from the aged.

from Proctor
"Co-opting" as a COIN colloquialism in this instance actually is more akin to promulgating existing themes and strategies that emanate from the locals. In COIN, the population must buy-in. That is almost 100% impossible for them if the ideas/concepts are injects from foreign powers who will eventually leave.
No beef with this, except to note "co-option" is a very loaded term. I'd prefer the concept of "promoting existing themes and strategies that emanate from the locals." Semantics, perhaps, but "promulgating" smacks (to my ear) a bit too much of agitprop. Anyway, the key is "that emanate from the locals."

from Proctor
The way this is done is by covertly backing religious leaders that have of their own accord developed themes that wed Islam to the future of the Afghan nation state. Per good COIN principles, NATO/CF stay in the background and support these clerics (and their surrogates) with all PMESII assets (political/military/economic/social/information/infrastructure) making these traditional/orthodox Islamic clerics the 'hero' in the eyes of the population.
We been der, done that: in the late 1940s to mid 1960s programs promoting local political parties, media outlets, academic organizations, labor unions and student associations, in foreign countries (think Willi Brandt) - which were supported by cognate groups in the US, such as the National Student Association (NSA). Generally, the foreign groups were to the left of US mainstream politics of that era. In general, those programs (the brain-children of Cord Meyer and others) worked.

But, lots of stuff hit the fan when the lid was lifted in 1966-1967. Which led to all sorts of flak. See, for a perspective that is NOT mine:

http://www.cia-on-campus.org/

As a former NSA campus co-ordinator in the early 60s, I was on the other side; and still am - knuckle dragging Neanderthal that I am.

The point of digging up this ancient history is that what you are proposing, while perhaps theoretically sound ("covert" becomes "non-covert" rather easily), is subject to blowback prospects. That seems especially so where religion is concerned - a far more explosive materiel than student affairs.