How do we say the Afghan Surge is not just mil when civilians are not participating?

[120mm]

From todays NYT:

RE: "120mm" Based on 2.5 months somewhere in Afghanistan, 120 MM states:

"Gee, I've rolled around in Afghanistan in an unarmored Ford pickup for the last 2.5 months. ANA/ANP make excellent security. And that's in a role where people have a huge self-interest in killing me/us. It's just not that risky, here. But that's my mind-set vs. the typical guy in a tie."

Well, based on my year in Afghanistan, there are DOS people (Helmand, Kandahar, Kunar, Nuristan) where you simply can't drive around in an "unarmored ford." In Helmand, the DOS rep (who has been there for nearly two years) would have been dead a long time back.

Unfortunately, my location was edited out by mods, but I will tell you that there are a large number of DoS contract personnel who have been driving around in unarmored Fords in those areas for the last 5 years. Without a single one being killed. I have noticed a tendency for the DoS personnel I come in contact to make overdramatic statements like that, though.

Sure, up in Mazar and Kunduz, Bamiyan, Panjshir, you can ride around in the open. Herat as well. Not in the Pech river valley or on the road to Musa Qala.

As to language skills? Do we all have them? No. Right now all except one or two of the DOS people heading out this summer are finishing their 44 week high intensity language course. As for previous DOS people, I won't give her name, but, for one example, we had a Pashto speaker working near the Pak border for over a year. She had specific death threats against her. If she had ridden for "2.5 months" in an unarmored ford pickup, she would be dead as well.

Death threats? In Afghanistan? Wow, that is harsh. [sarcasm]

Our language assistants get them all the time. Against them and their families. And yes, they ride around with us, despite the "instant death" nature of living and working out of unarmored vehicles.

"But I get the impression that State wants to grow their own from fellow Ivy Leaguers and Biff's tennis buddies and is actually frightened by people with real experience."

I've got 24 years as an FSO. I graduated from a California State College. Not many Ivy Leaguers at State. This is a sterotype from 50 years ago, maybe. I'm one of many FSOs with more than one war under my belt. And no, we don't wear ties out at PRTs. Sorry.

The problem is, you have 24 years as an FSO. How many years do you have doing something else? The problem with State, is that their membership largely consists of people who've never done anything else. I don't think they are in a position to self-evaluate when it comes to skill-sets.

What I'm suggesting is that DoS would benefit greatly from regular infusions of people from OUTSIDE the DoS groupthink. Unfortunately, their main recruiting effort is STILL focused on 22 year old minds of mush straight out of college.

BTW, to a midwestern guy, California state colleges and any of the East Coast universities are roughly equivalent to the Ivy League stereotype. There are distinctions, but frankly, I don't care.

A couple months back, I spent a few days in the same area, and was able to figure out how that particular kalay developed. I related this info to one of your DoS guys, and he was astounded by the knowledge. Frankly, if the guy had an advisor or had himself some small town farm knowledge, he should've been able to figure it out fairly quickly. As it was, the principles on how farm villages develop is apparently not valued by DoS. But to a farm kid who has BTDT, it's pretty obvious. But then, I'm not as "expert" as you DoS guys...