Graphei:

"I am not saying Anthropologists are not useful in this fight (someone has to do statistics and be anal about methodology ) or that they are incapable of doing research on religion, but when Big Brother is turning away people with in depth knowledge on Islam- there is a big, big problem. Hell, if I got a call tomorrow that said, "Hey, you wanna go to Afghanistan and be on a HTT?" I'd put the Corps on hold and go.
[rant off]"

Wrong. Demographers, economists, financial managers and engineers do statistics. Anthropologists do...

As you will find when you get to some field somewhere, what MG Flynn reported is correct. You will be called to some VTC where all the experts are going to answer all your questions---and they have no clue.

You will be the one making the difference (and sometimes your battle will be with US, not THEM, to make the biggest difference).

It is a very gratifying experience to do a few times, but after a while, you relish and take comfort from some of the careers' worth of experiences from some of the folks on this Board to remember that these are the "routine" challenges to be overcome in any big endeavor. (We could be havimng the same organizational discussion at Harvard Business School about corporate activities, too).

It is not about right, wrong or woulda-coulda-shoulda, but what we are doing today and tomorrow that will create the final cumulative history.

What was that speech by Gates in 2008---it is the ones who break the mold that are responsible for the biggest historical successes and defining events. (Something like that).

Steve