Quote Originally Posted by MSG Proctor View Post
None of Eden's rebuttals deal with these facts:

1. Islam is the only hope for a unifying principle/theme in COIN ops there;
2. The enemy is co-opting the religious leaders not due to theological/ideological/moral superiority but due to our exposing them to the coercive power of the insurgency.

I hear the "it might not work" and "Mullahs are not homogenous" etc...
I think number 2 is correct and number 1 may be but submit that our ability to implement number 1 will be limited by the follow-on "...not homogeneous" and other factors; not least by this:
"our stated goal in Afghanistan - a state where their [religious leaders] influence is marginalized."

is true, can you provide any evidence of this policy?
I'm unsure it is a stated goal but if it is, it's an exercise in futility if that goal is to be attained in less than a couple of generations. Even then it is at best dubious. While I'm unsure it is a stated goal, I have little doubt that it is the intent or at least the unstated desire of some in high places -- and that, unfortunately, desired sooner rather than later...

What I do know is that approaching Afghanistan with western thought processes, religious or irreligious, and anticipating a quasi-western society is likely to not succeed. Nor do I think it has to do so. Best is frequently the enemy of good enough...