Combat Outpost Penetrated in Afghanistan, 9 dead

[Ken White]

I haven't read but have heard from good sources, I think your assessment is on the mark.

I also strongly agree with you on the facts that, in many cases (and Afghanistan is certainly one), the population has to take second or even third place in the METT-TC assessment; and that a COIN unit has to be able to survive and protect itself in order to protect anyone else. Never let the doctrine lead you into dumb...

Been my observation that most fighting forces will if possible avoid a pitched firefight with any unit that appears to be disciplined, competent and to know what it's doing. That belief matured over many years in strange places -- and even though I'm old and out of it, everything I've read or heard inclines me to believe that is still totally true and is particularly true in the current ME/SA theaters..

Yet, apparently the Taliban (or someone) attacked a fairly competent force that had it's act together. Does that negate my belief? Uh-uh. Bad guys can get bad intel, make stupid frontal assaults and screw up just like we do...

Fortunately, they even tend to foul up a bit more than we do...