The David Kilcullen Collection (merged thread)

[Ron Humphrey]

I'm still working my way through the presentation - and this is a bit simplistic - but it seems to me that end result of a successful COIN effort is always a political deal where everyone gets most of what they want except for the foreign counter insurgent. So I'd say the answer depends on whether you consider that a strategic success or strategic failure for us.

Perhaps the less the foreign CI gains the less responsibility they have for what happens after they leave. In other words (and so as not to be misinterpreted) If the main premise is to successfully build everybody there and make sure they are vested and capable of keeping things good the less likely you are to have to get involved in such a manner again. EMPOWERMENT if done right can be a wonderful thing. If in word only it can actually be counter-productive

Know yourself
Do unto others
Tis better to give than to receive
Tis better to die in honor than to live in defeat
And so on

Those who came before us actually knew a lot more than we seem to sometimes about how the world really works