is understandable that upward people like Mr. Kahl want to market themselves and advance their career. What experiences does he in fact have that define him as a counterinsurgency expert? I'm still looking. And his is only one example. The situation in Iraq is dire-lives are at stake to say nothing of our country's reputation. Lets stick with credible professionals for advice when construction policy.

I have mixed feelings about this. Colin is an exceptionally bright guy. In find him quite impressive intellectually. But you're right that I don't think he'd done much analysis of insurgency until a few years ago. But what does qualify someone to be an "expert"? After, the military suffers from what I've heard called the "any colonel can" syndrome--the idea that if someone was competent enough to become a colonel, he can do any job. So we end up with colonels and generals with no counterinsurgency background leading counterinsurgency efforts.

I've also been concerned that in terms of counterinsurgency, TOO MUCH expertise can be an impediment. As the U.S. military has re-engaged with it, I've heard a lot of people with deep experience go to great lengths to cram Iraq into the box of El Salvador or even Vietnam. Sometimes it takes someone without deep experience to think creatively.